***Possible repost. I posted my first attempt last night late. I thought I may have deleted the post by accident.. please delete if a repost*****
l need to ask for some help, knowledge, and insight please.
I have a 2014 Cooper Base 1.5L, 6spd Manual. Approx 96,000 miles. I purchased the car about two months ago.
Last night I was visiting my parents. I cranked the car to let it warm up until I left. I kept running my mouth for about 45min.
When I finally left I got down the road a a small distance when the car started to give a couple warning and indicators.
The first warning ng was that the battery was not charging. Then it started to say that the hood compartment was hot. Pull over and shut off the car and consult a service center. Then I began to smell I God awful acrid burning rubber smell.
i called my dad for help. We let the car cool down for a while. Then he had me crank the car. I heard a light squealing noise, then he said the serpentine belt had stopped moving we turned the car off. He asked if the heat and A/C was on, they were. He had me shut down the climate controls. We restarted the car and it ran fine for a moment. Then I heard the squeal again. Dad said the belt stopped moving again.
He believes I need a new A/C compressor.
Before we begin tearing the car apart and ordering parts today, does anyone have any advice of anything else that we should consider as being the issue??

Thank you,

-Tony

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Can’t help you out, but I am sorry for your troubles. It’s fortunate that you have your Dad to help you out. Good luck with the repair.

Kat

 

Ok, so pops and I have started tearing the car apart for further diagnosis. Super long story short: dad noticed that he was able to move a pulley with the belt under tension, while he was turning the pulley we noted that all the pulleys and the belt were turning very easily (belt is still tension). Dad asked some questions about the belt drive system I couldn't answer so we started researching the harmonic balancer, because now he thinks that the harmonic balancer is the issue. We haven't found any specific info/videos or other information from other folks on the 1.5L base hardtops; but there is definitely a commonality with the harmonic balancer going out on other motor variants of the minis.
Stay tuned for more updates.

-Tony

 

Thank you!! Gonna need all the luck I can get lol

 

Update #2
I have purchased the Crankshaft Pulley/Vibration Dampener/Harmonic Balancer and 4 new retaining bolts from my local Mini Dealer. Total cost including taxes for those parts was $607 and some odd cents.

I have found a video on youtube of someone else replacing their Crankshaft pulley. I dont know what language they are speaking, and its not the best video in the world, but the video showed a lot of the same issues I was experiencing. .

The Mini tech gave me the following for torquing the bolts:
1.) Tighten all four bolts to 50 Newton meters, or 36.8-foot pounds.
2.) Now turn each bolt and additional 100 degrees of face.

I will install the new pulley tonight (hopefully and provide a last update.

 

Hopefully this will be the last update for this problem.

Installed the new crankshaft pulley last night. While over all it was not a fun event it was a surprisingly easy (relatively speaking) repair. If someone was more properly prepared and familiar than I currently am with Minis, I believe this job could be completed within 45min with two people. Add an extra 20-30 minutes time for having to complete the job by yourself.

 

You're lucky that you have a 3-cylinder to work with. There are plenty of room to work with on that side of the motor. With the 4-cylinder 2.0 version, it's impossible to stick a wrench or socket onto the belt tensioner to remove the belt. Definitely will need a tensioner tool to reach and get a good lock to work that belt out. The difference in level of ease is huge between the two platforms.

 

I believe it. Most of the information I was able to find online was for one of the 4banger variants, and I was begining to get really worried about the repair.

 

Hello Yupetc,

any chance to have a photo or details on how release the belt tensioner.

im familiar with R generation not yet with F (GEN3).

Thanks
Valerio

 

You will need that special tool. https://baumtools.com/shop/mini/mini...e-belt-wrench/
I know it's quite expensive for some dumb shape and wrench size, but this was the only way I can release that belt with.

 

will be nice to know the wrench size 21mm, 24mm or what ever is the right one.

so strange that there are no video or picture about the Gen3 mini serpentine belt replacement.

or at least i couldn’t find.