R53 Engine issues. help?

R53 Engine issues. help?

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S3_Graham

Original Poster:

12,830 posts

198 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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Morning Guys,

Just got back from a euro road trip. Car performed faultlessly other than the air con failing.

however the last 2 mornings I noticed that the car had used coolant, odd as these were the cold places (France 25*) it was rock solid in the hot places (Italy 40*).

Topped it up and thought nothing of it. I'd been doing 400mile 5-6 hour drives.

Drove it for the first time again yesterday, water and oil were a touch low so topped both up. Car was perfect yesterday.

Started it this morning and it was running on 3 cylinder and tappety noise from engine. Off straight away. Back on and its the same. Topped up all the fluids.
Still have only put about 750ml of water in from the last 800miles and a total of 2L oil in the last 2200 miles.

started it and with a slight rev the rough running goes. Its still tapping lots though.

Any ideas or suggestions? My guy reaction was head gasket. No mayo on the dip stick or oil filler though. I know it has a slight weep from the sump which explains the oil usage. No smoke or steam from the exhaust.

I Am Milk

1,067 posts

203 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
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Sorry to hear of the engine troubles, never a lot of laughs.

I wouldn't discount a head gasket failure just because there is no Mayo, it isn't a guaranteed symptom, especially as you have mentioned the poor running and tapping.
Worst case scenario, but I had a head gasket go on a MX-5 and literally within 30 seconds of it going, it had dropped the valves in the head over one of the cylinders which resulted in it running dog rough and very tappity.

750ml of water in 800 miles and 2l of oil in 2200 seems like quite a high consumption to me, I’m probably going through 250ml of oil in approx. 4,000 miles and that is mainly due to having a leaky sump (They all do that sir) and I’ve never lost coolant before my thermostat housing gasket went.

I think your best bet would probably be to get it to a garage to have a “Sniff Test” done on the coolant system (this will highlight if there are any exhaust gases in the coolant) which would help you decide if it is the head gasket causing the issues as a dud head gasket doesn’t always show with the symptoms you have mentioned (mayo and steam/smoke).

Have you noticed and large leaks of coolant? Have you considered the integrity of the water pump? Any running over temperature occurred? If you’ve got the same temperature gauge as me (revs in front, useless speedo in the middle) they’re more of an “OK/Not OK” switch, if it moves above its usual resting place, then it has got pretty hot and could have popped a head gasket.

The high temps you faced in Italy may have started a little niggle that finally showed its full hand in France.

Hope you get your answers relatively cheaply and quickly.

S3_Graham

Original Poster:

12,830 posts

198 months

Thursday 30th July 2015
quotequote all
I have Factory Sat Nav so no temp gauge at all! Not really worried about the oil useage as it has been using oil since I got it, the rate hasn't changed. There has been no marks or evidence of coolant leakage. One thing of note is that 3 days before leaving the fan shroud was replaced, not sure if this meant messing about with the Rad at all? Perhaps im fighting an air lock?

I've tried calling the specialist I use for the car 4 times today. He is always a Nightmare to get hold of....

I tried a bit more investigation however.

Ran it for a minute or 2, the rough running has gone completely. The tapping went completely after about 2 mins or so. Drove it round the block, all seemed fine but upon parking again I can hear the tappety noise, not as loud mind but its there and doesn't sound 100% happy. Its definitely coming from the top end of the engine, not supercharger.

Im not convinced its water related, After it got hot in Italy the water level stayed rock solid on full for another maybe 5-600 miles.

until I can get hold of the guy to get it looked at im kinda stumped. Luckily I have a second car to run around in.

bgunn

1,416 posts

130 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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A/C failing? Have you got your stage 1 cooling fan still? Most MINIs by now have fried the resistor in the fan unit, and (like mine did) only have the stage 2 fan cutting in intermittently at 102 degrees which means you tend to weep a little bit of coolant from the expansion tank when it's a hot day.

Replace with a decent wire wound resistor bolted to the front bumper crossmember or the like - I did mine a couple of weeks back, the a/c behaves better too as it means the cooling fan runs at low speed all the time when the a/c is on.

S3_Graham

Original Poster:

12,830 posts

198 months

Friday 31st July 2015
quotequote all
strangely enough, my fan speed resistor failed just prior to the trip and it ran on 100% constantly. Killing the Battery.

I had the fan shroud (where its built in) replaced before I left.


Spoke to a mechanic buddy of mine. He suggested that it might be a bit of crud in the oil has got a tappet stuck. Apparently with the huge usage I've just put on it, it's not unheard of. Engine flush and new oil/filter may fix.

may still just drop it at specialist.

just spoke to specialist. He thinks could be a chain tensioner.

Edited by S3_Graham on Friday 31st July 09:30

House86

601 posts

152 months

Friday 31st July 2015
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I just had to have the timing chain changed on my R53, did a quick video of how it sounded before https://youtu.be/_c6x9gTcwqE

Yours sound similar?

S3_Graham

Original Poster:

12,830 posts

198 months

Tuesday 4th August 2015
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appears I over reacted. Guy just called. Its a sticky tappet. Has actually cleared itself after a run. Not doing it anymore but he's advised an engine flush just to make sure it isn't a bit of crud floating about.

Result!!!