Howdy - I bought a R55 Clubman with a poorly running engine - reassembled and it's running quite poorly and ... I'm stumped - looking for help.

Diagnosed originally as the coolant plug fell out (was able to retrieve whole). Bought a used head (bent valves in the head originally), installed with new head bolts and cam bolts. Used special tools to lock the crank and cams in place. I went over the vehicle a couple times to ensure I had all the sensors hooked up and installed properly.

It will start and run, but it revs very slow and then hangs high once it does rev and generally doesn't feel like it wants to run, throwing a pile of codes. So I shut it down and pulled the cover off to check timing.

1. pinned crank - checked with a mirror and a helper this time, I know it's right.

Pin is 90 degrees before TDC and with my cam positions that leads me to believe this is on powerstroke - as would be normal - however when I look at the bentley manual - mine are way off. If I check my pictures of when I took the engine apart, they match with the current configuration.






mine


If I check cam position with the tools - it's a bit off, with an angle finder it's around 4 degree on the exhaust and 5 on the intake. Yes, take that number with a grain of salt because the car is just on jackstands in my garage. it's pretty level, but it's no machine surface.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.
1 Is my general procedure OK or is there something way off?
2 Is 4 or 5 degrees of cam timing off sufficient to make it run this bad?
3 Do any of the sensors have to be installed or aligned when put back in?

TIA Ryan

 

Once you have the Valvetronic cam apart on the intake you HAVE TO relearn the limit stops and reset the adaptations, if you don't you'll get a doggy car with a lumpy idle.

But if the car was run long enough with that freeze plug popped out you may be in for a bit more than you bargained for.

 

I'll check tonight to ensure whether I pulled that off or not. But either way since the head is from a different car, it would have to be learned again -yes?

So I got to find someone who has said fancy scan tool?

 

That is where I'd start, relearning the stops is cheap and needs to be done.

Did you just remove the head from the car and replace it with another fully assembled head? I've never really paid attention to it, but were you able to get the head bolts out without removing the cams?

 

1. Stops and adaptations - I tried googling but didn't come up with much. Is there a DIY procedure or a quick stop at a specialist?

2. Yes, I removed the original head and replaced with a fully assembled good head. Yes, I was able to remove the headbolts, you need to wiggle them a bit on the intake side, but they come out.

 

double post

 

The crank will pin in 2 different cam locations. The correct location is when the cam ID lettering is shown, as illustrated in the Bentley manual (the lobe angle you reference is what I consider a "confusion factor".) That's when you install the cam locking tools (with previously loosened sprockets), set chain tension, then tighten sprockets. Obviously this is abbreviated, but needs to be done to ensure timing is set correctly. A couple degrees off will make a significant difference in how it starts / runs.

If you're gonna be in the engine often, invest in a good code reader / reset tool.

 

I tried to respond the same day, but apparently they went into the abyss

1. Relearning - is there any DIY or is that dealer/specialist with fancy tools only? My google-fu didn't come up with a whole lot of helpful info here.

2. I bought a completely different assembled head and put it on with new gaskets and bolts. The deadbolts come out fine - it's a bit of a struggle to get our the ones on the intake, but not bad.

3. I have a basic OBD II reader, but nothing specific to MINIs - when I started the engine the first time - threw a bunch of codes, but after I disconnected the battery to diagnose, they went away and i forgot to write them down - doh!

4. I believe I followed the correct procedure do set everything up right the first time - but I'm going over it again and just got new cam bolts in the mail today, so I'll recheck the cams tomorrow and retire the engine.

 

You need either a dealer level scan tool or to find a dealer competent enough to understand what you're asking for when you ask to relearn the Valvetronic stops.

 

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. I've done more work on the car and figured what was going on.

1. It helps if plug all the sensors in. I forgot to plug the valvetronic motor connector in when I final assembled.
2. Whomever changed the timing set before didn't clean the pan. Not long after I fixed problem #1, did the oil light come on. Pulled the pan to find a pile of tiny plastic bits in the bottom. Some large enough to know for sure it was the first timing set. Good news - I couldn't find any evidence of metal in the pan or any of the oil I drained.

Everything seems good now, just a stumbling idle after starting it up. I haven't driven it around the block yet - but thinking about it tonight.

Is the tuner below powerful enough to relearn the stops?
http://burgertuning.com/bavarian_tec..._BMW_Mini.html


Without the stop relearned should I stay away from driving the car?

 

I would recommend talking with the manufacturer to see if their product will allow you to relearn the stops, as well as DME adaptations.

If you haven't relearned the stops I would be hesitant to drive the car much, I drove my personal Cooper I had for a few weeks around the block before relearning the stops without issue.