After so many years of wanting a Mini, i got one!!!!! It wasn't exactly what I was wanting but at least it's a start. I purchased an 07 MCS from a local used car dealership a couple of weeks ago. The only reason the wife let me purchase it was because it was so cheap. Well you get what you pay for. The ad read "salvaged title from National auction, runs and drives, no key, needs bumper." So many red flags, I should have walked away but always up for a good challenge and finally having the approval of the wife I had to go for it. The dealer showed me the national auction house ad that said "runs and drives" they just didn't have a key (which they were totally going off the ad since they didn't have a key to prove it), they said the delivery driver had lost it but were positive it ran and drove. I negotiated down a little bit more and made a deal, I did comment multiple times that if I got a key and it didn't run and drive that I would be coming back for my money. I got the car home and started digging in, I had to register the car in my name in order to order a key from the MINI dealership, at this point I was pretty excited that I had gotten the deal of the century. While I waited for the key I decided to take care of a couple things on the car, there were some cracked ignition coil boots so I replaced those and the spark plugs, I had noticed there was oil on the outside of the plugs, I removed the valve cover, and it was melted inside, which was allowing oil to seep past the gasket (another flag that I brushed off). Ordered a new valve cover and gasket set while I waited for a key. Got the key, and of course it won't turn over, I checked all the plugs for spark, and checked that I was getting fuel, so of course the worst possible scenario, no compression. No compression on 3 cylinders, after reading multiple posts I figured valves were the culprit, but the melted valve cover should have been a clue to something else. I should have stopped and taken the car back for a refund, but I really want a Mini. I am capable (also have Youtube) and willing to do work on the car so I decided that I would do the work and fix it. Actual testing lead me to burnt valves and a blown head gasket, which if I had to guess happened when the car overheated and caused the melting of the valve cover. I am now two weeks into it and waiting for the Head to come back from the machine shop. I have noticed a few other broken parts while I was working on it, Auxiliary Turbo Cooling pump (which is why if think nobody puts turbo timers on these, but I could be wrong) and explains the over heating. Broken Washer fluid tank, and busted intake tube. All parts that I plan to eBay or upgrade, it's been a good learning experience for me and apparently the Machine shop, he just called to tell me that his suppliers don't have the parts and that I should order them and bring them to him, and that he has had to order some new tools, he has never done a MINI cooper head before. (and yes I trust this guy, he comes highly recommended by the local speed shop).

As I have worked on the car I have come up with a whole story on what happened to it (Finding some Carfax data to support the story helped): The car was owned by 4 people, before it ended up being totaled. My theory on the car being totaled is it hit something on the drivers side front, crushing the bumper and breaking the the aux cooling pump and windshield fluid tank. It wasn't a lot or expensive, but the issue is the clear coat is flaking off the hood and a door, so fading in the paint on a new bumper would be impossible and would require them to paint the whole car which caused the car to be totaled.

So there's my story.

 

 

Here are some pics of the current mess, The first is a quick shot after putting it on stands and getting ready to dive in, which is also pretty much how I bought it form the dealership, no front bumper. Then the melted valve cover and finally where it is currently sitting, except minus the head. That is at the machine shop getting rebuilt.

 

Good luck with your repairs! I wouldn't mind having a project car, I just have no space to work on one...

 

As long as you have it apart, will want to put a new timing chain cassette in it as well as that is a weak point with this engine, also a water pump.

 

Hi and welcome to NAM!
Wow, I hope you got it real cheap, as parts can get spendy! Keep us posted and go to the gen 2 area for help.
Learn about what needs to be done to keep a gen 2 running and driving well!

 

Welcome. sorry to hear this. as people posted above you can build it stronger and replace all those fail things in there while you have it out. Yep that valve cover got hot, but I have seen worse.

 

I had planned to do the timing chain, but hadn't thought about the water pump, I will look into it.

The machine shop called and had to replace all the exhaust valve guides and 4 of the lifters (plus all the seals). He said all the valves look good still and didn't need replaced.

Thanks for the support.

 

 

I'm on the other side of the "Hill" and picked up a very similar Mini. I said I'd never own another Red car. LOL

Good luck with the repairs. If you come across a cheat sheet for all the Torque specs, let me know.
On the up side..... unlike other cars, all the parts lying around still doesn't fill up your garage.

 

 

The car found a good home! I wish you only the best!

 

Did you happen to get your head back from the machine shop yet? I'm curious as to cost.

I wonder if bad aux cooling pump caused the overheating / head gasket / burnt valves?

 

 

I assume the busted pump lead to the over heating, but it's all a guess now.

I haven't gotten the head back yet, should have it back Friday. He had to order a new reamer that was small enough for the head. As of now I think the cost is going to be $350, that was for a cleaning, rebuilding and pressure testing.

I just want to get this thing back together.

 

 

I called a local shop and they wanted 395 just for the walnut blasting / cleaning. Off the car. Luckily my neighbor has a 40# blaster so I'll be doing the cleaning myself. I don't know about you but I'm not real pleased with the honing on my cylinder walls. At 88K my block is looking rather smooth.

My first time diging this far into a motor and expecting to put it back together.

Good luck with reassemble.

 

The cylinder walls are supposed to be smooth after eighty eight thousand miles. The cylinders are honed to help seat the rings during break-in.
$395 is reasonable for walnut blasting the intake valves.