TLDR: electrical short after spraying throttle cleaner, need suggestions

Hi everyone, I’m running into a short somewhere in my 2010 Clubman S and I could use some help finding where it could be. I’m getting desperate.

It all started when I got a code for P115C, Manufacturer control, which intermittently came on and off for about 3 weeks with no noticeable changes to the cars handling.

I decided to change the Mass Airflow Sensor, which had no effect.

I then sprayed throttle cleaner down the tube to the throttle body (without taking it out and scrubbing it)

It took about 10 attempts for the engine to finally turn over, likely due to some flooding from the cleaner, and when it started running the code was gone. Drove fine for about an hour, no codes came up.

Then the next time I started it, everything went wrong.

I got the following codes:

P0100 - Mass or Volume Air Flow A Circuit

P113B - Manufacturer Control

P2088 - A Camshaft Position Actuator Control Circuit Low Bank 1b

P0458 - Evaporative Emission System Purge Control Valve Circuit Low

Alongside all this I noticed that fuse F04 in the engine compartment continually blows when the car starts.

I suspect that there is an electrical short somewhere caused by either the throttle cleaner or by an unknown exposed wire touching ground, moved while doing the work.

So far, I’ve replaced the MAF, Throttle Body, and VVT Solenoid.

For $350, DMV didn’t bother to look for the short, just gave me the generic service manual suggestion of “replace all the wiring, and the DME, no big deal, $7000”

On top of that, my transmission is now having an issue where when I get into 4th gear the car will kick it down to first gear while still reading as 4th, but I think that’s just because I have a transmission leak and is probably not related to the electrical issue - or maybe it is, I’m not sure.

I’m really running out of ideas here.

Does anyone know what wires these instruments have in common, or what’s most likely causing the short? Any and all suggestions welcome.

 

I suspect they all have the supply from fuse f4 in common.

Grab a meter, and start checking the cam sensor, the MAF and the purge valve to see if they have power.
I'm still spanky new at MINI, so have no idea where y'all stash your wiring diagrams, but if you trace out f4, I bet that's your common fault.
https://workshop-manuals.com/mini/ has some screengrabs of TIS from when it wasn't pay-as-you-go.

Entirely based on E46 oxygen sensor wiring problems, I'd make sure that's not melted into the downpipe... that kills the E46 auto transmission, too,
as they share a supply. And BMW has proven they can't resist reusing bad ideas... (The MINI front subframe bears an uncanny resemblance to the E46xi...)

Not much help here, he says, encouragingly.

t