R55 Cooper S

[scrw.]

Need to find an AEM intake cheap, can't justify new just yet, fancy some 16" wheels first.

[scrw.]

Well what a bunch of arse, sounds like the engine has just eaten its bearings

Sounds like lots of Begining to wonder if just doing a top end rebuild after what I found in the oil pickup was not a wise move, beer time, will look more tomorrow.

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running fine, was keeping it below 4k until an oil change, managed 64 miles. left home fine, pulled up at a friends 4 miles away and it was toast, couldn't hear it in the car only outside.

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light tapping / knock, increases with revs, will park it up and get the cam cover off tomorrow

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unsure if it would be good luck or not that it ate a new timing chain in 60 odd miles, I just have a gut feeling it is the mains that have gone.

[scrw.]

VID_20200201_201031 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

that ain't a timing chain issue

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Will investigate later today, however I have been looking, a recon engine is £1300 fitted (year warranty, new cam chain, new bearings), an unknown used is ~£800 (so add £150 for doing the timing chain at least and I fit it), rebuild is going to be minimum £500, depends on damage, and given this thing had a new oil pump and still got oil starvation I really don't think I trust it.

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can't check, don't have a manual gauge to plumb in

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nope

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Time is the issue now, however I will check the rod ends before pulling the trigger on anything. I really don't fancy chasing issues on it however, if it has done the rod ends you really need to look at all bearing services, and doing the mains is an engine out job.

[scrw.]

will look tomorrow evening now, it just doesn't sound timing chain related. I am very suspicious its had oil starvation issues before, given the amount of crap I found in the oil pickup and the way the oil pump behaved before I swapped it for a new one.

[scrw.]

well popped the top off just now and checked the cam timing, all in order. Will drop the sump over the weekend and have a poke. Current best price on a rebuild is £1050 inc labour to remove / refit, haven't tried the place that did the head skim yet, they advertise they can do the removal too, I really do not want to drop the motor out of it myself

2020-02-07_06-26-36 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

[scrw.]

After mooching around on a US mini forum looking for options for forging the engine (man maths, while its apart etc) came across a post about a misdiagnosed spun bearing being related to the aux belt. So eased the tension on the belt and the noise decreases alot. Expect it is a vain hope, but will take the belt off tomorrow and make sure the water pump and bottom pulleys are on okay and run the engine with the belt completely off.

[scrw.]

well bugger me sideways, all that horrible bottom end noise was only the bloody drive belt!!

2020-02-08_02-05-15 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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well up and running okay :-) Not 100% happy with the friction drive wheel thingy, seems a little noisy to me so will swap it out. Most of the belt bits were wrapped around it so wondering if it has some damage.

[scrw.]

just had a looksee at the friction wheel from above, trying to ID the correct part and spotted a piece of rubber welded to the water pump pulley
Will see if I can get the pulley off and clean it up and see if that is the source of my current noise, maybe another cheap fix.......

[scrw.]

Ahhh, so the waterpump pulley is (or was) rubber coated, looks to have delaminated most of it, breaking the friction wheel too. At least it is a simple fix, however getting the friction wheel off looks a crap job, may have to take the engine mount off??


New water pump pulley and friction thingy on its way from Neos.

[scrw.]

well that has seen better days! Unsure what caused what, the belt or the pulley, both are toast, I thought maybe the friction wheel had seized up but it seems to opperate okay, but is getting replaced anyway.

2020-02-11_09-47-40 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Friction wheel and pump pulley are a bugger to get off, slam panel, inlet hard pipe from the intercooler and the engine mount need to come off, getting quite quick at getting the slam panel off now LOL Bits arrive tomorrow, so will be back together in an hour or so and off for some new front tyres.

[scrw.]

looks better

2020-02-12_03-32-23 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

and fitted

2020-02-12_03-31-57 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

New friction wheel comes with an electric plug which the old one didn't, assume later cars had something to plug into it?

[scrw.]

And a run out for new boots, only fronts are in, rears come in friday, but the fronts where a bit too worn and i want to use the thing tomorrow. Did have missfire codes on cylinders 3&4 and it started coughing as I turned onto the drive Reseated all the coils and loom plugs to the coils and took it for a 20 mile thrash and they have not returned, will keep an eye on the though.

So from a fixing point of view it is all done, still unsure if I will get a remap, but have an AEM induction kit coming which will need the insurance informing so will see how much a remap will cost insurance wise while I am at it, in theory I am at stage 2 with all the bits going on, so 250bhp area, could be fun LOL

2020-02-12_03-32-39 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Edited by scrw. on Wednesday 12th February 15:46