greetings from Florida, I bought an used 2006 Mini Cooper convertible with 102k miles, right now doing some engine work thanks to you guys that are always giving great advises to people like me no mechanics but love challengers and videos to know how.
my car came with a laundry list things that needs to work like opening the convertible itsnt working, I changed water pump, new alternator, most of the coolant hoses, including thermostat, now doing a head gasket along with the timing chain rails etc, my head valves were taken to a machine shop: now I’m planing to hone the walls since I seem then glazed, new cv axles ordered fir both sides and finally I would try to do the clutch kit.
so I would be busy for awhile, today I was able to remove my crankshaft sprocket it was very stuck, I used a hot Torch, after engine oil was drained with a buckle of water just in case of a fire !
last year I replaced all disk brakes with new pads, drained old liquid brake and put a fresh one.
all engine and motor oil gaskets were replaced for new ones. So since October slowly but surely working on this nice cars but troublesome.

its a base convertible I didn’t got it turbo to keep it simple, since my mechanic skills are some how limited.
my next task is replacing the oil pan since it’s cracked but no leaks it looks scary from inside the oil pan: then try to see if I could remove the piston to replace the rings and do a light honing to make that x hatching being mentioned on some videos I ordered a flex hone 240 grit. With lots of oil:

there is more to the story but for now it’s enough:
great to be here in this forum
gus Miami Florida

I like to used sea foam product with the oil and in the gasoline tank to keeps things clean.

today I removed the oil pan and it would be replace it👍 It has cracks everywhere but no leaks.
I was trying to see if could remove pistons while engine mounted on the car.
Sea foam keeps things clean

Yes Sirs, now I’m working on my pistons, replacing the rings and doing a light honing to get rid of the glazing.
Today I removed piston 1&4 with engine still mounted on the car:
are this pins holding the piston with the conecting rot are they serviceable?

it seems that I need to heat that sucker to remove that pin!

That’s is my airplane challenger ii, I got my first solo on that airplane with 32 hrs going to miss it I would sell it for personal reasons.

👍 nice ultralighter either one!

After I did a light honing to deglazed them and installed new pistons rings,

New timing chain, sprocket, etc...
new crankshaft seals, head valve were done at the machine shop.
Now I’m putting it together and break in the engine with the new rings.

While rebuilding I replaced the coolant sensor for a new one, but it was faulty or wrong part for mc, I ended up replacing the rad although the real problem was with the new coolant sensor.
be careful when ordering parts for R52 when you should order parts for R50 at least in my case.
new clutch kit was installed and engine tranny paint it with new transmission fluid, new seals and new axles with their seals.

Subframe lowered

New clutch kit replaced, this was replaced in 2015 but I didn’t know!

Main seal replaced although the old one was okay
Flywheel looks okay, I sanded a little bit x hatching patterns
Mail seal behind flywheel
Light sanded
New pressure plate
It looks like that then I cleaned and painted
Like new

Replaced
Replaced
clutch slave was replaced
Replaced engine holder lower
New rad
New thermostat with lower temp settings

Thanks guys, now my next task is to troubleshoot the convertible it doesn’t open all the way, it must be a sensor related issues.
Both axles were replaced with their seals so I’m basically have sort of a new car 🚗 although is a 2006!
thanks to videos like modemini in YouTube, and other people that make this possible.
good day from Miami Florida