I recently installed a N16 timing chain kit in my 2012 Mini Cooper.

Before I started the work, I did a lot of research that led to creation of a step-by-step N16 write-up for the procedure. If you are interested in the write-up, please send me a private message.

In this thread, I am posting only three key steps of the procedure - Installing the crank oil seal and torquing the crank and cam bolts. At the end, I also include torque specifications for the right engine mount bolts and nut, which are not found in the service manual.

I hope you find the information helpful.

 

Some suggested changes:

Step 3: PTFE seals are to be installed dry; if you lubricate them (running surface), they will leak! Additionally, (crank hub) the crank can not be turned for 4 hours after seal installation; the seal must normalize to the crank hub for proper sealing. The Bentley service manual is in error. There are some videos from PTFE seal manufacturers on YouTube concerning the correct installation of PTFE seals.

Step 3, para 2: You forgot to mention the special tool that you need to counter-hold the crankshaft hub (see factory service manual); if you rely on the pin for cam/crank alignment, you may snap that pin off because it's not designed to take that kind of torque.

There are a lot of torque angle type torque wrenches on the market; the cool part about the torque angle style torque wrenches is, after you've made your 180 degree (for example) final torque, the wrench will tell you how many foot pounds was applied to the fastener.

 

Your input is always appreciated.

I lightly greased the oil seal lip and crank hub mating surface as recommended in the service manual and several YouTube videos. I am vigilant about watching for oil leaks and will post an update if i detect any leakage from the new crank seal. The removed oil seal, which was installed under warranty by the Mini dealership, was leaking though I've seen much worse.

I gave the crank counter-hold tool a lot of thought but ultimately decided against it. (1) Many (not all) people who have replaced their Mini timing chain decide not to purchase or use the counter-hold tool, and I failed to find any accounts of someone snapping off the special crank tool locking pin in the flywheel. (2) The BMW Repair Guide website unambiguously states that the crankshaft counter-hold tool is "not required". (3) Physics will tell you that the high force applied at the crankshaft bolt with a breaker is much greater than the resulting forces applied on the special crank locking pin and the flywheel. Do we have any engineers out there?

With that said, I don't want to tell anyone NOT to use the crankshaft counter-hold tool. It certainly couldn't hurt, and it might circumvent a rare painful disaster. I am just sharing my personal decision process and opinions.

I'm a tool lover too. There are definitely cool tools to make this job easier. But I get equal satisfaction from using simple inexpensive alternate approaches to get jobs done.

 

I think I paid $80 for the tool; when I purchased my R53, The R53 has a separate crank hub counter holding tool, I modified my R56 tool to work with the R53; now I have one tool, forged in the fires of Mount Doom, to rule them all!

On one of my restoration projects the final torque on the crankshaft hub bolt (after the 180 degree rotation) was 137 Ft Lbs; there's no way I was going to put that much force on the crank alignment tool. It's an alignment too after all, and about 5/16" in diameter.

 

Haha