im new to this mini world. so heres my story
i got an offer today for a 2006 mini S convertable with 82,XXX but the timeing belt went. , but my cousin told me hed sell me the car for 1,000$. so of course i told him i would think about it.

now i wouldnt call myself a mechanic but i know my way around an engine bay and i dont think a mini would be a very daunting engine to swap. ive owned 3 jeeps, that i had done all the work on. but never swapped a motor on my own. im also very good at learning things.

so heres my plan. buy the car for 1000$ and put a motor in it. simple right?
also my best friends mom works for BMW corporate. and has connections with mini whole sale. so i dont believe parts will be hard. its just that everything ive seen this can be a pricey swap. and i nessecariliy need another vehicle. i currently have a 1976 datsun 280z 2+2 and a 1995 jeep cherokee. but i could use a vehicle for going back and forth to school with.


so my point of all this. is this worth it? I NEED HELP! any help is appreciatied!!!

 

The R52 doesn't have a timing belt, but it does have a chain, and I've never heard of one breaking. The serpentine belt could have broke, which is an easy fix. Definitely easier than replacing an engine.

Nik

 

WOW Thats awesome news! i didnt try to start it. hes convinced the "belt" went. well with that bomb shell i dont know what is wrong with it then. i aactually didnt really get a good look at it. tommorow ill look better but im still on the fence is the car worth it? i could really use a newer car i can play with.

 

if the belt broke would it stop the car from running cause its supercahrged? i know that when they break on N/A or turbo cars the still run. they pump run good though. he said that it died down the street from his house.

 

It should run, but not well. The belt runs the supercharger (connected to the water pump), alternator, and AC. If it did break, you may need a new crank pulley (not a bad thing to replace anyway) and/ or a tensioner. But it is totally possible that all you need is to replace the belt. Definitely worth looking at a bit closer.

Nik

 

so is the blown timing chain outta the question at 82,000? that seems kinda low for something catastrophic like that to happen? my jeep has 203,XXX on the original timing parts. but for me the worst case scenario still isnt that bad. im willing to buy and install another motor.

im probably gonna go have it picked up tonight. and ill probably start tearing it apart. to get ot the bottom of this.

does 1000$ seem like a lot?

 

Timing chain failure means it was likly run VERY low on oil...or/and had the crap reved out of it....
The r53 (the one with a SC is NON-interference.....so the head might be OK...but if the motor was run low on oil....might not matter...
MINI's are rarely "cheap"..their parts value when taken apart is worth so much....wonder what else is broken...
IMOI buying a non-runner is big risk...best done ny a person who has time to work on it and the skills.....

 

Way Motor Works parts out minis. Contact him and he might have a motor laying around. At least he should be able to tell you what you should expect to pay for a used motor. Sounds like you need to start tearing it down to figure out exactly what went wrong. A serpentine belt and a timing chain are vastly different issues.

 

Figure out the real problem before you buy it.

 

Way sells them on his site.

http://www.waymotorworks.com/r53-coo...ck-engine.html

Tis is one of the options, he also has refurbished, and tuned.

I love 1st gen so to me -$10,000 with a brand new engine I would go for it, maybe you just need to replace the belt or supercharger. Way has both of those also.
I would get ahold of them they are very helpful.

If you replace the engine do you also get to reset the odometer? Or no because all of the other parts have had the miles.

 

UPDATE:

so its not locked up! i had a friend of my help me while in gear roll it back and forth and the harmonic balancer turns. so i think the motors fine. and now when the battery goes in the starter just clicks. so i tried the beat it with a hammer trick and theres no room to fart in this car... haha. so i think im gonna pull it out and bench test it. and if its shot im gonna go get a battery and a starter
so ya thats my story so far.

any input in appreciated haha