1st Gen R53 Cooper S Mini out of commission.

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by Tummi_Gummi, Feb 11, 2017.

  1. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

    Nov 19, 2012
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    Long story short but my Mini is an 02 R53 and she's sitting just shy of 290k miles. I had to replace my timing chain tensioner and did so only to run low on oil and develop a similar ticking noise to a bad tensioner. I removed the head, suspecting a broken timing guide rail and discovered I was right. So figured I would pull my oil pump off and replace the gears and chain and tensioner as well guides. I removed the oil pan since that was also another source of leakage and cleaned it out. Then removed my oil sump and cleaned the bits of guide rail from the screen. Reinstall with new gaskets, new oil pump, new timing kit, tensioner, idler pulley and harmonic balancer. Filled with new oil and the car ran great. I actually think my timing may have been off before. The car was making about 17-18psi after the work whereas before I was only getting 13-14 occasionally 15psi. So I think I had a gear off a tooth.

    The car lasted about 3 weeks and one night I drove her hard, high revs quick shifting and didn't notice anything until I got home that the car was knocking again. I left it over night then started it up the next day the knocking there and had some belt squeaking. Which it's never done. I drove it to work then to my shop where I work on it(around the corner from my work). And ran a compression test. Pulled 128/120/131/65 psi. Thought well the bottom end was real tight. I had no coolant in my oil or oil in my coolant whatsoever. There was however an excessive amount of steam on my oil cap which looks milky. After draining fluids I was able to rule out any cross contamination. I have every bolt on including a race cam and flash tune. I removed the head and found multiple cracks in every cylinder all running from the valve seats to the spark plug threads. Some going several threads up. Cylinder 4 was the worst. I had a shop perform a valve seal check and they were all sealing sub par and had some leakage. Though this wouldn't check any leaks from the cracks I had into water jackets. My car blew the core welds on a CSF radiator, it's blown fluid out around the coolant cap a couple of times and broken some 3 way fittings. Overheated 2 or 3 times. I didn't bother to test for warpage at this point it doesn't matter. Head is garbage. I'm going to replace the head and do a compression test with the new head. I believe my knocking was from the unbalanced crank pulley wobbling more than usual from cylinder 4 being down so low. And it was causing strain on my belt tensioner because the damper strut closes to the idler pulley has etched into my oil pump/timing cover. [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Some photos. The last one is before I cleaned up the pistons and gasket surface. That's cylinder 4 on the valve angle of the head. Big cracks. I just hope throwing a new head on doesn't put strain on my block. However there is practically no wear on my cylinders. You can't feel the ring wear at all. Not even with your finger nail. That's pretty amazing for nearly 300k miles.

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  2. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Hate to hear that. What crank pulley did you install? The ATI Supper damper is your best bet, its what I used with no problems.
     
  3. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Pulled my trans off. Is it possible this was the OEM clutch. It had been slipping here and there the last couple months I drove the car. Primarily in hot weather. It says luk on everything. Isn't that the OEM brand?

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  4. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG]
    So is there any sensors I should replace at 290k miles? Should I replace the crank position sensor or is that a use it until it breaks part? Maybe just the o rings?

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  5. clifforddward

    clifforddward Active Member

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    And I was feeling sorry for myself a couple weeks ago for having to tear apart the front end of my R53 to replace the supercharger (worn bearing)....your situation certainly trumps that!

    I don't think you'll find many here that can provide advice of what to replace at 290k miles...I feel like my car is a mere babe at 122K....HaHa

    I figure every time I expose the water pump, crank sensor, and related items in that area I should replace them...the water pump only had 30k miles on it, but who wants to have to tear everything apart to get to it later?...I went ahead and replaced it along with the supercharger and all related seals. My crank sensor o ring was toast and leaking oil, so replaced that again as well.

    I suspect you'll be replacing all the seals that get touched in route to the head, right?

    What oil are you using?...and what is your maintenance routine?...I'm impressed with the lack of wear!
     
  6. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    God my luck just keeps getting worse.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    How the hell does that even happen?

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  7. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    My luck got worse quick. Lol this is a different piston

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  8. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

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  9. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Little JB weld it will be good as new.:D
     
  10. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    Now that's funny !! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
     
  11. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    All that piston damage and the cylinder walls didn't get scored ??
     
  12. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    Nope, shops gonna check roundness but nothing you can feel.

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  13. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

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  14. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]


    Just waiting on my block to get back from the shop now. Does anyone have any input on break in oil? Should I use the factory 5w-30? And any ideas on break in period and rpm limit? Going to be impossible to stay out of boost with my pulley. But I can stay off the throttle.

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  15. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I would ask the machine shop. Sorry no help. It all looks good. Is That your garage? Ill be there with a bag full of quarters!!
     
  16. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    Family business. They restore arcade and pinball machines. Now apparently minis. Lol

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  17. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    It's nice to see business diversification !!
     
  18. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    Update: still awaiting my block. I pulled the pto gear housing off and found my water pump drive gears to be in perfect condition. I'm so happy, I was wondering if they weren't another cause of overheating.

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  19. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    Cleaned up rods

    //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170401/62b2882cde27d5a6bee56df55c9a3886.jpg

    Polished crank

    [​IMG]


    Painted oil pan

    [​IMG]

    Custom made dual pod mount

    [​IMG]


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  20. Tummi_Gummi

    Tummi_Gummi New Member

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    [​IMG]

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