Ok first off been on here a while just surfing but the time has finally come to where I'm getting my first mini.. it is a 2003 mcs. The issue the car is having from what I've been told.

The owner recently had the mini shop do an oil change and basic look over. And a week or so later whole driving the car out of no where died and all dash lights came on. The car will not crank over now.

He did stare that his buddy push started the car but due to a chain like noise **** the car off immediately.

He also tried jump starting it to no luck and installed a new battery still no luck.
Now for the past few days I've been scouring the threads for like scenarios, seem everything from faulty or old battery, to bcm, bst Ect..

Now I've worked on cars my whole life and am not scared of the scenario the car is in..I'm zgetting the car for a decent deal even if it requires a motor.

But due to working on cars my first instinct is look at why its not cranking..starter =bad or not getting signal(power). The bst would be a culprit to check at that point and run a volt meter on the starter wire to see for signal of bst is solid.
But for the noise couof be a hung up starter staying engaged. But even then why would the car just die.

And as for the noise from he has said and I have read I may be looking for the chain tensioner as well. But even then I've been told by the owner that there was no sign prior to it dieing.brings me back to the starter being hung up but then again why just die while driving...coincidence Maybe..

Sorry for the ramble but that's my thought process..any and all help would he greatly appreciated..I'm set to pick the mini up this weekend

 

OK, I'll venture a guess... mind you it is just a guess.

2003 MCS with how many miles?

I would say.... timing chain guide has broken causing to much slack for the tensioner to take up, the belt may have jumped a tooth or two and worse case, there has been piston/valve strikes and the reason why it is not stating is because the pistons are slap bang up against a couple of now bent valves.

But remember this is a guess. What is the harm of pulling the top end and looking?

Best of luck.

Motor on!

 

sorry 162xxx. He also Had a "mechanic buddy" look at it and he say motor isn't locked up at all, so I'd imagine it would still crank over.again I haven't looked at it yet but even if I have to swap engines over I won't be hurting on the cooper. Plus gives me a nice little project.. it's hyper blue jays with a couple tasteful mods.

That is a thought and worse case scenario. Owner says there was no sign just died. Now wont crank.apparently not even a starter click Ect.but all lights work.. I'm open minded and prepared to drop an engine in it. Just checking all the avenues of possibilities it could be.

I know first off would to be figure if The starter is getting power..

 

Also thinking that the car had Sat for a few weeks after it died due to not cranking and when they push started it it may be the possibility the timing chain tensioner lost its oil they shut the car down due to Tue noise rather than allowing the oil pressure to build up..so in theory of that educated guess stands true what would make the car die while driving then not crank

 

you replaced the battery so we know that isn't the problem. Check the ground that bolts to the passenger side motor mount and make sure it is connected. If it isn't the ground, turn the lights on and turn the key and see if they dim or stay bright. Do you have a multi-meter?

 

Strange. I too second a bad ground possibility. This is not uncommon. This thread on NAM is a good read. Issue ended up being a bad ground (post #21).

 

This is all that The owner has told me. I should be picking the car up Saturday..I'm out of town currently.

 

The biggest thing is the car won't crank at aallbut will push start..and he said they heard a chain like noise and think it s out of time Ect.

But with the tensioner being oil operated after sitting a few weeks maybe stuck or bled off.and since they shut the car down immediately didn't have time to pressurize.

Based problem is a no crank situation..I'll have Tue car Saturday hopefully and will be able to get hands on

 

Might check the starter interrupt.

 

Is that the break away by the battery? BST? If so would that cause the car to die while driving

 

There is a plug on top of the transmission under the "octopus" or main wire loom on top of the auto tranny. If it is even slightly separated the car will not start. This is from personal experience after I rebuilt my 06 MCS. Manual Minis have a clutch pedal operated starter lock out switch.

 

This car is manual shift. So would have the starter lockout or neutral safety. Would this kill the engine while driving

 

Have you run a diagnostic on it?

 

I don't have possession of the car yet...I will Saturday.. this all I've been told by the owner I'm getting it from. Just try to prepare myself for what to look for

 

Watching this story unfold because...

I wouldn't touch that car under the circumstances. Even if you know (and trust?) the PO, a nasty noise coupled with a no-start situation with that many miles - sounds serious to me. You may well be putting another engine in it. Good luck, though!

 

Yup...
You can push start it and it sounds like chains....
Guess you understand you might need a motor...
The "squib" or BST in the trunk would disable the unfused starter cable, but I don't think kill the car while running...
Failing WATERPUMP gears can make a chain draggy sound as they grind up...but again, will not cause the motor to shut off...or not til siezed from no COOLING...
Sounds like you have multiple issues...
And a bad clutch sensor will not make a car turn off....it will just prevent the starter from energizing.
I would look at the grounds...both the passenger side engine mount ones, and the ones by the Hood in the common ground clip (brown wires in a flat clip on the passenger side, near the front hood latch).
Good luck...sounds like a project. R53 motors are NOT cheap...easily more than a car for a decent one often...so I hope it was a $1000 car if it needs one...even then, you might sink more info it than it is worth....

 

I've found lower mileage engines from 1300-1500 pretty local.

The owner states that before the car died while driving there was no sign and no noise. And left the car sit a few weeks before they tried the push start method.to my thinking the tensioner bled off like a lifter would from sitting. That's what I hope at least. I don't mind projects.keep me busy.

Just trying to check all my avenues before i go retrieve it which is here in like 3 hrs.

 

Would ground strap cause the car to die while running, and of so then why would it be able to push start but not crank

 

Ok so going back through my messages.
the occurance of the car during was several months ago where the owner just parked the car and let it sit after that due to not cranking. It has sat up until a few weeks ago where he posted it for sale. He tried to mess with it found a dead battery.and installed a new ,also hooked jumper cables to it. States that it sounds like it waMrs to crank but wouldn't. His buddy got it started from a push start but heard a noise and immediately turned it off. Prior to the car losing power the noise was never there.(leads me to think timing chain tensioner bled off).

 

Here is the series of messages

 

Picked the mini up todahtoday.. over all really clean car. It has been sitting on for awhile.. I did turn key and ot seems as if the starter does load up to crank but that's it..nothing else. All lights work, locks work using the fob Ect.in route back home and will be checking wires briefly and will dig more into it in the am time.

Stay tuned for the resurrection of this beast and please any help or insight is greatly appreciated.

 

Pull the plugs and try to crank the motor. If you are hydro locked with fuel/oil/water, the starter won't turn over the motor (if you are lucky). Push starting a hydro locked motor makes bad noises as expensive parts bend.

 

I will def give that a try.. the previous owner owner stated that they were able to push start the car a few weeks ago but shut off due to a noise.. all I can think is the timing chain tensioner bled off.possibly. Will be looking into it tomorrow before I get back in the road

 

Maybe the engine is locked up. Pulled all the plugs , still won't crank. The starter does load up and everything but no rotation still.. Pulled the passenger side wheel and tried turning engine manually with no luck either. So does this mean the engine is locked up or am I missing something

 

IMO folks usually fix an issue if they believe it to be minor...
But they parked the car and ignored it for a bit...So they were IMO scared...so they stuck their head in the sand, and pretended nothing happened....
So I might think the worse...
Oil and coolant look ok?
Many folks have run these motors low on oil...spun a bearing...filled them up...the had the MOTOR fail....
The fact they parked the car without looking at it, and tried to push start it..then shut it down cause it made loud noises...
Guess you could put a couple tablespoons of light oil/diesel/kerosense in each cylindar...try to free it..let it sit a bit..like a few days...then try to crank it...but I fear the DAMMAGE was done long ago...