This.
Is.
Awesome!

And it makes a lot of good sense. I don't know that I'd completely disconnect (open up) the A/C condenser and system, but you do get a little more space with it out of the way.

 

Yea I agree this is a VERY well written and much needed DIY!

 

ANOTHER UPDATE: Got a call from the little shop here in town, they got Barnaby all apart and to my surprise and luck all the leak was the waterpump. They said they looked at all the hoses and no leaks so thats a positive I also had the who water pump kit from ECS already so thats another plus. To keep the cost down I am supplying my own parts and he called and told me today he needs a exhaust manifold gasket? What does that have anything to do with the water pump, can anyone help?

 

i just ordered a water pump becuse it was leaking. A bad head gasket can let water into the cylinders and its than gets vapporised, and than goes out the exuast. White smoke is a sign of this - pelican parts.

 

Let me know how your install goes! I never had any of those issues though no white smoke for me so thats a positive!

 

I hope you took your car to a shop that knows what they're doing. This is one of those cars where I would not trust just anyone to fix it right.

I would not be surprised if your header cracked and they think it's a simple fix. The exhaust gaskets on these cars don't blow out

 

I went in and looked at what they were talking about Friday. When they took the front end apart they decided to take the manifold off to get to the water pump without removing the supercharger. And since they removed it they need a new gasket to replace the old one that was stuck.

 

Intake manifold gasket then. Exhaust is on the other side.
No Idea how that would help in taking out the pump anyway, easier to leave everything in place if not removing the SC. Doesn't sound like they know exactly how to work on a Mini.

 

O ok gotcha. And it's really my only option, I am 2.5 hours from a mini or BMW shop and this is the best shop in town. The mechanic showed me the write up in the manual that showed him how to do it and this is what they came up with. I am having them do a whole new coolant system refresh and a new DT BPV at the same time since I had the yo yo effect going on at points

 

Don't waste your money on a DT bypass valve. It's telling that the standard Cooper S, JCW and GP used the same bypass valve part number.

I'd be pretty leary about them removing the intake manifold. There's a lot of semi expensive parts to break in this area if they don't know what they're doing.

 

There is absolutely no reason to remove the intake. In fact it's pretty hard to get the thing off with the supercharger still on.

 

Well I already have the BPV mine as well have them throw it on as I need a new one anyways. And as far as the intake manifold goes I don't know what I am doing so I wouldn't know why they took it off or anything but the water pump is off and getting replaced this week. That's all I know.. What should I do? Should I talk to the guy and tell him he's doing it wrong?

 

There's hopefully just some miscommunication between you and the mechanic and he's doing it correctly.

 

I went in and looked at it myself it's in front end service mode, radiator off and whole front off but supercharger is still in tact, water pump is off and the front of the supercharger looks like it was the exhaust was also removed and he said he needed me to pick up a gasket for it, looks like the header but is prob the intake manifold now that I look at pics. This car is obviously giving me anxiety and is hard to justify keeping its been in the shop a lot recently and I am getting worried it's not going to last me :(

 

Also I got the link for the ether pump change from pelican and it states the intake manifold needs to be removed so he is doing it all right

 

I lost the coolant on a 2003 s I am working on. It looks as if it leaked out of the coolant tank. I pulled it off and pressure checked it and it seemed fine. The cap did start to leak at just under 5 psi. The car overheated and pulled off the road quickly. The back hatch was covered in coolant. Any other ideas, prior to driving the car, I filled the coolant and let it idle for about 40 minutes with the defrost/heat on high, with the temp staying in the middle of the gauge.

 

Sounds to me like there was a air bubble or pocket in the coolant lines. Did you bleed the system when you topped off ?

 

Mine is leaking near the water pump area, I don't know what exactly it is, but I also need to do a supercharger service. I'm buying a supercharger kit from ECS Tunning that includes a water pump and all O-rings. I will do the job DIY since I like wrenching in my R53.