My MINI won’t start and I’m getting engine oil pump / oil pressure errors, camshaft jammed error, boost pressure control errors, misfires, it’s all messed up.

I just completed the timing chain, valve stem gaskets and walnut shell blasting job on my beloved Mini Cooper S. I also drained all the oil and changed the oil and oil filter. I also had to replace the oil pan because of pieces of broken plastic from the chain guide in the oil pan and the drain plug was stripped by previous owner.

I thought I had it all good to go. I primed the engine by unplugging the coil packs and running the starter for ten seconds, four times. After I reconnected the coil packs the car started right up. I tried to clear all the errors via BimmerLink but some of them are coming back. I don’t k ow what to do, can any of you please give me some advice?

 

Off the top of my head - isn't there a camshaft position sensor? Seems like that might be a common source to all the issues.

 

I think this is where I may have screwed up. I was in a hurry when I was putting the intake and pipes back together, also, I hade a tough time getting the new oil filter to thread into the socket, so I want to make sure I didn't bump the oil pressure solenoid thing.

 

EDIT: You first say the mini won't start, later you said it started right up. Is it running fine, you just can't get the codes to clear??

EDIT: The rest below was my original post:
2C58 is caused by other codes, don't worry about that one yet. It pertains to letting the turbo build boost which it doesn't need yet.

4 codes related to misfiring. Unclear if these were set when you had the coil packs unplugged.

Camshaft jammed errors. Frequently, these kinds of errors indicate VANOS actuator failure. Common problem, and easy to fix. But it does seem odd for them to fail right at this moment and cause such a big problem. The low oil pressure fault could be related to these errors, possibly even causing these VANOS errors. Low oil pressure is very very bad for these engines (though usually it happens because of low oil which is the real problem). Getting to ok oil pressure might be step 1 if the timing job isn't wrong.

Coil packs are ALWAYS suspect when a misfire occurs.

And of course at this point it is possible you did something wrong on the timing job. Easy enough to pull the valve cover and see how the shafts and their flats line up, crank lock pin goes in, cam lock tools fit nicely, etc.

The camshaft position sensors are bolted into the valve cover/pcv, one for intake and one for exhaust. They are both on the drivers side of the car, assuming a north american left hand drive configuration. I don't think you could've hurt these while wrestling with the oil filter cap. Again assuming left hand drive config, the VANOS solenoids are on the passenger side of the engine, opposite the oil filter. So unclear what you mean by "..so I want to make sure I didn't bump the oil pressure solenoid thing." when referencing the oil filter.

I'm more familiar with the n18 engine but I think locations I've stated are correct for you as well, sorry if not. I just try to help (note that some kinds of help are the kinds we can all do withOUT)

 

This is really helpful, and I appreciate you reading this thread. I think some background info may be helpful. The engine (N18) was running well before all of this, no check engine lights at all, it started when I replaced the AC compressor, and had to let the car idle for a long periods testing/filling refrigerant and I saw plumes of blue smoke. I then decided it was time to do the valve stem gaskets (seemed to be the likely source of so much burning oil at idle) and I didn't detect any exhaust in the coolant tank with the tester kit (to rule out head gasket). Also, since I had to take the cams off I figured I would go ahead and do the timing chain. I was able to seat the locking pin all the way in when the cams were in the "writing facing up" and cam locks bolted down, and new tensioner bolt installed to torque specs. I found some pieces of the timing chain guide down along the intake side of the chain's path and knew I needed to drop the oil pan and check the debris screen on the oil pump. I only found one 1/2" square piece stuck to the screen, and I ran some pick tools gently around the narrow circular space below the screen and found no pieces, though I thought it was curious that this seemed to free up a few sizable drops of oil (maybe because I have the front wheels up and the car tilted). There were no small beads of plastic like I've seem in some reference images/videos. Also, I did have to reseat the oil pump chain sprocket during the timing chain because it came loose after I was test fitting the cam pulley hub and there was some light friction/compression force keeping it together so it cam out accidentally. I reseated the oil pump chain and sprocket (and researched to make sure there wasn't any specific timing for this - thank god), and there was no slack/play, it was exact to the millimeter and took a bit of precise maneuvering to get it back in place.

Since I made a mess of the wiring harness during disassembly (flopping it around this way and that, and didn't take enough clear pictures) and didn't label the cables/plugs, I'm trying to find out the best way to be sure I'm plugging things in to the correct ports. It seems like half of the plugs/cables can really only interface with one matching port based on their size/shape/location but for the ones that are visually similar and nearby, that oval shaped connector with 2-3 wires, I noticed that there are some vague keying features with different gaps/teeth on the various connectors for different sensors / solenoids but I've heard that there is still a risk on mixing them. I'd really like to know if anyone has a guide or a labeled diagram of the wiring harness so I can be sure, I have not been able to find one. I also noticed that many of the wires on the ones I may have mixed up have similar colored wires, I'm specifically mixing up the 3 connectors branching off from the wiring tucked along the fuel injector rail below the plastic intake manifold. Also, there are 2 components attached to the underside of the intake manifold via metal prongs stuck through rubber blocks. One is clearly something to do with the vacuum lines and the other, I haven't figured out yet, but it has one of those connectors in question, and a narrow hose that is just pressed onto a port. I need to figure out whatever these are. Also, one of these three connectors I mixed up is surely the plug for the intake VANOS solenoid.

Also, on my next reassembly attempt, I will have soaked the business ends of the IN and EX VANOS solenoids in oil for hours, assuming they aren't already dead from potentially running dry. Oh also, since I'm very worried about the engine turning over while dry, is there a way manual supply the cylinders/pistons with oil for just a few seconds of test firing the engine?

 

N18, ok. Don't know why I guessed N14, sorry. Does the car run, and if so with any symptoms beyond codes?

Your first picture with the three connectors near the fuel rail / intake box. No way you can mix those up with the wrong sensor, different form factors and very differently keyed just from looking at them. Sorry, don't remember which goes where.
Your next picture looks like what might be exhaust camshaft position sensor, but not sure the harness for that would come up this far. I know there are a couple of very similar connectors in that general corner of the engine, the vacuum pump corner. Sorry, again I don't have a diagram/pictures.

There is a sensor near the top of the oil heat exchanger/oil filter housing. It's connector points straight out from the block towards the front bumper. Not 100% certain but I think this is the oil pressure sensor. I mention this sensor because it looks like the kind of connector in the second image, the kind of connector in that corner that visually could get mixed up (unsure if protectively keyed). If it is the oil pressure sensor, and I think it is, maybe at least 2 connectors are mixed up and that's why you're getting an oil pressure error code.

 

I just checked and the oil pressure sensor plug was unaffected and looks to be fine. I do think that I pressed against it when I changed the oil filter but probably not enough to affect it.

 

Okay, I started to calmly and methodically reassemble the intake, hoses and routesbtgebwires around to the right places. Now that I'm clear headed, I think it's unlikely that I could plug anything in to the wrong port aside from the IN / EX cammposition sensors, but I've got some good hi-res reference images from the ubiquitous "is this N14 or N18?" posts.

Next steps:
Remove valve cover (and clean corners of RTV for reassembly later)
Re-check rockers to ensure proper seating
Confirm timing with crank locking pin and cam locks
Remove cam and crank locking tools
Drop the oil pan (again)
Clean block side surfaces of gasket material and clean oil pan gasket surfaces
Recheck the oil pump debris screen for anything I could have missed
Check oil pump chain and sprocket (hand cranking the engine with 18mm socket) to confirm proper seating/movement
Replace and seal the oil pan (give 12-18 hours to cure)
Replace valve cover
Replace oil soaked / primed VANOS solenoids
Replace VANOS solenoids
Refill oil
Reattach negative battery terminal
Clear VANOS adaptations with compatible tool (power on, without ignition)
Unplug coil packs
Prime engine with starter (4x10 second bursts)
Plug in coil packs
Start engine - rescan with BimmerLink (for comparison to previous)

any thing else I should do?

 

The blue plug in the distance I'm not sure about, but definitely not attached to the oil pressure sensor (or the sensor I meant). The other black connector appears to be the DV valve (diverter valve) on the turbo body, from its position relative to the wastegate actuator and body of the sensor.

 

Code 342B suggests that the DME is not receiving the oil pressure sensor signal.

 

Or, he is getting an oil pressure signal and a broken piece of the timing chain guide is stuck in the oil pump inlet, starving the engine of oil pressure.

What year is the car? If it's an LCI, you can see engine oil pressure with your scan tool under live data. Lack of oil pressure will also cause issues with the VANOS since it needs oil pressure to operate.

 

Oh? That’s weird. Other than removing/refitting the hoses on the turbo, and changing the filter, I ain’t messed with it. So, for next steps, I’m going to confirm there no other obstructions in the oil pump screen, make sure the oil pump chain and sprocket are seated properly down below. Come to think of it, the oil pump chain /sprocket did come off the crank up top during the timing chain job, and though I caught it quickly, the loss of tension could have botched something up down on the pump. Dropping the pan now…

 

Sounds like a reasonable plan, but if code 342B persists, use a multimeter to test whether the oil pressure sensor signal reaches the DME.

 

Ding! Ding! Ding! Winner winner chicken dinner!

****. I dropped the pan and saw some shimmering fairy dust in the bottom… almost magical. My suspicion proved to be right, the chain was off the sprocket down on the oil pump… so that’s not gonna pump anything. Also, bonus huge piece of plastic caught in the oil pump chain sprocket housing. Now I need to figure out how to get the chain back on this sprocket without screwing up anything else. Any suggestions? How can I remove this sprocket is it safe to put a few screwdriver’s through it to keep it still?

 

Yikes. Well, glad you checked it now rather than later.

I personally don't know if it is safe to run a screwdriver through those holes to brace it while loosening the bolt. But, it's exactly what I did when I was in there.

 

Yikes is right! That could have been catastrophic. Not what I would have guessed given what you said earlier about re-seating the sprocket. My next suggestion was going to be to check the oil pressure solenoid connection that goes to the oil pump, it was a known to leak on early N18s and was a warranty job on my previous car. Glad you found that!

Add as many pictures as you think could be useful to this thread to help the next guy!

 

Damn that bolt was on there tight, is groaned but finally broke free and took a little chunk of a metal support fin from the pump chassis the little fin like support struts for the protrusion where the oil pump shaft/sprocket is. I don’t think it’s going cause a meaningful difference, but it did happen. I removed the sprocket, reseated the chain and replaced the bolt. I know it’s a stretch bolt… but I’m not putting another cent into this car until I’m sure she’s roadworthy. At the least, I cleaned out the threaded hole on the oil pump with brake cleaner, same on the bolt and used some loctite, also, I torqued this bolt to 5NM +90 degrees per spec. It ain’t going anywhere. Also, the chain was a bit slack, so I’ll eventually need to get the crank pulley off again, and retime the engine when I replace the chain and/or the oil pump in a few months.

Now, I got another question, the engine was sputtering out after a second or two. It was completely dry (!!!) after running it for about a minute previously. Before I started it up I primed it for forty seconds, but no oil was pumping… I guess it has some lubrication from pouring the 4.5 quarts of oil over the PCV. So assuming the engine isn’t totally seized up (just very very thirsty for oil I hope), if I pour the oil back over the PCV, hand crank the engine 10-20 rotations and then drain the oil and pour it over again. Should that be sufficient prep before I prime and start the engine?

 

Taking a small chunk from the exterior surface of the pump is probably fine, use reasonable judgement on how much metal is still there.

I know I replaced the oil pump sprocket bolt personally, but realistically, if the pump bound up so bad that the bolts joining force became relevant, you have bigger problems anyway. It'll be fine.

I don't really understand much of your third paragraph. Doing something to prime the oil seems like a good idea to me, not sure what is sufficient. Bonus points if you can devise a way to prove oil is pumping before starting it.
Hopefully catastrophic damage has not been done. If I were in your shoes, I'd really want to feel confident oil is pumping before running again. If not seized, a socket and breaker bar on the big center crankshaft hub bolt should turn the engine (turning in the direction the bolt is tightened, clockwise I believe).

 

You should watch my pre-lube video. Only for N16 & N18 engines.

The other "by the book" option for pre-lube is to pull the fuel pump and ignition relays and attempt to start the engine.

 

Cool video, good idea. Thanks for sharing.
OP, the port he used for filling oil is where the oil pressure sensor/sending unit is located, we discussed earlier when thinking about why no oil pressure reading. Irrelevant now, but maybe you'll need to know that spot some day.

mkov, do you think it possible to run the hose/those fittings to that port with the turbo stuff installed/in the way?

 

Possible if you put the front end in the service position.

 

One question I have is this, does hand cranking the engine via the crank pulley bolt provide enough movement for the oil pump to work, or does it need to be at a minimum idle rpm? From your video, at least I know where the oil should start flowing if it does work. I just retorqued the PCV cover, so I'll just use my snake camera to see if I can confirm that it's oozing. One think I have noticed is that the engine provides more resistance during the hand cranking while the oil pan is was off. This leads me to believe that with the pan resealed and with 4-5 quarts in there, I might be able to get the oil filling up through the galleries.

 

No, unless you can hand crank the engine at 200 rpm.

 

Now THAT would be a workout. Any other ideas to pre-lube the pistons without a special pump and adapter?

I was planning to pour oil all over the area under/around the cams and specifically in the 8 little drain ports 4 on the intake side and 4 on the exhaust side. Then I was going to pull the fuel pump relay and run the starter 4 x 10 seconds like I saw on a YouTube from some BMW technician. I was going to start the engine after that. I’m pretty sure that all the other components/sensors were fine, it’s just that I goofed and didn’t have the chain on the sprocket behind that cover. I hand cranked the engine many times yesterday and confirmed that the oil pump sprocket is spinning.

 

I've got nothing, sorry mate.

Maybe you could pull the oil pressure sensor, or watch the cam shafts for oil weeping per mkov's video, while bumping with the starter? I know, you've turned it a lot unlubricated and are walking a fine line here.

It's not THAT hard to pull the pan again, pull the rod and journal caps one by one, the cam caps, and put the pink engine assembly lube on all journals and tighten back up. Guess you'd need new bolts and what not. Just brainstorming.