I could use some help hear, my 2009 Clubman is DOA with a blown engine. Problem is that it happened while getting repaired. Im in that phase of, who’s fault, if any, could it be? Any advise welcome.

My Clubman had an engine light come on with a stuttering engine, I immediate drove to an auto parts store for a diagnostic code, the reader said a P0301. I then took my car to the Mini dealer and they did a full check.

Here is what they found:

Per service record:
“spark plugs defective ran faults with charger applied and found misfire, superknock, and ignition circuit monitoring faults stored in DME -2d52 2781 273E2771 2dcd. Punched DW and performed misfire test plan. Inspected coils visually and found to be ok. Misfire counter showed misfires to be present. Removed all 4 spark plugs and found cyl 4 plug to be missing a part of the ceramic element. All the other plugs were covered in ash deposits. According to test plan, al plugs are faulty – D1210_0000000_03011. Spark plugs are being covered under parts warranty -RO 342093, 12/2/14 63697M. Returned all spark plus and cleared faults. Test drove and no faults returned.”

So, they quoted my a recommended carbon clean at $1,300 and a new thermostats and drive belt. I decided to take my car to a local shop that Ive used for years (they do a lot of BMW and exotics), and they confirmed, I need carbon cleaning and a new thermostat, and drive belt. Here where it gets crazy.

They did the belt change, thermostat, and carbon clean. For their carbon clean, they do both a walnut shell blasting, and some overnight treatment with a chemical. They told me the next day they took the car for a test drive and got a new engine error, they checked, and said that now I need a new engine. They said one of the cylinders injectors probably hyperlocked, and it burned/melted part of the cylinder. So I need a new engine. Problem being, a new engine or more expenses then the cars worth.

So, does this sound plausible? Could this engine , purely be chance, get ruined during a test drive from the shop? Can a walnut shell carbon cleaning be a cause of this? Did the dealer do something with the new spark plugs that caused this issue?

Any help appreciated, Im at a total loss at what do next, trying to figure out what really happened.

Im completely out of a 2009 Clubman with 74,000 miles. Not happy.

Thanks

 

If there was a valve open and the cylinder was filled with shells and then started....

So I would say yes, a shell cleaning gone wrong can do significant damage.

So, if you remove the head the the cylinder is filled with shells, that shop owes you a motor. Or at least that is what I would argue.

///Rich

 

I would make sure you stick a camera down the intake valves and look for walnut shells or the liquid cleaner the independent mentioned (not sure if you can look all the way into the cylinder that way), or be present when the head is removed. I'm guessing they messed up the intake valve cleaning.

 

If its the powder type , unless they turned the engine and the valve were not closed all the way. Its very fine stuff and a little soft. It could happen if its filled with shells in the cylinder from a bad blasting job.

 

It could be that whatever broke your spark plug is the problem. The dealer replaced the plugs but didn't fix the problem. The spark plug fragment could have caused piston or valve damage too.
If the injector is malfunctioning it could also be the cause. It can be tested to see if it is in spec.
Sorry for you luck, but it may not be either repair places' "fault".
How much driving did you do between the spark plug change and the carbon cleaning? There may not have been enough time for the code to come back or the problem to show itself.

 

Hmmm, the dealer did replace the spark plug (under warranty, since I had the dealer install new plugs a year ago or so), so maybe I have a warranty case there. I drove from the dealer home, about 2 miles, and then about 8 miles to the other repair shop. Driving slow of course, not noticing anything major happening.

Ill see about towing it for a third party review, thanks for your help.

 

At the third party, you can request a compression and leakdown test. That will tell you if you have piston or valve damage. A boroscope (camera inserted through spark plug hole) may show broken piston, bad valves, pitting or scoring.
Of course, that will cost $$$ and your engine will still be bad.
For my guess, I am thinking that your engine failed before you brought it to MINI. In hind sight the cleaning, Tstat and new plugs was a waste, but you couldn't have known.

Next time you have a shop "fix" something, give the car a good shakedown afterward to see if the problem is really fixed. In this case, I would have done some full throttle romps, in several situations to see if a code came back.

Even if the second place filled the piston with walnut shells, I doubt they will accept fault. Especially if there was a pre-existing broken valve, etc.

 

If a cylinder was full of walnut shells no way it would have started & been able to go a test drive.

 

Zards, did you get a resolution for this engine damage? I read above - you never drove the vehicle after the mechanic blasted the valves. He did. He then said that the engine was damaged.