Here is the pump with the black o-ring on top. Comes with main unit and the smaller o-ring on top that faces towards the engine. N14 engines.

Here is the diagram.



Picture of vacuum pump which comes with the smaller black gasket.
N14 Engines.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/11667556919/




Thanks

 

I know this is an old thread but can someone tell me if the vacuum pump could cause this crazy noise when you shut off the car . reminds me of spinning the top on the game "life" I think that's what it was .

 

very interesting thread. Glad my 3rd party warranty covers me for 5yr, 50k miles on all internally lubricated parts...

 

forgot to add in vid

 

Check the Vacuum hose side of the pump- if you see oil then the pump has a internal leak to the vacuum side - not designed that way.
When it leaks oil the engine sucks it in and burns it- sometimes rapidly.
So you're doing 60MPH the vacuum pump leaks oil to the vacuum side and then runs low or out of oil- the pump gets hot{from lack of oil} seizes , locks up the cam and blows the motor.
What came first the blown motor (dealer will say lack of oil}which is correct- but the cause is more than likely the vacuum pump.
Should be a class action-= wonder how many?

 

@Cwarren
Sounds like the wastegate actuator, located under the intake manifold. Follow the vacuum lines from the pump.

 

that is probably your high pressure fuel pump. It will make a noise like that when you shut the car off. nothing to worry about.

 

I have a leak at the vacuum pump. Is it worth it to try and replace the seals, or just the whole unit? Should there be oil under the housing? See image.






Thank you,

Paul

 

Yes there should be a small amount of oil inside the pump. There are small holes that allow the oil in from the engine so it is lubricated.

If it is leaking from the gasket between the the two main parts of the pump you will have to get a new pump. If the gasket between the pump and the engine is leaking, it is possible to order only the gasket.

I have seen though where these pumps do fail from time to time, so I went ahead and replaced the pump. Since you have it off already I assume you will be able to put a new one on yourself. I purchased mine from rmeuropean.com and it was reasonable compared to everyone else. A new pump will come with a new gasket between the pump and engine.

Mine was really rough to see exactly where the leak was coming from too, another reason to replace.

When I took mine off the pump seemed fine, the gasket between the pump and engine was really flattened, so I'm pretty sure that is where the leak is from.

 

It is hard to know if the leak is coming from the pump to engine o ring, or the between the two parts of the pump. I would just replace both gaskets, but can not find anywhere to get the internal one. I thought about making one from gasket sheet, but maybe just easier to spend $250. My thermostat housing is also leaking, but since that part is unattainable, I am not sure what to do. I am on the verge of trading it in.

Thanks for the information.

 

I was going to tell you to check the thermostat for leaking while you are there. I just replaced mine. I found the thermostat housing for a reasonable price on eBay. The mini dealership in Plano Texas lists some parts on eBay, the thermostat housing is one of them. I think I got it for around $100. Which is still rediculous for a thermostat. The thermostat housing on the MINI might be the most poorly designed part on the whole car.

Search some threads here on replacing the thermostat. Do yourself a favor and buy some clamp ring pliers, the kind with the cable on it. It will save you much frustration.

 

Is there anything owners can do to prevent a vacuum pump failure, or is it completely out of our hands?

 

Just make sure your oil stays topped off. Low oil will be the biggest factor when it comes to vacuum pump and many other problems. If it is turbocharged, especially keep an eye on the oil. My engine has almost 80K miles in it before vacuum pump leaked, but I've heard of thermostat and vacuum pumps leaking at 20 to 30K miles.

As fun as MINI's are they do require a little more attention than say a Toyota, etc. Its a love hate relationship. As I said before, the thermostat housing is a really bad design, it's plastic so it warps from heat over time. The vacuum pump seems to be designed ok, but the gasket fails, once again because of heat.

 

Thanks for the reply. My car is currently at the Mini dealer waiting on a thermostat housing. Do you know if the part it will get is of an updated design, or will it just fail again a few years after I'm out of warranty.

 

I think it will be the same as the original for both the thermostat and the vacuum pump. Someone really needs to make a billet aluminum aftermarket thermostat housing. There will be a lot of people needing to replace them in the next few years. It's not a tough job, but plan on 4 or 5 hours for each replacement. Once the car is out of warranty plan on doing it yourself or pay the dealer big money to do so.

 

Is there anything unusual about replacing the vacuum pump, Just unbolt old, install new one and plug up the hoses?
How do you know when to replace the tstat? ...

 

Just line up the 'tabs' on the pump to the slot on the inside of the engine hole, then rotate to line up the bolts. Pretty easy but the bolt on the bottom is tough to get to.

You will know to replace the thermostat when it leaks. Keep an eye on fluid and if it starts getting low you have a leak. The leak will pool up on top of the transmission and most likely run down the back of the transmission.

The vacuum pump is easier to replace because of location. The thermostat has all the hoses attached which is cumbersome. Like I said get a hose clamp pliers for the thermostat and label every sensor harness you have to unplug. It is possible to switch them upon reinstallation. Do not count on the colors of the plugs. There are a couple of threads here that show the thermostat housing install I found very helpful.

 

Thanks Digitalsaber - Thanks for taking time to respond. I appreciate your time and help!!

 

Dear all,

My vacuum pump is making strange noises and the dealer advised me to change it.

I have been researching and it seems that the Mini genuine part is manufactured by Pierburg.
http://www.teilehaber.de/unterdruckp...d47494127.html
Buying the part from Pierburg is much cheaper than from Mini, my question is: is the genuine part really manufactured by Pierbug? If I buy from them will I be buying exactly the same part as I would if buying from Mini?

Thanks in advance and regards,

Francisco

 

yes it is a pierburg. If you order the same model you should get the same part. The best price I found for that was at rmeuropean.com

 

thank you very much!

 

It's been a few months and I'm not sure if you ever figured out your noise, but I think that this is it:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...sound-fix.html

 

I have the N12 engine in an R55, but looks like the process is more or less the same... I have a few quick questions if anyone has any advice please:

1) Is it necessary to drain down the engine oil level at all prior to attempting this repair?
2) Regarding the bottom bolt being difficult to reach- is it reachable via standard sockets, or wobble extensions/etc?
3) Would any pre-lubrication of the new pump be needed prior to installation?

Just a bit nervous as this part is driven off the cam, and potential mistakes there can be pretty, well, disastrous...

Thank you in advance for any advice!

 

I did not drain the oil as far as I remember. There was a bit of oil that came out though, because there is some in the pump and some in the crankcase.

The bottom bolt is a pain. You can get to it using the smallest size socket wrench (1/4") and some extensions. A universal joint at the end of the extension is also helpful. It's been a while since I performed the repair, but if you take the time to get all the other things (coolant tank, etc) out of the way, it will make your life easier.

I was wondering the same thing about pre lubrication. As far as I know, you do not need to pre lube the pump. It should get oil from the engine. If you want piece of mind you could use a syringe and squirt some oil into the pump. There should be some way to do it.

 

Thank you digitalsabre- I appreciate the response and help very much!