Recommissioning an r56

[dirky dirk]

I’ll get the timing chain and tensioner done.
It’s quieter after a oil change
And the rattle does t start as quickly as it did

Bit it needs the chain and tensioners doing abs a sticky calliper
The car was free so it’s not so bad

[stevemcs]

Try the tensioner first, might be worth taking the cam cover off and seeing what the top guide is like. The tensioner can be done in situ.

[dirky dirk]

Two days into a three day clean starting to get there

[stevemcs]

If it needs an engine we have one at work

[dirky dirk]

stevemcs said:

If it needs an engine we have one at work

So far, an electronic belt tensioner and a caliper
But thanks

[dirky dirk]

So a little update

cars been MOT'ed Taxed and insured and running well,
handful of other little jobs to do,
one being replace a rusty fog/side light, give the arch liners a good clean, replace rear wiper blade, but all in all im really impressed,


Even though its a lowly 1.4 90 bhp one, it feels plenty quick coming form my Berlingo and senior managements Qashqai.

Im not insinuating its fast but it feels really nippy and ha a great little exhaust sound when changing gear,


i went out in it Sunday morning for a little chucking it about session, feels a bit skittish on uneven roads, but overall im staggered how well engineered and well built they feel,
it just feels so solid, i would imagine the cooper S is fantastic

[dirky dirk]

Quick update.
Nearly All jobs done, very slight oil leak and rear demister to investigate.
Then it’s complete.

[Roman Reigns]

dirky dirk said:

It’s dead without a jump start
With it it’s literally a 1/8th of a turn.
It’s not at the point where it’s catching

How to use the jumper to charge electronic devices?

[Old_and_shagged]

dirky dirk said:

So a little update



i went out in it Sunday morning for a little chucking it about session, feels a bit skittish on uneven roads, but overall im staggered how well engineered and well built they feel,
it just feels so solid, i would imagine the cooper S is fantastic

Keep your eyes open for a set of bigger diameter rims - ours had the same rims as yours, swapped them out for ones an inch bigger (and thus lower profile/wider tyres) and it sticks to the road on corners like glue now - mind you that's not cheap motoring until your current tyres need binning.

[dirky dirk]

Its been running ok lately,
bit noisy on start up but soon settles down,

All four tyres are new, but only one is a pirelli, the rest are god knows what
Usually i put the best A rated wet tyres from a brand ive heard of,
But this seems to handle pretty well so far, and as they are all new ill probably leave it
I did buy some LED side repeaters and LED rear number plate lights for it,
just to get it how i want it,

Im really surprised how well its made though, very solid, dont know why but i always assumed it would be like a budget entry level quality, but its quite solid.

Thanks for the heads up about the wheels

[Old_and_shagged]

Hi - the Mini here is my wife's (on paper) but since March it's only doing about 50 miles a week driven by me - it's the second one we've had (R50 base model was the first) and the R55 is better built - the engineering on it is very pleasant and it's an OK car to work on if maybe a bit fussy on the electrics from time to time (and now I have to do the big bushes on the rear of the front wishbones).
Bit of research for parts can be useful as if it also fits a 'normal' BMW then it comes in a load cheaper than 'Mini'. (Likewise the PSA diesel in this one - 'Berlingo' parts come much cheaper than 'Mini').

Our tyres on the 15" Spooler wheels like yours were all new Michelin something or others and are OK'ish to drive on - as it's 'hers' it got new tyres when we bought it. Now it has pink(!) 17 inch rims despite the fact that the Michelins had less than a couple of thousand miles on them - but hey, for pink(!) rims and a quiet life - why not? The bigger rims are OEM "S-spoke" and were a snip off eBay and the cornering is much improved. Fuel consumption is crap as somebody now drives like a hooligan but I guess I have a set of winter tyres in the shed.....

Only other thing worth swapping may be the seats - this one here had the basic ones from the factory and now has a set of leathers out of an R50/R53 that are a huge improvement in the support department - cross wiring those is a PITA so go for a later set out of R55/R56 for simplicity.