2nd Gen R56 Cooper S My baby's got a major owie...

Last wed's night driving home as usual I had the iPod cranked up, when I got home and parking I noticed kind of a 'diesling' noise Kinda like a car that's running low on oil. kinda but not

Didn't think much of it. With the occasional R56 'death chatter' after pulling the car in and out of the garage I'm kinda used to some sporadic engine noises

Came out Thursday AM and would not start. Called MINI roadside assistance and bada bing bad boom my car was flat bedded to local dealer. Nice response by the by

They have been short handed with tech's out, not a reall problem with the 'just a cooper' they gave me as a loaner

They finally got a diagnosis that I apparently busted a bolt or something where the belt attaches to the cam shaft and looking like some damage to the engine.

They need to open a investigation with MINI USA and go back and forth looking for root causes. My SA said it's not a question if MINI was going to cover but they want to get causes. This could take several weeks! :cryin:

SA said they had a similar instance a month or so ago and ended up replacing the head.

Anybody else out there that this has happened to?

 

thanks

stopped by to pick up a couple things and saw the damage

there is a bolt that holds a gear at the end of both of the overhead cams. That gear is part of the path of a chain that runs between the other overhead cam and the lower camshaft. One of the bolts sheared off.

Apparently they need to do a back and forth with MINI to figure out cause and fix. Next step is pull the pan off and assess the damage to the camshaft (if any)

Kinda like seeing your kid in the hospital with tubes hanging out of em'.....well maybe not that dire..........

 

Update-

Talked to my SA. MINI and Service Dept determined new head, timing belt and cam shaft gears will fix it. No damage to lower camshaft. Parts ordered and should be rec'd, installed and tested by end of next week.

 

oh yeah. ain't gonna cost me a dime

 

nope

supposedly this week

MINI has a very time consuming methodology for major warranty claims. They ask the service dept to do this that and the other thing, document it, and get back to them with the outcome. The service dept then takes that directive and works it into their schedule against all other waiting cars. Does the look see and reports back. MINI then reviews and .......it's gone on for a couple rounds.

Suposedly all this diagnostic work has them to the point where they feel confident that by replacing the head, timing chain, uppers cams, valves, basically the top of the engine will get it done. All parts are ordered and In for their senior tech to start on Monday and supposedly he has no other job but to work on my car until completion. We shall see

On the one hand I am glad they have been so thorough (at least it appears) on the other hand It drives me nuts the cycle times it takes them. Each one of these back and forths with MINI takes about a work week it appears.

Arggggggghhhhhh :mad2:

find my happy place, find my happy place.....OK

Gonna be a crunch but IF back this week I can get most of what I need done to roll outta St. Louie 8/1 for MITM

Thanks for asking

 

I agree with ya' Paul. Thats the message I get too. MINI of St. Louis compared to allot of the horror stories I hear of other MINI dealership is top notch. If I read between the lines correctly they bill MINIUSA for warranty work and as long as it is sitting in their shop it is taking up space and unrealized profit.

 

In the shop 6/18 and out 7/24..........

Augie is home! On top of sheared bolt holding gear at end of upper cam a faulty vaccum pump was also ID'd as culprit

The statement of work is a list of about 20 items, pretty much the entire head. SA said in the area of $10K! Cost to me $0 Thank god for warranty

I am roadbound and set for MITM!

 

Yep, best they can tell