I got my tensioner from Pelican today.....this is how it arrived, completely collapsed....and I don't see any way to get the center plunger out of the body, is this normal? I did not buy the "cheap" version that they had.....I bought the INT one for around $50

Bryan

 

This is the way they come. It is a hydraulic type tensioner, not like the later spring tensioners.
Do you know if it is a tested one? There are many poorly made ones out there, that fail right away, or soon after.
The tested ones are the ones you want to buy.

 

This is the piece of paper that came with the part, says "Every chain tensioner is checked"........

I just don't see this as working......but if you say it's correct.....I'll install it and see what happens.....

Bryan

 

Installed the tensioner, started the engine....still have the same "rattle - clacking" noise from the upper timing cover/lower cylinder head area....let it run for a bit, never got quieter.....so I shut it down and decided to pull the tensioner to see if it had extended, and it did...so I re-installed the tensioner and pulled the oil sender switch to put a manual gauge in the block to check oil pressure......fired off the engine and had 50lbs pressure......and after about 3 - 4 minutes of running, it was down to 30lbs.......

I'm gonna pull the valve cover tomorrow and try to look and see if I can detect anything wrong around there......the saga continues.....

Bryan

 

I might have missed it in your thread, but have you checked the condition of the plastic timing chain guides? They could be cracked or broken allowing the chain to bounce around.

 

I'm going to pull the valve cover tomorrow and see if I can tell anything from that point.....the engine has a "brand new" timing cover on it.....but why was that replaced, I do not know.....I would figure if the cover was new, the timing components inside would be new as well......but this car did not run when I got it because the EWS4.3 Immobilizer module was out of sync.......

If I can't tell anything after pulling the valve cover, I guess the next step is to pull the timing cover and see what is going on inside there

Bryan

 

The guides may have failed. Don't drive it with the rattle!

 

Yea, trust me, it ain't moving until this engine noise is corrected. And all the other items that need to be fixed are on hold as well

Bryan

 

Well crap.....pulled the oil filter top off and found metal shavings inside the filter housing......not good

Also pulled the valve cover off and found excessive valve lash, turn up your volume.....this cannot be normal, right? (see video below)

Here is the video --->
Bryan

 

With out being able to see the cam, I can not tell if the cam is toast. You will need to pull the rockers off for us to see it. Try holding the roller up and see if the nrollers are loose on their shafts, as that could be where the metal is coming from and also cause the excessive valve lash. If it turns out to be true, I am sure the oil filter drain has been missing for a while and caused no oil to get to the rockers and wore them out!

 

There is a couple items in the bottom of the filter housing......one is swedged into the bottom of the housing, and the other is next to it............pics of inside the oil filter housing below....I can push both items and they spring right back

Bryan

 

It all looks good to me, as the filter keeps them closed. The (the housing too maybe be new and this is older damage.. Check as stated above and let is know what you find!

 

I'll try and get to the cam lobes tomorrow, thanks

Bryan

 

Verify, are the chips magnetic or not ! Magnetic = steel,cast iron, nonmagnetic = aluminum, copper, brass.
Not often (as in almost never) will ALL of the cam lobes go bad at the same time..! Something else is going on.

Good luck that it's something small/easy

Mike

 

Yea, that was the one thing I fergot to do was get a small magnet and test the metal shavings that were in the housing......I have not had a chance to get to the camshaft to check it, and I agree that it would be rare for all the lobes to fail at once.....the car really runs smooth, and has good power when giving it gas from idle.....

I'm wondering if the Mini engine uses what we call "valve lash caps" on top of the valve stems to protect the stem from getting pounded by the rocker.....I need to look into that before I start blindly tearing the engine down

Bryan

 

It does with plastic or metal retainers (very late builds)

And they are known to come off

 

Any pictures or info on this?

Car is an '06.....made 9/13/2006

 

Found some threads about the lash caps.....I'm wondering now if all of mine are missing......now I have to get the rocker arms off to check....

Bryan

 

I am more concerned if the engine was running without oil pressure. The roller shafts, main and rod bearings and pistons would be toast. The material on your finger, looked like more than one kind of material.
The looseness of the rockers, seems like something was not installed.

 

I do have oil pressure, 50+ lbs on start up..... I'm wondering if the material on my finger was from the old timing cover, there's a new one on the engine now. (was there when I got the car)

And yes, I think I have two problems, one with the metal material, and the other with the noise at the rockers, like something is missing

Bryan

 

Well, after some research, I'm willing to bet a dollar that all of the lifter lash caps are missing from my engine causing the rattle up top under the valve cover.

I found an R53 for sale close to me for $100..... Engine had a knock when pulled, but ran, I may go get that for my rocker and cap parts

I'm going to pull my rockers of the engine that I have here to confirm my theory.... I might do this tomorrow if I'm feeling better, had oral surgery and I still don't feel 100% yet

I also don't think that I have a JCW cylinder head on this car, I don't have a large red painted dot on the head, unless someone washed it off

Stay tuned for further developments

Bryan

 

The yellow part may be metal on later r53s. if you only need the tips there is a dodge v6 with the same part I found the yellow part in my oil pan and the tip was laying in the head

 

Some info here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ter-clips.html

 

Thanks.....I stumbled across that one last night doing a search on the web for the lash caps......

I took a quick look today with a mirror and it looks like I have the plastic yellow cap holders on my R52.....I didn't get a chance to look at all of the rocker arms......will update more tomorrow

Bryan

 

Just a quick update on "The Mini From Hell" issues here.....all of the rocker to valve stem lash caps are still on the rockers held on by the yellow plastic retainers

I have some pools of oil on top of the cylinder head under the valve cover, there are metal flakes sitting in the bottom of the oil....I have a small telescoping magnet that I put close to the oil pools and the metal flakes rose up out of the oil and attached to the magnet......

I'm not going to waste anymore time & money trying to save this engine anymore, kind of a shame, because this engine runs so smooth and has plenty of power.....I found a JCW engine locally at a wrecking yard for just under $1,900 with a 90 day warranty (engine does not come with supercharger, I'll have to use mine here) .....I have requested pictures of the engine to make sure that it's an actual JCW engine, no response as of yet.....will call them back on Monday

So.....things are on hold for now until I can pick up the engine from the wrecking yard......

To be continued.........

Bryan