So I have the post mortem. Con rod broke and the piston went into the valves on cylinder #1 (not #4 as I suspected). I think it's a bad rod but Klaus Peter thinks it was over revved... I don't ever recall over revving the car but it is what it is.

Regardless, I just ordered a new short block for 1,850 Euro and Klaus-Peter's going to use one of the heads he has left over from doing JCW conversions on people's cars (think he has 3 left from the dealership). All told it's gonna be ~ $5,000 to get the "new" motor installed. Up side is that the block and even the head will be covered under a warranty since they're new factory parts.

I'll post pics to my gallery as soon as I get a chance.

Since we're in there I'll likely do the Quaife diff and a lighter flywheel... we'll see.

 

Crank pulley? Crank pulley?

Or would the charge for 12 hours of labor be too great?

 

Phucq U!

I doubt that was the cause... The car's always been very "burbly" and I suspect a bad valve guide or injector but now we may never know. Klaus-Peter says it looks like the motor was over-revved but I truly don't recall ever over-revving the motor. Regardless, she'll be better than new soon.

What are y'all's thoughts on lightened flywheels? I've run them in my Miatas and love the faster throttle response due to the reduced rotating mass. Had one problem w/a spun pilot bearing inside the flywheel on one of 'em. That's not an issue because of the way they mount on the Mini though.

 

TOTALLY DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!! iM WAITING ON A REASON TO YANK MY ENGINE, as soon as I can thats the first part going back in IS a Lighter flywheel.
What does Klaus figure over rev is? the limiter? That seems like a deal 5 G for a new engine? I wonder what my R56 engine would cost. Im gonna head up there for my B day. I want some super go fast.

 

Ordered a flywheel from RMW last night... 12#.

Also having them put in a Quaife diff...I suspect the stock LSD isn't long for this world and even though it's another 1K Euro (installed), it'll be cheaper by far to knock it out now since the tranny's out of the car anyway. Now I have to figure out a way to keep that purchase off the radar; She who must be obeyed is already pretty upset about the new motor.

I got Klaus-Peter to order a new short block (1,850 Euro) and he has a couple heads laft over from doing JCW conversions (new take-off heads). I'll have to buy new gaskets, etc plus labor. All told it'll be ~ $5,100 for the motor.

Plus 1K Euro for the diff (installed). Not paying extra labor since the motor's out.

Plus $400 for teh flywheel...

Plus ??? Thinking about a lot of other options but I think for now I just need a well-running (mostly) stock motor. Need to upgrade the brakes and suspension next.

At least the "new" motor will be covered under a limited warranty...

 

You might have to pull some of that TDY $$$ out of the 'black' checkbook...

Not to be sarcastic but why not put in the JCW fuel rail/injectors?? BTW, can Klaus-Peter take pictures of the job or would that be too many €€€? Good luck and keep the updates coming.

Stay safe, brother.

Cheers!!

 

PB, you might need to go down and check on the quality of the work for us all. And bring the kid to document it.

 

Well, I am on leave next week. Euno, got some directions?!?

Cheers!!

 

http://www.mini-clubsport.com/

contact info:

Schäfer Clubsport GmbH & Co.KG

Merkurstr. 48 67633 Kaiserslautern Deutschland
+49 (0)631/3502885 +49 (0)631/3502874

- Take teh "Opel" exit (believe it's Kaiserslautern West exit) off the A6 (very close to Ramstein AB--you'll see teh runway if you go too far West). I think it's the B40 or maybe B240 but don't recall...If you stay on that road it takes you into teh main gate for Vogelwegh/Kapaun Barracks after crossing the rr tracks)

-Take the 1st exit--~ 100meters or so from the A6, exit slopes down, Esso on your right...

- Enter teh roundabout (goes under the road you were just on) and take the 2nd exit (basically 90-degrees left turn off the road you were on).

- Go through the 1st light but stay in the right lane (left lane ends after the Toys R Us/Lederland/Saturn on your left.

- Turn left onto Merkurstrasse ~ 1/2 block past the Toys R Us, etc. There's a "Hammer" paint store on the left/on your right after turning onto Merkurstrasse.

- Mini shop's at the end of the street (~ 100 meters) in a cul de sac; on the left.

Great shop...happy hunting but be prpared to buy a lot of cool Mini stuff!

 

BTW, any chance that you could extend your trip to pay for all of this? Not only that but wouldn't that give a chance for She Who Must Be Obeyed to "forget" about this whole deal?

Cheers!!

 

More pics posted in my gallery... Klaus-Peter and I both agree that this wasn't caused by an over-rev now. It looks like an oil starvation problem to him but I still believe it was simply con rod #1 snapping. Then the oil blew out the #1 cylinder. There's also a hole in the oil pan from when the rod broke.

He says that makes sense since oil starvation would have resulted in spun bearings and the rods turning blue from the heat...not all black and sooty from the carbon of the oil mixing w/fuel and then igniting from the spark plugs...there's more evidence of that in the header/cat too.

If you look closely you'll see that the #2 bearing did spin...that's what'd I'd expect from either an over rev or oil starvation.

If he agrees after thinking about it some more I hope he'll talk to the folks at his old BMW dealership...possibly get at least the cost of the bottom end covered under warranty. That con rod should not have broken... even if over reved or completely empty of oil. I check the oil level almost every time I get gas and every time before I go to the track. I truly believe it was a defective con rod that started this whole mess...

We'll see how this pans out...regardless, the engine r&r continues apace at Mini clubsport!

 

$3.50 a day baby... Woohoo!

I think I will put in either JCW (380cc/min) or Alta (or M7) 400 cc/min injectors. I may already have a leaky stock injector and it'd be nice to get a flow-matched set. That's usually the 1st thing I do before starting power mods on a car. Another lesson re-learned.

Always establish a solid baseline w/known parts...

 

More pics in OkiJack's gallery (he swung by there today). Link here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&ppuser=27240

My wife also dropped off teh flywheel and the Quaife diff is already installed in the trans.


Now all I need is the actual motor!

 

hey 91....Aint you forgetting a turbo to go with the new traction and lightened flywheel

 

I just cried a little bit....

 

<cue $6M man music>We'll build it stronger...Better than before... </cue $6M man music>