2005 R53, 2005 R53 lightweight, 2008 R55S, 2012 R58FJCW, 2014 R60SD All4, 1996 Mini Cooper 35SE.
Joined
·
6,709 Posts
doesn't look great, wet everywhere around it....
Hello from me and here's my R53
241 - 260 of 263 Posts
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
The pleasure of autumn! Water inside one of the rear lights. Off it came for a reseal and in went a standard light with orange indicator lens. The fixed light will go back in at the weekend once I am happy the glue is properly set and the sealant dry.
![Car Land vehicle Vehicle Vehicle registration plate Tire]()
![Automotive parking light Automotive tail & brake light Automotive lighting Bumper Headlamp]()
Joined
·
590 Posts
You’re lucky not to own a convertible….but you know that!
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
Well, it appears that the alternator that I fitted to my car in April 2021 has failed. Battery light on and no power steering. Voltage not increasing at the battery when the engine is running.
As it's now rather cold and wet I have entrusted my local garage to source and fit a replacement. Low charging voltage could have been the source of my recent running woes. I will wait and see.
I also have a replacement heater matrix to fit. The pipes are as hot as they should be, the air blend flap is working but the air isn't as hot as it should be. 20 years of crud inside, no doubt.
My Mini ownership ratio is definitely more pain then pleasure at the moment.
As it's now rather cold and wet I have entrusted my local garage to source and fit a replacement. Low charging voltage could have been the source of my recent running woes. I will wait and see.
I also have a replacement heater matrix to fit. The pipes are as hot as they should be, the air blend flap is working but the air isn't as hot as it should be. 20 years of crud inside, no doubt.
My Mini ownership ratio is definitely more pain then pleasure at the moment.
Im beginning to feel the same after selling my focus st, slight regret but the track days in the mini make all the regret go away. Battle on and all will become good
Joined
·
590 Posts
It will all become good again bro!
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
Today's compression test results were good. All cylinders very close to each other. Lower than normal, but I understand that is due to the fast road cam having a bit of overlap. My £20 Silverline gauge may also read lower than an expensive calibrated gauge would.
New iridium plugs have smoothed out the idle as well. Gone back to heat level 7, from 8. Standard heat is 6. Only ran 8 because the standard map couldn't properly fuel the smaller charger pulley on open loop over 4k rpm.
The test drive to get petrol went well. It pulled like an express train. No more stalling. I need to see if that continues. I will drive it to work next week to get some miles.
I did note that the radiator brackets were fitted back to front (it was removed from panel to get to the alternator = don't ask!) pushing the radiator backwards so the coolant hose touched the manifold. One hour later, the bumper had been taken off and replaced having swapped the brackets around. Checked it was bled properly and the fan worked as it should. All was good.
As I previously mentioned, the heater matrix still needs to be changed as it takes too long to get warm inside, but the matrix pipes are properly hot. That's a job for warmer days. May as well change the thermostat and temperature sender when I have the coolant out (again).
New iridium plugs have smoothed out the idle as well. Gone back to heat level 7, from 8. Standard heat is 6. Only ran 8 because the standard map couldn't properly fuel the smaller charger pulley on open loop over 4k rpm.
The test drive to get petrol went well. It pulled like an express train. No more stalling. I need to see if that continues. I will drive it to work next week to get some miles.
I did note that the radiator brackets were fitted back to front (it was removed from panel to get to the alternator = don't ask!) pushing the radiator backwards so the coolant hose touched the manifold. One hour later, the bumper had been taken off and replaced having swapped the brackets around. Checked it was bled properly and the fan worked as it should. All was good.
As I previously mentioned, the heater matrix still needs to be changed as it takes too long to get warm inside, but the matrix pipes are properly hot. That's a job for warmer days. May as well change the thermostat and temperature sender when I have the coolant out (again).
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
Potentially, yes they were. I need to put some more miles on the new plugs to see how they fair.
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
At least I know what it is now! That way I can see a route forwards. May be time for a good old engine rebuild. Spend some money and get my car back to being driven properly again.
2005 R53, 2005 R53 lightweight, 2008 R55S, 2012 R58FJCW, 2014 R60SD All4, 1996 Mini Cooper 35SE.
Joined
·
6,709 Posts
pity, been leaking a while if emulsified, or recently gone in a bigger fashion perhaps
I can't say it's a reason to got to a rebuild although these things can show us more when apart
just done one which revealed why the gasket would have gone, finding the block had already been sleeved and one had slightly dropped, unloading a few mm from the fire ring of the gasket, reassembled and runs well enough, only back together due to the new cost scenario and is a deferred rebuild for sure, just mobile right now
although I really would urge you to consider authorising at least an exhaust valve re-lap at the time, they won't be good
in fact doing that on the car I mention also revealed something had previously been trapped between exhaust valve 6 and its seat, in considerable danger of blowing out that valve in the short term due to blow by/hot spot, we'd not have known had I not pushed for permission to go ahead, again it will form part of the deferred rebuild in terms of re-cutting the seat/s but it cleaned up enough to seat better for now
the majority are straightforward enough, some have some block corrosion which would be better removed by decking but that's prohibitive for most
I can't say it's a reason to got to a rebuild although these things can show us more when apart
just done one which revealed why the gasket would have gone, finding the block had already been sleeved and one had slightly dropped, unloading a few mm from the fire ring of the gasket, reassembled and runs well enough, only back together due to the new cost scenario and is a deferred rebuild for sure, just mobile right now
although I really would urge you to consider authorising at least an exhaust valve re-lap at the time, they won't be good
in fact doing that on the car I mention also revealed something had previously been trapped between exhaust valve 6 and its seat, in considerable danger of blowing out that valve in the short term due to blow by/hot spot, we'd not have known had I not pushed for permission to go ahead, again it will form part of the deferred rebuild in terms of re-cutting the seat/s but it cleaned up enough to seat better for now
the majority are straightforward enough, some have some block corrosion which would be better removed by decking but that's prohibitive for most
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
I think it's been leaking for a while now. Certainly since the summer. Probably the cause of my previously mentioned running woes.
At 130k miles it will need other jobs doing whilst in bits. Getting the vales done is on that list.
Question is how much do I want to spend? That said, get it done properly and I've got the car back with a good engine and it will be ready for a few track days this year (if I can still afford them).
Is there a chance that this could be symptoms of an oil cooler that has failed inside?
At 130k miles it will need other jobs doing whilst in bits. Getting the vales done is on that list.
Question is how much do I want to spend? That said, get it done properly and I've got the car back with a good engine and it will be ready for a few track days this year (if I can still afford them).
Is there a chance that this could be symptoms of an oil cooler that has failed inside?
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
I have spoken to a few people who have all recommended changing the oil cooler first as its failure has similar symptoms to a blown head gasket and is much cheaper to do. TBH I am not pinning my hopes, but it is worth a go and I may be lucky. The compression test was so level across cylinders that it didn't immediately point to head gasket, as I'd expect that to cause lower compression on one or two adjacent cylinders. The coolant tank is not pressured when cold either. no oil in coolant, rather coolant in oil.
Fingers crossed. Ready for either outcome.
If it is head gasket then it won't be any easy decision what to do. I have the funds, but do I want to spend them on a 20 year old mini?
Fingers crossed. Ready for either outcome.
If it is head gasket then it won't be any easy decision what to do. I have the funds, but do I want to spend them on a 20 year old mini?
2005 R53, 2005 R53 lightweight, 2008 R55S, 2012 R58FJCW, 2014 R60SD All4, 1996 Mini Cooper 35SE.
Joined
·
6,709 Posts
considerations:
you appear to have a failed block test regardless of other emulsification factors
you don't have oil in coolant (which would also be a cooler symptom)
head gaskets don't always dump compression if dropping it at all (might show in leak test more than comp test)
Joined
·
1,130 Posts
Can you explain further please?
I'm not pinning my hopes on the oil cooler. It would be a real bonus (akin to buying a winning lottery ticket) if it does. I feel the engine needs to be taken apart, investigated, worked on and then put back together again.
If needed I will get quotes for the engine work and then do some sums (costs and benefits of keeping) to see where to go.
It's not a perfect example, but it is certainly better than some of the old sheds out there.
In 2003 I had to spend more than my Alfa 155 was worth to fix the engine when the cam belt split, fortunately at low revs.
241 - 260 of 263 Posts
