1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Engine overheating, spewing coolant

Naw...busted fan results in overheating when the car stops moving....
Depending on the production date, the EARLY, PRE-2005 PRODUCTION 2005 model year cars can have the unsplit wiring harness from the earlier cars (mine did, was "updated" after I killed my first PS fan by the dealer) that KILLS the fan when the PS fan seizes, and blows a fuse...

But here, the car was on the HIGHWAY....KNOCKING FOR 2 MILES...
That KNOCKING ALONE can make enough heat to overheat a car, and blow a head-gasket if ignored...like accelerating onto the highway...

I hope the fix is simple....but if it it clanging when you start..maybe you should not leave the driveway till you look closer...or the $$ goes up.

The white smoke at the end of the drive says head-gasket MAY have gone at the end....

 

These MINI's have a cast-Iron block, and can hold a HUGE amount of heat...and it takes a bit of time to get it out...
Ever notice how after an auto-X run, the TEMP continues to GO UP when you park AFTER A RUN..and you generally idle to cool down?!......it simply takes time for the heat to migrate from the block to the coolant....more so than an aluminum block....I suspect the block was VERY hot from the KNOCK...and the car simply overheated when it slowed down...most likely causing the head-gasket to fail.
Just a WILD GUESS........
I just keep reading the second line of the post...........about the knocking for a couple of miles....

 

Hmm snake oil knock. That sure if possible, I guess. I recommend Chevron Techron as a FI cleaner.

Have you checked the oil? Does it look OK?

 

MOST fuel injector cleaner is a detergent in a light Number 1 Diesel fuel carrier....so used improperly, yes it is possible. If the octane of the fuel was already kinda low..below the 91 needed, then you add a cleaner that drops it a bit more....
BUT the knock could be from a blocked injector, so having one cylinder running lean, resulting in a knock...
Usually if the bottles of cleaner is added to a mostly or nearly full 11 gallon MINI tank...the bottles are usually good for 15, you are fine, especially with 92+ octane most folks run....and frankly with a 17%, I would try to run ONLY 92+.....no playing around with "it seems OK with 89 with a bit of 93 added"....adding the pulley can add heat, which increases the amount of octane the motor needs....

 

:cornut: Any leak or rust at the water pump bearing inspection hole? Could be your water pump going out or the thermostat going out.

Jason

 

:cornut: Video Works.

Jason

 

Can't see the video on iPad, but are you bleeding the air John?

 

Video shows the exhaust. Does it smell sweet like antifreeze?

 

Maybe you fed that gremlin in you picture after midnight, and it messed with the motor?!:crazy:

Usually if the coolant system has been bleed after refilling, it should be ok....but in this case where it seems to be blowing coolant out the bottle, has been seen to have a whish exhaust (and smell there?), I'm guessing sneed speed and his suggestion that a head gasket has failed is correct.....
not sure if anything else is going on...
Any lights, codes, etc?
A failed crank damper usually DOES result in overheat....but with no alternator lights.. unlikely....
Another possibility is the PTO on the SC failed....leaving the car running, NO WATERPUMP....resulting in overheating, which possibly caused the head-gasket to go...but I even question that, cause the "KNOCK" for the first few miles before the FIRST EVENT.
I think we can speculate and guess lots, but this car is gonna need a hands on looks-see to figure it out...my guess..
IMO I would strongly suggest limit running it.. subsequent overheats can cause, more damage.
Good luck, and PLEASE post the findings when you get it fixed!!

 

If you need transportation any where just shout

 

My remote diagnosis remains as stated in post #6, thermostat.
It is certainly possible for the chain of event to have evolved into additional failures like a blown head gasket, and even more, but the initial event could have been as simple as the thermostat. It is really important to not let the temps go super-nova.

Since #4 gets more air anyway, it has a tendency to run a tad bit leaner than the others. Pull the plugs and look for damage on the plugs themselves and even look for aluminum deposits from the pistons on the plugs if it was crazy lean and detonating significantly. If the incident is due solely to the thermostat then possibly only #4 is involved. If you blew the head gasket then it could fail wherever the weakest spot is, and not necessarily by #4.

When my thermostat died, #4 ran lean and killed the plug, and that is where my incident ended.

Good Luck and whatever it is I hope it is cheap for you.

 

Thanks for filling us in. You've done a fine job. Now check everything & check it again. You'll be motoring in no time at all!

 

Thanks for the update John!

 

Oh my...those injectors have seen a better day!