2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Is this the direction I should be heading?

Ditch it and buy an R53.............:biggrin5:

 

+ 1 R53 all day long.

 

There's a really nice 06 on Tarheel Minis forum, low mileage too.

 

Ignore those troglodytes. You have a really good turbocharged car to reclaim.

Before you remove the head, pull the intake manifold and check for carbon build up. Carbon may be holding your #3 intake valve open causing your compression to fall to zero, you may be able to clean up your intake ports and valves and get full functionality back.

Dave

 

I think it's very unlikely that carbon is holding the valve open, for one thing you'd hear the sound of a loose lifter clattering.

I think your first idea is the best, pull the head and see what's going on, then you'll know what to do to get it back on the road. I can almost bet you've had a timing chain problem.

You make no mention of it making noise before it went into limp mode, but black smoke and sudden oil usage along with 0 compression in one cylinder are not harbingers of good news.

Let us know what you find.

Are you an experienced mechanic? If not maybe you should let the shop do the job for you?

 

#3 is the cylinder that I am pretty sure is known to fail on the R56.

I would pull the oil pan and the head. See if you chipped a piston or cracked one. Not uncommon.

R53 nut swingers are funny.

 

Though I do agree that it's funny to see people's solution to someones problem simply being "Buy what I bought, because clearly I know better than you"... You have to admit that saying in the same response "Cylinder known to fail.... chipped or cracked piston.... not uncommon" doesn't bode well for the argument that our R56's are better Sound like pretty serious and detrimental "common" issues to me. As a matter of fact, you now have me worrying about my R56.

 

You do realize that the whole "buy an R53" was tongue-in-cheek.........I don't think anyone here would seriously tell someone "I told you so" in regards to their car purchase. I am sorry if my comment caused anyone any problems, it was simply a poke at the whole R53 vs R56 debate.

I sincerely hope the engine problems are not as serious as some have suggested.

 

0 compression in 1 cylinder sure sounds like a problem for major concern, but I'm with you in hoping it's not, for the OP's sake. I don't have the money or patience or available downtime for major engine troubles right now, and wouldn't wish it on anyone!

And I'm sure most people are just joking about the whole R53/56 thing, but in my short time here, I've seen it so much, I wonder who seriously is making childish "mine is better than yours because it's mine and not yours" remarks and meaning them... lol

 

Hey Brett.

Off topic but did you get the PCV caps installed?

On topic, I think most cars that shell out a piston would not make it very far. Along with a multitude of screeching and chatter from a a piston slapping around. Hearing the hiss after the car has been shut down would make me hope for a faulty head gasket.

 

There is a R56 in the shop that threw the chain, bent every intake valve, very strange looking when every valve is open at the same time. Hit the tops of the pistons, looks like they should be ok though. Make sure all you 2nd gen people check your oil all the time.

 

Allow me to help without getting into a R56 vs. R53 discussion.

You need to do a leak down test to see where the sealing failure is occurring within cylinder #3. Take that step first before you know what the true failure path is. You can play the guessing game all day long, but always diagnose before you prescribe.

 

This is what we decided with my wife's 09 MCS, not being mean or rude here, just being honest. Her car was going out of the factory warranty in June. We were either going to get an extended warranty, sorry, but there is no way I will own a 2nd gen car without one, or, sell hers and get a older 1st gen car. When we called our dealer, where we bought her car, we found out to extend the warranty was going to be $3700. :eek6: So......we took her car to CARMAX, got a quote of $17,000. We then proceeded to look for a 1st gen. And found an amazing 06 JCW convertible, aero kit, all Carbon fiber interior, ect. We bought this car for.....get this....$15,000 :biggrin5: I still had 7 days to sell her car, did so, and got $19,000 for it. So...we saved $7700 bucks and got a super nice, essentially bullet proof car to boot. Hope all goes well with whatever choice you make

 

Well that was a good deal!

 

Anyone who thinks Gen 1 cars don't or can't have expensive problems is fooling themselves.

While I share folk's concerns about the turbo motor (mine has right at 50K on it) I still think if you take normal care of it, change the oil properly and pay attention to any odd noises that show up, it can and will be every bit as reliable as the first gen cars - and maybe even better. Mine certainly has been, and I owned an '03 JCW which I liked very much.

One thing that will not change, at least till the next gen motors get here, is that the gen 1 motor was a lot smoother and sweeter running engine than the gen 2. But the gen 1 had it's faults too, poor torque at low RPMs (esp in summer with the A/C on) and compared to the turbo motor, terrible gas mileage, tensioner failures, crank damper failures.....the list goes on.

Trade for a gen 1 if you like it better, but doing it for reliability is false economy, IMHO.