A lot of this is in my intro, but after what I found out last night, I've decided to turn this into a build thread.

I was stalking around Craigslist for something to burn a couple grand on after selling 2 Datsun Z's. I found a 2003 Cooper S with only 78k miles, fully loaded, for $2,200. Immediately decided it was mine and got a hold of the buyer.

Turns out, and this was in the ad, that it just wont start. It cranks, but wont start. So, I am thinking of the short list of what could cause this, and jump in. I offer the guy $1,800, and after 3 days of stress trying to get it home, it now sits in my garage.

So, the story is the guy had BMW rebuild the head due to loud ticking. (Service orders say a new timing chain, sprockets, and a complete set of inlet rockers were replaced) About 100 miles later, the car just dies while driving. Never started again. So, frustrated prior owner decides to throw in the towel and sell it. I bout it from the guy who bought it from him. The guy I got it from has had it since October and decides he just can't put the time into even starting to find out what is wrong with it, and I grab it from him.

Turns out to be fully loaded. Leather, panoramic sunroof, $2k sound system that sounds amazing. I'll sell the not needed 10: subwoofer setup. But all in all, the car is an 8 out of 10. The only thing that's in need of work really is the hood needs touched up and repainted. Two holes drilled in it from prior rally lights need to be weld shut. The car is really just in need of a cleaning.

So, blah blah, long story short as I am going over what I will need to bring this 10 month sitting car back to life, I do a once-over to inspect what is leaking, maybe broke or missing, etc. Drin gas, new fuel filter, new spark plugs, new oil, etc etc.

So... I find this oil caking and leak on the front of the engine. Mostly caked up gunk from an old leak mixed with dirt and daily driving. Nothing I wouldn't expect for a car that is this age. A little fresher stuff mixed in there too, so I try and track it down. Turns out to be directly behind the radiator, under the supercharger, so I need to take off the front end and radiator to see whats up.

So, a couple hours later I pop off the rad, and what do I find....

I golf ball size hole in the block. It's right at the hole for the crankshaft sensor( i would imagine that is what sensor it is) and about an inch around it.

So, this sucks....but the thing is, I'm only $1,800 into a mini I love and way in the green compared to it's value. I just rebuilt a 2004 Land Rover Disco II from the ground up after buying it with a slipped sleeve, and ended up replacing the block and rebuilding every bolt and nut, while doing it for only around $1,000. SOoooo, I'm not immediately put off on what it will take to get this $1,800 mini back on the road.

Problem is that I'm moving from Alaska to Atlanta in September. I've got the tools, but I have a serious time issue.

Let the fun begin.

 

 

Welcome! I'm excited to see your progress!

 

As of right now, I stopped when I found the hole. I peered inside and I don't see 50 shades of metal hell in there, so I am hopeful. Frankly we have two scenarios here.

- 1. The guy had the head redone and found out that the real issue was the hole in the dern block. Now I have been told the car was sold after it died during use. That could mean it seized up because of metal flying around the crank. OR, the guy actually found the issue, after wasting $2,500 on the head rebuild, and threw in the towel and sold it under false pretenses. Now it had to have been there for a while, or at least cracked badly enough to cause the old caked up oil leak that is all down the front of the engine. That took time. So it was driven for a while. So, is the hole just a hole and the internals are OK? If I have way more luck that I think I do. Then we are talking a new upper and lower block and swap out internals. Check crank and bearing for wear and replace as needed. Drop in a new clutch and go.

- 2. When I get in there I'll find the bottom end all tore up. Either from metals pieces throwing around, getting caught up in the rotating assembly, or the hole is actually caused by something being thrown into it. Rod, bolt, etc. This scenario will end in a complete replacement short block, and HOPEFULLY, that new top end head has not taken any damage. As it was only driven a short short time after the BMW shop rebuilt the head, I can hope it didn't get damaged.

So, tonight I will drop that brand new oil BMW put in it after the head rebuild out of the pan and inspect for metal shavings, chunks, pieces, etc. If the oil comes out clean and clear, then I have some hope this is just a hole. If it comes out chunky, then I know a new short block is in order.

Then of course drop the oil pan and see for myself.

 

That does not sound promising, so a short block may be in order:

http://new.minimania.com/part/NME7800/

Or, a rebuild kit if crank survived:

http://new.minimania.com/part/NMK501...-Rod--Bearings

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Ha. Some sales kudos to you from a sales manager.

Decent prices I have to admit. I'll keep those in mind. That short block is a fair price.

 

Thanks! Comes with a warranty, too. Plus, I don't think Gen 1 cranks are available anymore, except from the junk yard.

Last time I had a hole in my block was with my Classic Cooper S at Road America. Was amazed how much we were able to save, but that's an English firepump engine vs. a Bimmer made by Peugeot and Chrysler!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

I'd assume something internal is to blame, holes don't form in blocks without something making them. I'd assume a rod let go on whatever cylinder is behind the hole. I'd bet the loud tick wasn't even from the head. I'd hazard to guess that a crank bearing was going bad and the motor stopped and someone convinced him it was the head.

That's if the head has even truly been rebuilt and that's what the original owner told the guy you got it from. Did you get any paperwork to back up the claim of a rebuilt head?

 

reply to the above.

Yes, I have a service order from BMW on the head work. It happened within 20 miles of the mileage of the car now.

All new chain tensioner, screw plugs, gaskets, oil change, 8 inlet rockers, new timing chain, 2 timing sprockets, guide rails, seals.

I pulled the valve cover and the head looks new. Everything looks perfect, but you can see a bit of glittter in the oil. More to come on that below.

It looks like the head is fine. New timing chain and supporting assembly is nice to know as well.

 

So this happened....

 

So, what glue do I use?

 

Seems like that always happens...

 

looks good to me! get some duct tape youll be good to go.


so I wonder what gave up first.... the rod, bearing, or piston =)


since you basically need a new shortblock, take a look into RMW 1.8 stroker, or even sneed's shortblock or wmw shortblock.


they usually have a few options to modify them a bit for a tad more power

 

I'm going to have to do this on the cheap this time around. Done right, but cheap.

I am set to move to ATL in September, and I'll be driving down. So my nice garage and work area are gone on Aug 31. I will finish her up at my folks place down the road, but I can't get on the road in October. Too much of a risk of trying to drive a Mini through the Canadian Rockies with snow.

So, I am on the hunt for a low mileage short block. The head looks great on the top side, so I'll yank it and make sure there is no bottom end damage on the underside. But, I will still send it in for a full inspection, flattened, new valve seals for good measure, and get all the metal dust in the oil washed out and inspect every surface.

New rebuild and gasket kit of course. New plugs, new spark plug wires, probably a new coil for the heck of it, and a new clutch and throw out bearing while I am in there. May go for a nice street clutch that is fun, BUT this will be a daily driver in ATL and it needs to be crappy traffic worthy.

 

If you look really closely, you can even see a small hole in #4 piston. It actually cracked all the way across. Brutal.

 

Ouch, we'll at least you got the car pretty cheap. Looks like a good opportunity to buy some upgrade parts for the rebuild.

 

^^ I agree. I still feel the car was a great deal as the rest of the car is in very very good condition. The only thing that needs done is have the hood repainted, or drop a CF one in.

Anyway, I am on the hunt for a short block or complete engine. A few options from the UK on ebay so far. Around $1k and 70k miles or under. I have not found a short block as of yet.

I'd rather just pay for a short block, but I guess there are some benefits from grabbing a whole long block used. Extra parts may be good if I find anything wrong with my head at all.

Alas, I am spending all next week on vacation, so I will try and force this to the back of my mind and enjoy myself. I'll be in the wilderness of Alaska, so I hope I don't spend all my time looking at parts on my iPad.

 

Well I took a week long vacation and got off the grid. No cell coverage, no 911, no data. It was actually rather refreshing. Mostly cause I would have spent the entire time looking up Mini parts and pictures.

I was able to get a few minutes of time in the garage last night and yank off the supercharger, alt, intake, fuel assembly, and such. All pretty nasty due to that hole in the block spewing oil for who knows how long.

I can't rip off the entire block like I want, or I wont be able to tow this thing over to my folks garage where I'll be doing the engine swap. (I'm out of my current place Aug 31).

I did find a complete engine I will most likely be ordering this weekend. Right around $1k with lower mileage. I did find a re manufactured w11b16 short block for around $1,500, but I'd like to get a whole engine just in case my head has any issues.

 

This is wise, I think. Though a used engine is an unknown, it is complete, has already worked together, and is more affordable. Unless your intentions are to add a new/rebuilt head, a new short block is superfluous.

 

I'll do a full inspection on the engine stand when I get it of course. Make sure there is no wear on the crank, bearings, etc. But, worse case scenario has of course crossed my mind in NOT going with a fully rebuilt short block from the get go.

BMW rebuilt the head on mine like 10 miles before the engine block blew up. So, the head has all new cogs, all new intake rockers, and looks brand new due to the prior owner actually keeping up on oil changes it seems. Although I find that the air filter was the most clogged I have EVER seen.

SHAME on BMW for not finding the cracked block while they rebuilt the head. How in the WORLD did they not see the huge oil mess on the under side of the engine, and charge the owner $2,500 to rebuild the head and leave a cracked block...

I'm going to yank the head off this week and inspect. Who knows if something got up into the combustion chamber and bounced around on the head.

 

Thanks for the update, please keep us posted!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Yeah, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

From his story, at the time of the head rebuild the block was fine, it ran after the head install. Sounds like a very unfortunate coincidence to me

 

The leak in the block had been there a long time.

The level of caked on oil and dirt that had built up over time and how far the oil had spread an d coated other components was extensive. Old and new oil on the front and bottom side of the oil pan should have directed any shop to what the issue was.

I would say this car drove at the minimum an entire winter and summer on our grimy roads, caking on the dirt and oil layers, before the block blew.

On a new note, my Bentley service manual has arrived. This is the smallest car I have ever had, and it has the largest service manual I have ever seen.

 

My dad's 03 Sebring has like a 4 book set for the shop manuals and they are all the same size as the one mini book