R56 Cooper engine rebuild?

[Robertb]

I have an R56 Cooper, 80,000 miles, which my daughters drive.

The engine in FUBARd... burning lots of oil, a litre every 300 miles or so, you can see a big puff of blue smoke when you idle then pull away.

The rest of the car is very solid, in good cosmetic condition and only cost me £2k in 2020.

Is there any way it would make sense to rebuild the engine, or is it best to move it on and buy something else? The problem is my daughters have been spoiled by the sporty Mini, and won't settle for the usual 'new driver' type cars! Other interesting small cars eg Audi A1, Polo fetch a surprising amount of money...

[Pent]

had a cooper S in the same predicament.

more £2-3k you could probably just buy another mini and get this one scrapped... a shame i know

spend £2k getting it rebuild by a specialist (i did this option)

spent £1000 and swap in another engine and hope its been looked after.

[MBVitoria]

Sounds like valve stem seals, something like £1500 to repair (https://www.lohen.co.uk/valve-stem-seal-replacement)

If you only paid £2k then personally, I'd take the hit and flog it for spares and repair.

[jfdi]

That links for the older R53 mini. How on earth have engines in normal cars got to the point where new valve stem oil seals is a £1,500 job. On an original mini that would have been £20 of parts and a weekend with the Haynes manual

[E-bmw]

jfdi said:

That links for the older R53 mini. How on earth have engines in normal cars got to the point where new valve stem oil seals is a £1,500 job. On an original mini that would have been £20 of parts and a weekend with the Haynes manual

It still is unless you are paying somebody else to do it.

Although the parts are a bit more expensive obviously.

Did a BM 328 e36 full head strip down, replaced all valves, which were bent, replaced all seals & full head gasket set, chain & guides in a weekend with a Haynes manual.

I4 in a Mini is just a bit fiddlier initially.

Edited by E-bmw on Saturday 17th February 19:57