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My R53 was misfiring and had problem with cold start. Noticed its coolant level was going down as well with no visible leak.
Just to see if coolant getting into the cylinder, I pulled the spark plugs and noticed cyl#2 had a lot of coolant in them. Surprisingly no oil and coolant mix up though.
So, here I am. Pulled the head out and it looks like a classic head gasket failure to me.
I thought the head had crack too as it had an engine overheat incident when the water pump had a leak a year ago. The coolant disappearance increase was also gradual.
But, the head looks alright to me, no cracks as far as I can see. I am going to send the head to a machine shop to confirm.
What do you guys think ? Am I in the right track? Also, what do you recommend to clean the surface ? I have seen people using gasket scraper as well as some soft pad on a hand drill.
Thanks!
Seems like a classic head gasket failure to me. While oil in the coolant can be another symptom as well, it's not always a symptom.
While the shop has the head, it makes sense to have them mill it flat and check the valves for wear (especially the exhaust valves). You might want to also consider new valve stem seals and timing chain, but that's a judgement call based on how many miles are on the car and how long you intend to keep it.
For cleaning the surface of the block, I like to use those handles that hold a standard utility knife blade to use it like a scraper. You just have to be mindful not to gouge the block - not too much of an issue with cast iron. Don't let the appearance of the gasket surface fool you. You can remove all the old gasket material but it might still look "unclean" from discoloration. Run your fingers over it to see if it's smooth.
Seems like a classic head gasket failure to me. While oil in the coolant can be another symptom as well, it's not always a symptom.
While the shop has the head, it makes sense to have them mill it flat and check the valves for wear (especially the exhaust valves). You might want to also consider new valve stem seals and timing chain, but that's a judgement call based on how many miles are on the car and how long you intend to keep it.
For cleaning the surface of the block, I like to use those handles that hold a standard utility knife blade to use it like a scraper. You just have to be mindful not to gouge the block - not too much of an issue with cast iron. Don't let the appearance of the gasket surface fool you. You can remove all the old gasket material but it might still look "unclean" from discoloration. Run your fingers over it to see if it's smooth.
mrbean, Thank you for the reply!
I am probably going to get an exchange (for the Cyl head) if they have a spare available, otherwise will do as you said - machining plus checking/replacing the valve stem seals
May not be doing the chain at this point as I am not too comfortable doing the timing on the MINI, or any engine for that matter. I messed up on my E36 once, so bit scared of that :-)
Also, this is my weekend warrior, so I am not planning to put much miles on it
For the scraper., something like this Craftsman gasket scraper will do ? link below:
@mrbean is correct, under no circumstance do you want to re-install the Head without knowing for sure the deck is true. (Unless you don't mind doing the job again) our Heads are notorious for warping under overheat conditions.
Get it checked and tested for sure, that head is gonna thank you when you mash on it .
Last thing you want is to have the head done and then it never got pressure tested for leaks
FWIW, I've done a few of these refurbs at home on various motors. Get a set of feeler gauges and check flatness of both the block and head before investing any time in what you have. I don't recall exact specs for the R53, but usually on a 4 cylinder you're in the range of .002". What others have said is carefully prep the block with a razor and remove all gasket material. Do the same with head, but even more carefully. Very carefully attack any troublesome spots with emory cloth or very fine grit sandpaper and then clean with a solvent. I usually put a movie or music on, it's somewhat therapeutic and takes time if you're going slow. Flip the head over, fill the combustion chambers with washer fluid overnight to ensure valves are in usable condition.
I've used this method successfully from time to time. I was fortunate as I caught the failure early and never had an overheat or erosion issue.
Or send it off to the machine shop and do it 'by the book'. Depends on your budget and how much you want to learn and what your tolerance for pain is.
Thank you all for the comments! I appreciate it!
I bought a putty knife from Lowes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Warner-Pro-...ife/1000014300
Will do some careful cleaning of both the head and block surfaces and will post a picture
Seems like a classic head gasket failure to me. While oil in the coolant can be another symptom as well, it's not always a symptom.
While the shop has the head, it makes sense to have them mill it flat and check the valves for wear (especially the exhaust valves). You might want to also consider new valve stem seals and timing chain, but that's a judgement call based on how many miles are on the car and how long you intend to keep it.
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For cleaning the surface of the block, I like to use those handles that hold a standard utility knife blade to use it like a scraper. You just have to be mindful not to gouge the block - not too much of an issue with cast iron. Don't let the appearance of the gasket surface fool you. You can remove all the old gasket material but it might still look "unclean" from discoloration. Run your fingers over it to see if it's smooth.
Thanks for the info, I also want to know it.
Last edited by CamilaGallagher; Apr 22, 2024 at 03:12 AM.
Hi All, Here is a picture of the cylinder head after the cleaning.
I don't see any signs of crack. although there are some discoloration at certain areas, it's really smooth when I run my finger over it.
Any suggestions on more cleaning or anything else?
At this point, I am considering if I should do a valve stem seal replacement also ? Is that common that people do while doing the head gasket job?
Engine has around 150k miles. Thanks for any advice!
No, feedback on the head, but I'd definitely do timing chain and guides while you are this far in. Timing chain is foolproof on this engine. Line up the arrows and go.
Have you had the head checked for flatness and any cracks? A machine shop should be able to do that for you. It would be no fun to go through a job like this only to put it back together and find the head is not flat or there is a crack in it.
And yes, it would be prudent to replace valve guide seals during this job.
