Hey guys. I don't post much on here, but this place has saved my butt so many times already. This time though, I just can't seem to figure out the issue. I think I dug in a little over my head on this one. Here's the short version:

'02 R53 88k miles
-Supercharger was making sound like it was out of oil. I took it off to replace oil, and it appeared that I was too late. So I replaced it with a rebuilt SC from Way using this guide from Bill's Webspace. (Along with the water pump and all the gaskets and orings mentioned in the guide, except for the crank sensor.)
-Probably important to note that between waiting for parts, tools, and time to work on the car, it's now been up on jacks for close to 2 months.
-Got it mostly back together to the point that I could test start, but it won't start. It turns over but never actually fires up.
-Was getting fault codes P1229, P0123, and P0222. Turns out I'd forgotten to plug the throttle body electrical connector back in. Fixed that, cleared codes. No dice. Even had a friend watch the TB while I feathered the throttle to make sure it moved. It does.
-reset ECU. Nothing.
-not getting fault codes anymore.
-Swapped back to stock plugs just in case the NGK colder heat range (from the WMW pulley kit) ones I had in were too dirty (they were pretty dirty).
-spark seems fine, fuel rail has fuel (I vented the schrader valve a couple times to make sure there were no bubbles somehow)
-I've charged the battery back up, so that's not the issue.
-I took everything almost all the way back down looking for something I missed, and everything seems fine. Cleaned some stuff for the heck of it and put it back together. Nothing.

I'm out of ideas here guys. I don't know what else to try. The car was running fine except for the horrible noise coming from the SC before I dug in.

Any ideas? I feel like it's probably something stupidly simple that I'm just missing.

 

It probably is something stupid. Check for spark. Double, triple and quadruple check that everything was reassembles correctly (All electrical connections and intake pieces). If you have a good scan tool monitor the real time data as you're cranking the engine. Look at TPMS, map reading, etc.

I feel your pain. The same thing happened to me after my first head gasket job many many moons ago. It turned out to be bad cam timing. Easy fix in my case.

 

When you swapped the plugs, was there indication fuel delivery was working.

Check crank sensor/connector installed correctly.

GL!

 

Unplug the throttle body again, clean the connections, add just a tiny bit of dielectric grease. I've had numerous cars that even though the connector physically "clipped" the connection wasn't made. (even though you're saying you were able to see it move)

With the car being immobile for the past 2 months, you may want to try and reset the adaptations.

I have seen cars that have random throttle body failure, no rhyme or reason.

Start with making sure the throttle body connection is made and clean, then I would try resetting the codes, and adaptations. If you continue to have the same recurring 3 codes pertaining to the throttle body you may need to replace it.

Nick
Detroit Tuned

 

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. I haven't had a chance to even look at the car all week until just now.

I just checked that I'm getting spark on all 4 plugs, and I am.

I've taken everything apart and put it back and rechecked everything I can think of several times. The only scan tool I have is a ScanGauge II that I got recently. I'm not terribly familiar with all it's functions yet.

The only thing relating to timing I've touched was the timing chain tensioner that I replaced prior to doing the SC. I had successfully started the engine after that and before doing the SC though.

gray raven, I don't know about checking for fuel delivery. What do you mean? There's fuel in the rail, but I guess I haven't confirmed that it makes it into the cylinders. Not sure how to do that.

nkfry, I'm not getting any fault codes anymore. That's the really baffling thing. I'm not sure what you mean by resetting the adaptations. I did reset the ECU, and haven't had fault codes since.

I'm about to start looking into local mobile mechanics and/or finding a MINI club that might be able to help me out. I'm in Seattle, BTW if anyone knows any good sources nearby.

 

Stupid question, but are you hearing the fuel pump priming?

 

Is the ground strap tight on the left side of the engine by the left motor mount? I had a similar problem (no codes) and found my ground strap was loose.

 

nkfry, totally legitimate question. I do hear the fuel pump. In fact, a friend told me that he'd heard that fuel pumps can go bad and throw no codes. So I just rented a fuel pressure test kit and confirmed that I am, in fact, getting the recommended 52 PSI on the fuel rail.

Ground strap is also snugly in place.

One think to note: There's currently no coolant in the system because I keep going back to check stuff on the front of the engine and having to disconnect the top radiator hose to get there. I wouldn't think that would be an issue though.

 

Another stupid question, you got the plugs going to the right cylinders?

 

Yup. Wires are labeled.

 

Sfarbolin, I'm gettin' ready to change out my PTO-side supercharger oil and came across your original post about issues you experienced, after doing yours. Whatever was the resolution & where you able to get your R53 back in action???

 

Yes! I did get it started again, though exactly how is a mystery. I had a guy come over and when I said "here, let me show you what it does" and cranked it, it started up just fine. I put it back together and was off running.

Of course, it made a horrible noise after that, and it turned out I got a bad rebuilt supercharger. After a second swap by a much more knowledgeable guy, (The guy known as Mod Mini on YouTube and CURVES on PSMINI. Not sure if he has an account here.) that was was fixed too.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯