If your coolant level was low (but not too low) and then you got in stop-and-go traffic (with an emphasis on the stop part), you could boil the coolant and end up blowing the head gasket (and warping the head in the process). It could have been worse - you could have cracked the block. Heads can be surfaced and if everything else is fine, you are just looking at a head gasket kit, R&Ring the head and having the head surfaced. Definitely less than a long block engine swap.

 

Good excuse to buy a new head! Keep in mind you'll likely have to eat the core charge if yours is warped though.

 

I have a perfectly good Webb head for sale...

 

i have a perfectly good stock head forsale... CHEAP

 

I hope this gets covered under warranty since it's not the pulley that caused the overheating. Plz PM me an offer for your head just in case that doesn't come through.

 

I doubt they're going to cover it over under warranty, but good luck!

 

If the head can't be trued by milling off the warpage, then a core charge is in order. But the cost of a new head would something to hold off on before determining if the original head can be milled and the warpage cured.

 

But doesn't the aftermarket part have to cause the malfunction in order for Mini to void the warranty? If it's the coolin system that failed, I don't think the dealer can blame it on the pulley.

 

Read the thread on Magnusson-Moss. The Cliff-Notes version is don't pin your hopes on M-M to compell MINI/BMW to cover the repair in the presence of an aftermarket part. If MINI/BMW wants to void your warranty, you are basically out of luck.

 

Yea, unless you're willing to open up a full fledged legal investigation (I'm sure BMW USA has a lot more financial resources than you do to fight a legal battle) they'll generally just try to blame the mod. You may want to spend the money to get the stock pulley put back on (Provided you don't have any other mods) and take it in to them stock.

 

let me know how things go for you as i'm looking at a head gasket swap currenlty as well....and i'm like 15 min from you. i have an '02 and the reseviour did go first, a while ago i guess, though i didn't know it. had the car overheat while waiting for takeout at a restaurant, let it sit for 20 min while we ate, topped it off to get home. didn't notice until later that i had splatter all over the firewall. took the bottle out and ran some air into it and saw a seam had busted. bought a new one last week at the dealer (this is after i did afull coolant flush, and it proceeded to leave the car over a couple days on the ground). new bottle in, still saw the leak. finally able to take the time to pull things apart for a look, and have a leak on the corner of the head, closest to the driver....slow but steady, drip after drip. doesn't leak without the car on, but as soon as there's pressure, it starts.

if anyone has access to a workshop manual for the job (mostly worried about special tools) let me know. i don't mind doing the work, but i'd like to find an online/pdf style manual for the job if possible. Also, where do you guys suggest grabbing the gasket from, and i'm usually working on my mazda, this is the girlfriend's car....should i be replacing the head bolts at this time as well?

 

New updates. Mini is denying warranty. The head is also too warped to be machined, so I need a new head. It's just getting worse and worse...

So I have 2 options now:

1) buy a used head and put that in my car
2) buy a used head, buy a performance head, and give them the used head as core return

I figured since I'm paying the labor fee to install new head, might as well do performance head now. Also, a used head might give me reliability problem in the future. But the cost of going for performance head is not something I can afford right now.

 

Sorry to hear that MINI is denying warranty coverage.

How do you figure that a used head might give you reliability problems in the future? If it is a low mileage head and is not cracked and no other problems are present, you should get at least 100,000 miles on the head barring another overheating episode after the replacement head is fitted.

If there is any way that you can swing the performance head, now is the time to do it. Otherwise, you are going to be out 2 installations (either your time or the money for someone else to do the work).

 

Careful suggesting this Nick, I am an amoral person for suggesting a similar act in this thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=101591

The thought police are everywhere on NAM.

OP: sorry about the non-covered issue. Who has the lowest core charge for a performance head? You may end up spending a bit more by eating the core charge, but you will only pay labor once and you will have the head you eventually want anyway!

 

I can think of another term for you now....


Used head should be fine as others have stated and should go the distance.

 

Everyone ignore this post. I have taken this to PM, where it should have been before the above post. Sorry to the OP for venturing off topic.

 

Too bad about the head. Did you change the plugs for colder ones? I live in Orlando and recently went to a 19%. I noticed a misfire on acceleration , changed to colder plugs and cured it. You might have been experiencing detonation on the freeway, particularly if the coolant was low to begin with. I had a leak in my tank just prior to the 60K service and had it replaced at the same time as the pulley. Thanks for the info on the gauge, didn't know it was an idiot light. After I changed the plugs I noticed it takes longer for the temp to come up in the morning. More than likely it was a marginal cooling system coupled with the added stress of the pulley that did it. My condolences.

 

i say put the stock parts back on it and bring it to the dealer

 

I hope the installer wasn't haven too much fun before you got hold of your Mini...

 

keep in mind that in some cases, if you head is not repairable, it might not be valid as a core....could bight ya twice.

i'm still trying to figure out my issues. since i was leaking so often, i was just topping it off with water each day. felt bad just using tap water, but figured the head was coming off next week anyhow....don't bother putting in other stuff that is just going to leak out.

...long story short, 2 days ago i topped it off....and not it doesn't leak at all. level is where it was before?? WTF? i'm going to pull everything apart (to view, not the head yet) next week and see what's up.

what's a used head run anyhow? just thinking out loud, but maybe sell my head and use it towards one of El's heads...especially since he's down the street?

 

I've never done a pulley install, but from the tutorials I've seen, there looks like there is ample opportunity to screw something up, including doing something that would result in impaired cooling.. This seems like the most likely initial cause. I don't buy the pulley itself causing an immediate overheating condition, and it would be a hell of a coincidence if the cooling system failure was not related to the repair.

- Mark

 

Yea it's quite a coincidence but even if the cooling system failure was caused by the installer, there's no way to find out how it happened... The installer's saying it's not his fault and the only thing I can do is take his words for it.

The head is warped beyond repair, so I ordered a remanufacturered head off eBay for $400 + $20 shipping. It's from Clearwater Cylinder Heads and they seem to be reputable. I also got a head gasket kit from the dealership for $235 + $40 for bolts.

I think I'm not going to go the performance head route. If this whole experience has taught me anything, it's that reparing cars could be a bottomless money pit. I just recently got married and don't have much money, so this is not a good time for me to spend money on modifying the car.

 

$235 for head gasket? They're only $65...

For a few hundred more, you coulda bought my Webb ported head...

 

i couldn't find any gaskets under the $200 mark either. my gf is in the industry, so that's the only reason i've found it as low as i have.

where are you finding the heads gasket for $65....for the mini.

 

At the Mini dealership... I've bought two for the same price over the past couple of years...