Engine Drivetrain 2nd Gen S Turbo Failure???

Discussion in 'Tuning and Performance' started by kat, Apr 15, 2015.

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  1. kat

    kat New Member

    Apr 9, 2015
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    Hello everyone, been having some issues with my wife's 2010 Mini S. It has about 85K on it and has had its oil changed with Synthetic every 5K. My problems first started with the car misfiring she took it to a local mechanic (non dealer) and he suggested a few things and cleared the engine light. I changed plugs, checked compression and everything looks good. But it was still idling rough. But if you give it gas it would smooth out. But the engine light would still come back on. In another thread I was looking for code reader and was about to purchase, but now it seems there is no turbo and its running even rougher. Did a little research and it seems there is a known problem with the oil line for the turbo which the oil gets got and clog up.
    I called my closest Mini dealer (200 miles away) and asked if there was any kind of recall. The guy said there was a recall for the heat shield for the oil line, but when I suggested that this would cause my turbo to fail he told me no...After a heated discussion with this guy about if the turbo oil lines fail the turbo would fail. He did not see it my way.
    So with that said, do you think my Turbo is gone??..I don't hear anything like bearing going out, but it definitely isn't spooling up correctly. Also I know about the issue with the timing chain, and about 10K ago I started hearing the "death rattle" and replaced the tensioner and everything has been good since..
    Any suggestions would be well appreciated, my wife and I realy like this little car but this thing has been giving us issues with low miles on it and at this point I feel like pushing it off a bridge....:(
     
  2. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    I am not a second gen guy. Have you had it checked for carbon build up in the intake manifold? It may be time for a walnut blasting
     
  3. kat

    kat New Member

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    I have seen suggestions about carbon on the valves but what would be the best way to get this done??...Put something in the gas tank??
     
  4. jcauseyfd

    jcauseyfd New Member

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    For the carbon build-up, you have to clean it manually. Most typical way to do it is with a walnut media blasting. Expect to pay $300+ at an independent mech that can do it, more with the dealer. There are instructions floating out there on how to build your own blaster and DIY it if so inclined.

    I think you probably need to focus on fixing the rough idle before tackling the turbo. If you get that fixed, the turbo may return to normal operation. There are lots of other things that could cause turbo issues short of the turbo itself being trashed.
     
  5. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    It's easy enough to check if your turbocharger bearing is alright. Just take the inlet hose off of the turbocharger inlet and try to wiggle the compressor turbine, it shouldn't be at all loose, it should also spin freely.

    At 85,000 miles, it is due for a decarboning of the intake ports.
     
  6. kat

    kat New Member

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    Thanks Ill check my bearing this weekend, It sounds to me that this decarboning is a common thing. Does this happen with all Mini's are just my model??

    EDIT++ I have not heard any loud noises like metal on metal coming from my Turbo. But I know that it is not working properly
     
  7. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    It is likely that your turbocharger is just fine and your problem is with the intake ports on the engine being clogged with carbon buildup. The problems is not just on MINI Cooper S models, it is a common problem with direct injected engines in general. The oil vapor from the PCV system isn't washed off of the backs of the intake valves, like it is on port injected engines. You should get the intake ports and valves media blasted with crushed walnut shell about every fifty thousand miles, give or take depending on your driving habits.

    They made some changes to the MINI engine in 2011 to help reduce the carbon build up problem and call it the N18 engine.
     
  8. kat

    kat New Member

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    Thank you Dave, Is there something that I could do to prevent or slow down the carbon build up?? I forgot to mention that she does use high test gas.

    Also will I/they have to reset computer once the procedure is done??
     
  9. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    There's not a lot you can do about it, an occasional Italian tune up can't hurt. It's part of owning a direct injected car. Expect to clean the valves about every 50 K miles. Short trips in which the engine doesn't get up to temperature will make it happen sooner rather than later.

    The type of gas or additives makes no difference, as the gasoline never sees the back of the intake valves, where the problem is.

    The computer does not need to be reset after cleaning, if it hasn't thrown a code.
     
  10. kat

    kat New Member

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    The car gets drove daily about 100 miles, and if you call a Italian tune up putting the pedal to the metal, there is nothing to worry about that. My wife blows out the cobwebs hourly.
    And you mention about NOT throwing a code... funny because the mechanic she took it to said it never threw a code, but the check engine light came on and the car went into "limp" mode. I just thought he might be trying to con her....
     
  11. 05r50

    05r50 Well-Known Member

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    At this point I think you are still somewhat shooting in the dark.

    You know the engine light came on and the car went into limp mode. But do you have a boost gauge on the car? If not and you are judging by feel it may not be the turbo.

    If you have an android device you can get an app call torque pro ad a $10-$20 Bluetooth adapter for the obdII and then you get a digital boost gauge and code reader. With this you can see the boost in real time and you can get the codes.

    When my turbo failed the symptom wasn't running rough but rather when running wide open you could watch the boost gauge get to a point and then the needle would drop to 0 and limp mode. If I drove easy for several cycles the limp would go away. Mine was the waste gate that broke inside the exhaust side of the turbo. You can test the waste gate with a hand vacuum pump on the waste gate actuator. If you can't hold boost with the pump then your waste gate is leaking.

    The turbo repair is more costly than carbon buildup and with your miles and rough engine that may be a better bet.

    If you don't have an Indy MINI shop in your area, check for an Indy BMW shop and see if they will walnut blast for you. They do walnut blasting on BMW so they have done it on some cars.
     
  12. Zapski

    Zapski Well-Known Member

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    I can tell you how mine felt when the turbo went in my 08. In my case it was the waste-gate that failed.

    I got the half-engine yellow check light in the customizable display in the Tachometer (where I keep the digital speedometer readout). The car felt very under-powered, and sounded dull. I took it to AutoZone and had them pull the codes, which came up empty: The reader didn't say anything was wrong.

    Ultimately I had to get the thing rebuilt which cost a pretty penny, though if it were to happen now, I'd get a new turbo instead.

    Now, just recently I had the check engine light come on in the center Speedometer, not the Tach, so I went to AutoZone and had them pull the code, and they were able to tell me that it was a cylinder 3 misfire. One new set of sparks, and a walnut blast, and all was good again.

    Even though there's a 50/50 chance that the AutoZone reader will find anything, it's a good place to start.

    Hope that helps!
     
  13. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    He was incorrect.
     
  14. Savvy

    Savvy Well-Known Member
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    ^^ I'd be looking for new mechanic... yesterday.
     
  15. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    You know why a Turbo? go "Psssst"

    It's because they are saying you should have a Super Charger. :lol: :postcount
     
  16. jcauseyfd

    jcauseyfd New Member

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    fwiw, the systems that throw a CEL and the system that puts the car in limp mode are different systems. If the car goes into limp mode (the half engine light in the tach), a normal code reader will not pick up any codes because it is not something reported through the OBD system. That's why you can be in limp mode, but the Autozones of the world will tell you there is no code.

    I'm not sure what you need to read those codes - there is a procedure to grab the CCID from the system yourself, but I have found that information to be nearly useless as there are too many possible problems for any single code. Probably some MINI specific tool can provide the proper, detailed diagnostic information, but I have not run across any DIY options.
     
  17. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!




    True but





    Funny:lol::lol::lol:
     
  18. kat

    kat New Member

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    Thanks guys for the suggestions...The guy that actualy looked at the car told me he didnt get a code but he suggested that it could have carbon built up on the valves. BUT it was a Mini dealer that told me that the oil line would not cause turbo failure.

    When the car first had problems I got the half engine sign in the Tach, the mechanic cleared it and told me about maybe changing plugs and doing a compression test. Plugs looked good (but got changed anyway) and compression was good. Wife drove it a couple more days and then she got the engine light on in the Speedo and according to her was alot of noise coming from engine (for some reason she thinks its a timing chain so she might be over exagerating). Im scared to drive it to far but I might take it to my local Autozone (4 blocks away) and see if they show anything...I will take off the inlet pipe and look at the turbo to see what it feels like this weekend....
     
  19. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    #19 DneprDave, Apr 16, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2015
    It wouldn't be a bad idea to measure the timing chain slack, if it is greater than 68 MM the timing chain needs to be replaced.

    You should find a local independent MINI shop to have a look at it. Put your location in your profile, someone here could recommend a good shop, dealer's shop rates are too high.
     
  20. kat

    kat New Member

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    Put my location in but Im in a very rural area....closest dealer is 200 miles
     

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