Hello.

I need to figure this out tomorrow or I'm kinda screwed. Driving from NC to NYC in a sick feeling MINI doesn't seem like a good idea.

1: Car was devouring oil, or underfilled when I bought it. Added 2.3 quarts of oil. Noticed there was a hissing vacuum leak around the valve cover and assumed the leak was around the valve cover gasket hence the loss of oil.

2: Replaced the valve gasket tonight. The old one wasn't terrible but probably needed to go because the edges were leaking a little oil.

3: Hissing vacuum leak didn't go away. Idle remained unstable.

4: I put my hand over the PVC hose to plug it and the hissing stops and the idle go back to normal. Obviously the hose is OK.

5: My guess the problem is in the valve cover, or the area of the valve cover where the PVC connects.

QUESTION: Any ideas where I should go next? Can I just plug the both holes? Do I NEED the PCV? Is the car ok to drive 8/8 hours with a PCV leak?


Thanks guys! Let me know your thoughts!

 

It would help if we knew more about the engine. Some have 2 PCV hoses --- if you have 2, which one did you plug?

Are there any mods?

 

2007 Cooper S, manual. No mods. I plugged (with my finger) the rear left hose, if your standing facing the front of the car.

 

Did you replace the whole cover? I'm not too familiar with the N14s.

 

No, not the cover, just the gasket. The cover appeared OK. Obviously not though around the PCV.

 

At idle, it's the rear vent that's active. Most Oil Catch Can installations plug both ends of this vent without any problems. I don't recommend this process, but it might get you to NYC and a Mini dealer / mechanic.

My '07 MCS is highly mod'd and I burned a lot of oil plugging the rear vent --- excessive crankcase pressure caused oil to get into the turbo air inlet. Long story, described in my thread "How to screw up an OCC install". Here's the link --- https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...c-install.html It's kinda wordy, but maybe you'll learn something useful.

Good luck with it, and let us know what you find.

 

http://www.etuners.gr/en/index.php?s=12&t=299

Have you seen this mod?

Where can you get those plugs? MINI?

I'm reading the writeup now. Thanks!

 

you can buy caps from mini that will plug both ends of that pcv line. really the only one that has to be plugged is the inlet into the intake manifold under the air filter housing. that's where the vacume is coming from. you can just cap that one and then run a hose under your car from the valve cover and your car will be fine, granted it's not emissions friendly so you might put a catch can on eventually.

 

Hmm...I have the same issue sort of. I'm gonna do mine this weekend. But I got the same hissing noise but no oil leaks or anything else. I'm gonna replace the VC, and I Know my issue is quite different. Pull your oil cap off slightly and you'll have your answer if its the valve cover or not.

 

Good thinking, I'll try that.

 

I'll give MINI a ring tomorrow, hopefully they have on in stock.

 

Read it. It seems like you plugged the rear PCV inlet, the one that connects to the VC? And then the car burned oil and also leaked into the turbo?

It's odd if that's the case, because it seems MINI/Peugot is suggesting this here:

http://www.etuners.gr/en/index.php?s=12&t=299

 

Yes, this cap works for many cars and systems. As I mentioned, I'm highly mod'd, with a big turbo and well over 22PSI boost. My PCV is probably easily stressed out. Audi also uses this vent cap. They sell for about $10.

My oil consumption was from excessive crankcase pressure that prevented oil from draining through the turbo oil return line into the crankcase --- it's a gravity feed process and when crankcase pressure is high, oil seeps thru the turbo oil seals into the turbo air inlet chamber. From there, it goes thru the FMIC, all the plumbing, and directly to the intake manifold with all the normal air.

If you can get to your turbo air inlet hose, disconnect it from the turbo and check it for oil. It's supposed to be dry - no oil! This might be the source of your oil burning, not from the PCV.

 

I called Audi, he didn't seem to know. He gave me this part number: 032121142, but it doesn't seem like the one.

Any idea what the part number is or the actual name of the part?

 

People are using one of the plug caps from the MINI newer N18 engine.



#12 in the diagram.

MINI Blind plug Part Number 11617596034


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11617596034/ES2101889/




Link to thread :

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-delete-7.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-delete-8.html


And the Audi part # 036131510 Vent Cap


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/036131510/




Guy were using the Audi part until they figured out the MINI part number.

Thanks

 

Someone had suggested earlier that using the blind plugs may not be emissions friendly, such as in California. Anyone experience failed emissions test due to using the blind plugs?