Found several threads asking about N16 swap into N12 car, but none of them started. Did anyone successfully swap the engine? I have a spare N12 engine and curious if can be used in N16 car? Thanks!

 

As you might know, the N16 is slightly modified to include an electric oil pump. There might be other electrical components added to it that I dont know of. Because of these additions, the DME is integrated differently than the N12. Buying a DME alone isnt enough since you have to match it with the CAS and Key. Assuming all that is taken care off, the mileage of the donor DME/CAS wont match the original and you might into issues matching the options of the donor car to the original.

So, sure it can be done, but it isnt a plug and play....my adventure is with N18 engine into N14 R55. Still under progress due to other flips/projects. You can also look at https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r56-cooper-hat/ to compare wiring of these components.
I hope this helps.

 

Thanks MiniToBe, I actually want to PM you yesterday because I saw you are working on several interesting projects and very helpful to answer people's question.

I have the DME/CAS from the N12 car, but I guess the mismatch in the mileage will be illegal.

A side question if you don't mind, I have a 07 with N12 engine, car had misfire in cylinder 3 & a code for exhaust vanos. I changed the spark plug and ignition coil and new exhaust vanos. Running good for a week, car had misfire on all cylinders after fueling up the gas yesterday. It can bearly started, but dead after putting in gears. This time no error on Vanos. Just curious if you have any idea what may go wrong?

 

Thank you for the kind words

Is the car still dead? does it sound like it wants to start but doesnt have the spirit to do so?

 

That was exactly what the car was like last night. I just get outside to start the car, now the car can run and only cylinder 3 & 4 are misfire.

 

I guess you can try swapping coils to see if it moves with them. also, check the spark plug gaps.

is this from the same gas station you always fill from?

 

I changed the coil last time on cylinder 3 from the spare engine. I pulled it out just now, it looks in really good shape, no oil. I also changed the spark plug from the spare engine last time.

1st time to fill the gas from that station. could be gas quality? but why last night all 4 cylinders are misfire and today only 2?

I would do a compression test this week.

 

I know a guy down FL who replaced HPFP and LPFP only to find out the gas was bad...last night, the fuel was mixed with "dirt" and now that "dirt" settled, the engine can run but still miss. not sure if you can get all that gas out (use it for your lawn mower) and pump gas from the normal station.

Im battling a misfire on cyl 1 on my CMS. But I think I killed it when I used ISTAP on it...we'll see how that turns out :(

 

oh make sense. I will start with the compression test, then move on the other tests if compression is good. Thanks MiniToBe, I will post updates.

 

Sounds good my friend...Also, just for sanity check, swap the coils around so you know for sure if they're working or not.

 

I just did the compression test, ~200psi on cylinder 1 & 2. 0psi on cylinder 3 & 4 Seems like significant damage inside cylinder 3 & 4... Now it's the fun part to take the engine apart...

 

Before you do...take a look at the cams and followers. Also check the timing. Sometimes the issue can be fixed from the top without taking the head especially if the valves aren't bent. Work smart not hard ;-)

 

Don't forget to consider the fuel injectors. I had a lot of fun troubleshooting a misfire in cylinder #2; it turned out to be an intermittent injector. An Indy shop found it on their scope.

 

hey brother...any updates, did you start the tear down?

 

I thought about it if compression is in good range. Looks like I have a/several bend valves. If I decide to rebuild it, I will definitely clean the injectors.

 

I took the valve cover off last night. one of the exhaust rocker arm in cylinder 3 fell off. searched in the forum and saw a thread that had the same issue, you replied that one and mentioned maybe a bent valve. I put the rocker arm back on, but it's very loose, so I guess the valve is bent. I believe there should be something even worse than this, because of the zero compression. I don't have experience to take apart the engine, so I will wait for the Bentley manual comes in this week to move on the disassembly.

 

A bent valve is enough to let all that compressed air out...what about cyl 4? did you see anything>?

 

 

generally speaking, yes...I think you should check the timing since you have the cover off just to see what you're dealing with. swapping heads and/or rebuilding it isnt that hard IMO.

 

Finally took some free time to work on the car, got intake & exhaust manifolds unbolted. Then worked on the timing, I cranked the engine to have the words on the cams facing up, put the clamps from the timing tool kit on the cams but left them unbolted, then noticed the hole in the flywheel is several degrees off the center of the hole in the bellhouse. I am assuming the timing is off. The most difficult job is to insert the pin (clamps are off the cams). I grinded the pin to make it easier to go through the hole in the bellhouse, but no matter how I tried, it cannot go all the way through. Is there any trick to do this? And is it necessary to do this if I will remove the head?

 

You dont need the locking pin to remove the head but eventually you need to use it...when it used to give me hard time, i would wiggle the crankshaft back and forth while pushing the pin in...if the pin is big, use a grinder and shave it juat enough to fit the hole.

Before removing the head, reset the timing and see if compression is any better.