Drivetrain (Cooper S) MINI Cooper S (R53) intakes, exhausts, pulleys, headers, throttle bodies, and any other modifications to the Cooper S drivetrain.

Drivetrain Installing Engine Damper...please HELP!!

Old May 7, 2007 | 09:06 AM
  #1  
minjae's Avatar
minjae
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Installing Engine Damper...please HELP!!

Hey guys
Just received my engine damper from lordoftheflies today
and i went and tried to install it but while i was isntalling it i dropped the bell shaped washer(?) into the engine!!!
it was about my third time dropping it down there but the first two times i got it back but this time it went into somewhere and wont come out from the bottom. wat do i do?? i really want to install this but i freaking dropped that piece into the engine..how do i get it?
and/or is it ok to install without it?

help guys!!
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 09:17 AM
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From: The Swamp
Run to your local autozone or whatever and grab a small telescoping inspection mirror and a telescoping magnet. The using a flashlight try to locate the lost washer and grab it with the magnet.

If all else failes here is a "non-standard" method. On a flat clean paved surface surface, start the car put it reverse goose it then slam on the brakes, get out and check the ground. If no avail, put in 1st and repeat going fwd. I'm going to tell you right now your neighbors are going to think your crazy, but it works.

Hopefully you find it with the mirror and the magnet. Good luck mate.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 09:27 AM
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hm. good thing an autozone is right across the street from me. (im at work)
but thanks johan!! ill try both of the things you mentioned.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 09:34 AM
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hm..well i installed it without having that bellshaped thing.
but i hear a weird noise. i think the damper is rubbing against the metal body.
i couldnt get the bellshaped thing out but do you guys think they would sell it at autozone?
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:39 AM
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Is the washer stuck in the engine? Or did it fall to the lower plastic under the bumper? Mine would fall into that plastic and i was able to tap the underside and bounced the washer to the middle of the bumper. From there I could reach up and grab the washer. If anything you could always take off all the plastic and i'm sure you'd find the washer.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:55 AM
  #6  
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If you follow the instructions they say on a new MCS you don't need it. However on my 06 MCS 6spd you do need to install it between the block and damper or the damper will touch the belt tension (sp). I you didn't install it that could be the problem that your having, or the sound your having. The bell shaped washer, I have know idea where you could get one. I've been dealing with cars along time and I don't think that going to be easy to find at auto zone. Also there is a plastic splash guard under the car that you can remove easy with a short phillips screw driver, I'd bet if you loosen the panel and shake it you'll finds the bell washer.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:56 AM
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both times it fell onto the plastic but the third time it fell somewhere weird..
i have no clue where it went. hahaha. sigh. hopefully ill get it out sooner or later. taking off the plastic sounds about right.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:24 AM
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I lost mine about 10 times on that plastic liner. One time I thought it was gone for good but it was there, just further back. If your magnet is strong enough, you can run it along the bottom the the plastic and hear teh piece catch. I also just took teh passenger side wheel off which made it much easier to see when I had to retreive the thing. I had to bend the wheel liner on the front of the wheel well a couple of times to see teh thing.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:55 AM
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I lost mine for about 20 minutes until I realized it was not in the motor section at all. In the front part where you mount the bracket there is a space that you can look into if you get eye level with the car. Mine was stuck in there. I had looked all over inside the engine and in the plastic until I realized it was much higher up. Next time you put it in, tape it on first.

I got a question for those of you who installed it already. On the right side I have plenty of clearance to the tensioner. Howevr, on the left side, mine has about 2-3 sheets of paper to the metal on the car frame. Is this normal?
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:58 AM
  #10  
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Hi Minjae, sorry I was at the Dragon and didn't have time to check emails.

Try tapping the plastic shield underneath the car to see if you can hear the bell shaped washer.

As I said in my pm to you if you can't find it, I'll send you another one.

You can clear the belt tensioner without the bell washer if you make sure to push the damper away from it before tightening down the frame bolt. This is possible due to the fact that the stock hole is bigger than the 10mm bolt.

Having the bell washer relies the clearance issue completely on that side, but you just have to make sure you don't touch the frame metal on the other side (usually 2mm of clearance).

Let me know how you go.....

Shoe
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 11:59 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by supercliff
I lost mine for about 20 minutes until I realized it was not in the motor section at all. In the front part where you mount the bracket there is a space that you can look into if you get eye level with the car. Mine was stuck in there. I had looked all over inside the engine and in the plastic until I realized it was much higher up. Next time you put it in, tape it on first.

I got a question for those of you who installed it already. On the right side I have plenty of clearance to the tensioner. Howevr, on the left side, mine has about 2-3 sheets of paper to the metal on the car frame. Is this normal?
That's fine. As long as it doesn't touch.

Shoe
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 06:18 PM
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well i pmed you back lordoftheflies.
and like i said before it fell where the plastic part was both times and i hit the plastic part and both times it came out. but the last (final) time it went into a weird place. like INTO the engine. here let me get a picture and circle where it fell.

there..hahaha (sorry for bad job. did it in a quick minute)
but i dropped it in there. cause i heard it clink against metal and then that was it. i never heard it go to the bottom..

but thanks for all the help guys!! i was thinkin about just living without it
butttttttt while driving i can hear a small grinding noise. when inspecting the damper..it's rubbing on the body (so it's best puttin it on..)
thanks lordoftheflies!!
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 06:45 PM
  #13  
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Adding a damper will create a bit more noise inside the passenger cabin This is because the damper creates a kind of solid metal path from the engine to the body. Noise and vibrations from the engine and accessories transfer through this metal connection and into the body structure. It's a faint noise, and it's nothing to worry about. The noises from the engine are normally isolated by all the rubber mounts and struts.
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 07:16 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by minjae
well i pmed you back lordoftheflies.
and like i said before it fell where the plastic part was both times and i hit the plastic part and both times it came out. but the last (final) time it went into a weird place. like INTO the engine. here let me get a picture and circle where it fell.

there..hahaha (sorry for bad job. did it in a quick minute)
but i dropped it in there. cause i heard it clink against metal and then that was it. i never heard it go to the bottom..

but thanks for all the help guys!! i was thinkin about just living without it
butttttttt while driving i can hear a small grinding noise. when inspecting the damper..it's rubbing on the body (so it's best puttin it on..)
thanks lordoftheflies!!
For those of you that might drop the washer I highly recommend putting a few cloths in the area so that you can catch anything that falls. You can fish it out immediately hopefully with the telescopic magnet.

Let me know how it goes minjae....

Gonna send you two washers just in case.....

Shoe
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 07:35 PM
  #15  
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ok guys...i have to admit. doing business with lordoftheflies is about THEE best i have ever done business with.
everyone should buy an engine damper!!
thanks again shoe!
 
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Old May 7, 2007 | 08:07 PM
  #16  
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I did the same thing and drove up and down the street to see if it would drop out. It did / my wife found it on the street while we were walking the dog. She has a eye for shiny things.

BTW it's $3.00 to replace the washer/ they aren't inexpensive.
 
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Old May 12, 2007 | 07:59 AM
  #17  
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item recieved yesterday and installed today!! thanks lordoftheflies!! it's PERFECT!
but uh..good thing you gave me two..HAH..
i kind of uh..dropped one.and was too lazy to get it out..cause it got stuck somewhere..-_-
THANKS AGAIN THO! awesome product
 
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Old May 12, 2007 | 01:09 PM
  #18  
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Is there any way to determine if the damper is functioning properly? I adjusted the 2 treaded parts to equal lengths.

There seems or be a slight "lurching" at times.

Thanks!!!
 
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Old May 12, 2007 | 01:10 PM
  #19  
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is it possible that the shock is "bottoming out?"
 
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