Hello,

I have just bought a 05 R53 with JCW kit. I had been looking for an 05 or 06 Cooper S for a while and this one popped up, it's in pretty good shape (for all I know and the JCW was a bonus).

Millage on it is 161k, I have a power steering leak, the AC isn't working, it has a broken antenna and as far as I know that's all that's wrong with it, fingers crossed. The guy I bought it off said it could probably do with new plugs and leads, he had recently changed the coil.

I have bought the car to keep and look after. I don't plan on it being a daily driver, just a weekend fun car.

My problem is I know very little about, well anything. I'm a totally novice. No real mechanical experience, the odd oil and brake pad change is as far as my knowledge goes.

The service and warranty book doesn't have much info as to service history, although it does say it had Mini Inspection II at 100,559 miles (with Spark plugs replaced and Oxygen Sensor replaced) and another Inspection II at 119,145 miles.

What is my best way to get the car checked out, would you suggest another Inspection II, would this be done at the dealer or a specialist shop?

I want to be able to take in somewhere and they tell me what needs to be done and the priority the jobs need to be done in.

Thanks in advance

John

 

Welcome!

That’s a great looking JCW. I would suggest checking the VIN on the MINI website to see if there are any open recalls like for the power steering pump and the passenger airbag seat occupancy sensor. If so, l’m sure the dealer will give you a laundry list of issues that need attention when the recall work is done.

https://www.miniusa.com/owners/tools...rt/recall.html

After any recall work, go to a MINI specialist in your area for an inspection and estimates before considering any additional non-recall work from the dealer. However, the dealer will probably say the power steering hoses between the pump and reservoir, and the fluid, have to be changed for the recall or 2 year warranty, but are not part of the recall and will want to charge you for them.

 

Thanks RB,

I did a check on the VIN and there are no open recalls. I have also got it booked in with a MINI Specialist who is going to go over the car and give me a "Laundry List" of problems. Hopefully not too many of them.

Thanks for the advice

 

Congrats on your "slickroof" JCW! Be sure to have them run a compression test and leakdown to determine the "health" of your engine. It will give you a baseline just like an EKG for humans. Remember, our MINI's are great cars to work on and there are plenty of "how to" descriptions here, on YouTube and vendors like Pelican. Doing your own work will save tons of $$$ and give you much more satisfaction. I'm reminded of the preface in my college calculus book" "What one fool can do, so can another".

 

Thanks NC, I will ask them to do both those test.

I love the quote from the book, that's how I go about life these days - "if they can do it, why can't I". Sometimes it doesn't always work out 100% but I can get it to about 80% haha.
I have been looking at YouTube and it seems with the mini, once in front end service mode, you can get at most things. Even getting the engine out is just one or two steps after that. I reckon I can give it a good go.

Cheers

 

My Mini dealer quoted about $1600 just for parts to fix my air con. Saw the following on ModMINI and ended up just buying the air con clutch coil from eBay (MINI did not sell it seperately):

 

Slickroof and chrono pack <whoops, not chrono but NAV>, nice find! These are sought after as track cars.

Kurt at Mod MINI is the definitive resource for repair videos. Pelican Parts and billswebspace have excellent articles on their websites too. If you need info about your car, run your VIN through bimmer.work, it'll dump the factory options the car was ordered with.

 

So, got the car back from the shop. They didn't do a compression or leak down test.

I have an oil leak from the filter housing and they also think the valve cover maybe leaking (they also said the valve cover could be distorted).

Power steering leak, not sure where it's coming from???

I also have a 0304 misfire in cylinder 4 - I have new coil, plugs and wires on. The guy said next step is swap the injectors around.

The test/service cost me a small fortune.

I have hired the Compression tester from the local auto zone and the results weren't good.

Dry
#1 141
#2 135
#3 150
#4 102

Wet
#1 145
#2 140
#3 150
#4 110

Can anyone point me in the direction to go now? I'm guessing a leak down test is first?

 

Leakdown will tell you if the compression loss in #4 is in the head. Check the tube from the power steering reservoir for leaking. Common and inexepensive fix. The oil filter housing and valve cover leaks could, hopefully, be cured with nothing more than new gaskets.

 

I actually replaced the Reservoir and the return hose before I took it in. So I don't know.

I switched the injectors in #3 and #4 yesterday, of course that wasn't an easy job. They were stuck in there good. I have ordered new ones as they are a state.

I will wait for the new injectors, put them in and then take it for the leak down test.

Thanks yet again for all the advice.

 

So it's been a month and the Power Steering Fluid seems to be ok.

I am having a problem trying to get anyone to do me a cylinder leak down test. I get the responses like, "what's the car? A mini, good luck with that!" "A Mini, BMW's nightmare"

Wondering if I should do the test myself, but what would I be looking for?

I bought new injectors and put them in, the car runs really well, I have no lights on - Should I be worried about the compression test I did?

 

Since you aren't going to be driving the car every day, and the injectors seemed to help the engine run better, I'd just drive it as is.
Drive it until the number 4 cylinder starts giving you problems, like coking (black, hard, burnt oil) up the spark plug with burnt oil.

Meanwhile, start saving for an engine, or a short block, or a set of rings. Which ever method you prefer for a fix of an older engine. I'd have a valve grind also done at the same time.

Mike

 

Here's an excellent video on performing a leakdown test: