Hey folks, I have a 2008 HB base Cooper, N12 Auto with 120K miles. No significant work on the car to date, but it has the rattle now and smokes if left idling for a while. It has been having the predictable drivability issues for a long time. Cleaning the Vanos solenoid also had little effect.
Anyway, next week is spring break and I have parts on the way to replace the timing chain,rails,tensioner, water pump, valve seals, valve cover gasket.
I'm a mechanic though I don't do that for a living anymore. I have skills and tools; I don't have specific *MINI* knowledge as to particular pitfalls or specialty parts I need to make sure to have on hand. I have a .pdf of the manual. My real Mini wrenching was as pit crew on a Classic Austin "S" racer in the '70s... But that was in another dimension.
I have searched and read here but the vast majority of related threads are specific to the S models.
What I need to know:
1.) is there a specific spring compressor that would work well for servicing the stem seals? (I'm using compressed air, not pulling the head)
2.) I bought the cam locking tools (Amazon ) and a water pump and belt as preemptive measures; the timing kit from Pelican does not have the few bolts in it that the ECS kit does... Do I actually *need* those bolts? Do I need some other part that is a must-do while I'm in there?
3.) I can change the solenoids anytime so I'll wait on them, for now.
4.) what is the thinking behind replacing the solenoids rather than cleaning them? They seem simple in function, what am I missing about them?
5.) please share any tips on the job.
Thanks!

 

2. Yes , we have the bolts as these are not reusable.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/ES2723124__ES2762414/

3. You can clean it but the big change was they went from no screen to screen version. So people get the screen version. Older ones have no screen on the head.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...h-my-mini.html

 

Please indulge my curiosity.. Are the bolts "not reusable" due to a factory recommendation, OR, are the bolts in some way physically damaged/altered that makes them unable to go back into place?
Are they altered (destroyed?) instantly by initial installation or by mileage?


Is there any difference , functionally, between the old and new *other than* the extra screens? Yes, having extra screens is desirable, but the lack of them doesn't prevent VANOS operation. While it's clearly a prevention measure and a good move, is it mandatory?
What I'm trying to understand mechanically, is if you have a VANOS solenoid that operates electrically (plunger travels to/fro fully) and it is now completely clean, is it STILL a suspect in driveability issues? If yes, please tell me in what way it is not operating? What is the failure mode that is not not visible?

 

They are torqued to so many ftlbs on the cam bolts, you don't want those to back out.

Its an updated version,. Has the screen to its will have a less chance of cloggs, and it can then be cleaned down the road. Use a OEM oil filter or Mahle / Mann as they tend to lint less and less chance of a clog some aftermarkets that other places sell lint like crazy. When it fails , it does not works, or you will get a CEL for the Vanos.

 

For the bolts, next time please do not hesitate to reach out to me and I will gladly put everything you'll need for the job together. If you want, I can get you what you need, just shoot me a PM.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg1.htm#item2

For the solenoid, if you haven't referred to our tech article yet, the red arrow shows a partially restricted solenoid and the green arrow shows a fully restricted solenoid. Cleaning them is a good idea as they become restricted over time on high mileage engines. If you have issues with them and cleaning does not solve this issue, replacing them is a good course of action. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

My Vanos looked like the red arrow above. Cleaned thoroughly, it made only a small difference in operation. In the next week I will be doing this timing chain job, clearing codes, etc.
These two nagging questions remain unsatisfied. Is the bolt replacement legit, or just insurance? Has anyone had them actually fail due to reuse? If the reason is "they have been torqued", then we need to replace every bolt on the car...they are ALL torqued. If their having been torqued means that they can't ever be re-torqued, well, that just defies logic... but I'm certainly willing to be educated. Someone help me understand.
There are many examples where the 'recommendation' is replace every time, but virtually no-one every does, to no ill effect.
Small Block Chevy rocker nuts come to mind. Pretty much NObody bought new nuts every time they adjusted the valves, but it was "recommended" in the books. Granted, the cost of one of them loosening was nil compared to possibly trashing an N12. Yes, I'm ordering the bolts anyway due to the cost/risk factor... but I remain less than convinced.

I'd still like to know if there is a "hidden" reason (other than "but, the new ones have these cool screens") to replace the Vanos solenoids that are perfectly clean and operating electrically? Is there some function or failure of the device that can't be measured or tested? An additional three hundred bucks is not something I can spend without justification.

 

PM sent

 

Yea, we have all the hardware in our kits. Some places don't, so you have to keep an eye out for that. Its a risk not worth taken on the those bolts, also they are torque to yield like head bolts.

On the screen, it an updated design. To prevent less clogging, and its can be cleaned that way, watch those other aftermarket filters as they lint more and tend to clog the screen faster. When it fails , its a code. When it clogs it can be a code also.

 

PM replied.

 

To answer the question at hand, the black nitride cam bolts and crank bolt are all single use torque to yield bolts, same as head bolts. They are also referred to as "stretch bolts" as they "stretch" to torque.

REPLACE THEM. They don't hold proper torque once torqued, and since the only thing that holds the cam gears in place is torque/friction I would highly recommend you spend the $6 on new bolts instead of a $3000 head job.

The chain guide bearing bolts aren't as big of a deal, but if you want the car to live on to see another day, replace the TTY bolts.


As for the VANOS solenoids, it's a 50/50 chance on cleaning them. I've cleaned them only to replace them a month later, there is buildup and sludge that you can't clean out of them internally. Until they give you a problem, I'd save the $145 per solenoid.

Do you have a machine shop who can lap the valves and deck the head? I wouldn't recommend just taking the head apart and putting it back on, if you're going that far I would have it gone through to make sure it's not coming back off in a couple of years for something that was missed previously.

 

Thanks for taking a shot at answering these. I can understand the TTY bolts (though I wasn't sure which applications had them) but I surely don't understand the changing of the rail bolts other than "oh, might as well"

It has now become a moot point, however, as I went ahead and ordered the 'missing' bolts from Pelican just minutes ago.
This is the one I'm having trouble with because there doesn't appear to be secret internal area where sludge can be hiding... but I don't disbelieve you. In fact, I'm glad to hear a testimonial that there was a real operational difference between "cleaned" ones and New ones.
I do have a local machine shop but I do not intend to pull the head. I am planning to pull the cams and remove springs one cylinder at a time using the air pressure method to replace the stem seals. That was the reason I asked for spring compressor suggestions, specifically for in-car use.

 

I've done the compressed air method on some older vehicles I've owned, as well as one customers car with a gen 1 car for a guy who had a valve spring break. It's not a bad way of making the job quicker, but a lot of the cars we're pulling heads on have needed the valves lapped, not terrible but worth warranting once the head was already off.

 

Update on this project:
Summary: Completed, took longer than expected, became more involved. I learned some new things. I received some helpful input here, I discovered surprising things that no one mentioned.
The car is back in service, no longer smokes, I am still chasing some driveability issues and will need to do more.

The nitty-gritty:

The tools that I purchased:

OTC 4573 spring compressor.

FAIL A good tool for most engines but virtually useless on these tiny ones. I extensively modified it and it was then usable but still not on EVERY valve spring; the first intake and exhaust valves on the front (timing chain end) of the engine are so crowded by the structure of the head casting that despite massive changes to the OTC tool, there is simply no way that a 'finger type' compressor that relies on reaching over the spring to grip and lifting by grabbing the individual coils can possibly work on these two valves. If someone used this tool (even with mods) to pull the valve springs on an N12, they missed two. The N14, while the same basic engine, has a single VANOS sprocket and *most* importantly, NO Valvetronic system, so the cylinder head is vastly different, especially with regard to crowding.
I ended up making my own tools, creating a mount that would bolt on to the head and utilize only the pressure screw from the OTC along with retainer-press fixtures I made.
I had to build a different tool mount for intake and exhaust. Since I had to make these mounts specifically for the first intake valve and the first exhaust valve, I went ahead and built them to work with all the valves and I didn't use the "fingers" at all. This is one of those things that makes you ponder buying the actual MINI tool, but in the end, I traded my time for saving the cost of their pricey tools.

EWKTool Cam lock set WIN


I got this on Amazon after reading the reviews on many kits. Everything fit on the cams, the tensioning tool fit easily. Only issue was with the flywheel lock pin which had its handle attached at an odd angle that prevented install.


The fix of the flaw was stupid-simple; I tried to bend the wire handle and the brazing broke free allowing me to simply pull the handle from its mounting hole in the pin. I trimmed an 1/8" off and stuck it back in, problem solved.


For 89 dollars, this cam locking set was a bargain and everything else worked without issue. The locks pieces are substantial, not flimsy. Some reviews mentioned the need to grind something slightly for turbo clearance... not an N12 issue of course.

Performance Tool W80577

WIN compression tester adapter set includes the needed 12mm piece. Four adapters, all brass construction, will be used for this and other projects. Good stuff for 14 bucks.

VeePeak WiFi OBD II adapter
WIN Handy little widget, works with iPhone; posted more here.

Factory Manual...
FAIL actually a pdf scan of the factory manual I bought from eBay and I will tell anyone considering it, don't waste even 15 bucks on it. Without even addressing the sleazy aftertaste of copyright infringement, the book just inherently sucks. The scan quality isn't even the issue; the factory manual is badly-translated from Deutsch using randomly selected English verbs. They're all the same, right? The book is just brutally difficult to understand and the order of operations is completely nonsensical. I haven't seen the much-ballyhooed Bentley book, but I can guarantee you that it is worlds better than this.

The parts: I ordered a TC kit from Pelican. It is the basic stuff, no bolts.

As noted in the thread above, I separately ordered the bolts from Pelican. I would likely have done just as well to have ordered the 'full' kit from ECS to start.
But, then again, maybe not because of the 'extra' pieces(?) I also ordered the water pump, some filters and gaskets. If doing this again, I can see NO reason to replace the tensioner rail mounting bolts OR the crank sprocket. That's nearly $50 that was totally wasted IMHO. The putative one-use bolts for the cams and crank? OK, I'll grudgingly accept that. The rail bolts and sprocket, though? Nearly Fifty bux wasted. Learning as I go.

Tools that I made:
Valvetronic spring tool


Modified OTC tool







Intake spring compressor fixture


Exhaust spring compressor fixture


Crank holding tool (not finished)



What I did, what I learned...
The car has good compression, high mileage, CELs, driveabilty issues, VANOS related codes, surging, smoking, bad throttle lag, ticking/rattling/shaking. I went in to this primarily to address the smoking by changing valve stem seals, many of the other issues with a new timing chain kit. While in there, I would replace the water pump and serpentine belt, though the car had NO cooling system leaks or issues save for being slow to warm up. I also replaced the *original* spark plugs. I thoroughly cleaned and tested the VANOS solenoids. Though i did witness a "fail" as one of then would operate but didn't consistently travel the same distance every time. I just can't afford them just now. The car has had DexCool in it for a while; I will replace with Zerex G5 due to threads on this forum.

I purchased (above) a few tools that I thought would be needed. I planned to make any other tools required.

The first lesson was that I should have bought the Bentley book. I haven't seen the Bentley so I can't be sure but the Chilton's my daughter had and factory pdf I had were each sadly lacking in different ways.
Everybody told me this.

What no-one told me that would have been helpful:
1. You'll need a full set of External Torx tools.
2. and a T-30 "ell" type wrench to remove the intake cam (I pulled the entire Valvetronic system and intake cam all as one because I didn't have this odd wrench
3. The Valvetronic system is on the N12 engine and adds a "3rd cam" and much complication.
4. The Valvetronic system has its own special tool roster
5. The valvetronic springs are mighty *****
6. the Beru spark plugs require an unusual 14mm 12-point deep socket.
7. the Denso replacement plugs require a 5/8" 6-point deep socket that must be uber-thin-walled.
8. attempting *ANY* repair under the hood of the car would lead to total cooling system destruction. "just because"
9. The crankcase (PVC) hose would crumble when disconnected from the valve cover.
10. My big hands are not usable in these confines.

A warning for anyone attempting this: the Valvetronic system springs are very stout. They can hurt you. The Valvetronic system adds "intermediate levers" to the intake rocker arms; they are not attached to anything once the Valvetronic 'cam' is removed and they are individually 'gauged' meaning they have different values, like shims. they MUST be kept and reinstalled in their original positions mated to their original rockers and Valvetronic system cam position. I used a large block of wood and a drill to make 24 holes to store all the things, in order.

To deal with the Valvetronic system springs ($300 tool) I devised a simplistic lever to allow loading/unloading them. Even though the lever is two feet long(!) it was still very difficult. These springs are stout, I'm telling you. The factory tool would be much safer.
I pulled the front motor mount to access the friction wheel/water pump/TC rail mount bolts and raised/lowered the engine to access some of the bolts.
Among the most difficult for me were the friction wheel bolts. No amount of engine jockeying would allow socket use. This was where having big hands really caused some issues. I changed the water pump (plastic) replacing with metal. I examined the pipe... looked great, no leak history. I was frankly amazed by the design of the crank and its removable 'snout'. This was a big time saver allowing the front timing chain cover to remain in place. This part of the job had me applauding the engineers.
My warm-fuzzies for Engineering were short lived. Now, to tackle the valve seals. The spring compressor I had was not designed for this engine or these tiny valves and retainers. I tried reshaping the compressor's retainer clamp but it proved too wide. I removed the clamp piece and added a retainer clamp that I built from pipe.

This seemed to work OK on the first one I tried but looking at the rest of them it became clear that the first intake and exhaust valves would need something more specialized as the finger type compressor couldn't be installed on these two valve springs. Simply no room. I needed a way to press the springs from above and forget grabbing the coils as there was no room. I set about building a couple of fixtures to hold the central screw that I took out of the OTC tool. The process of trial and error cost me a LOT of time, but it did the job and saved me money. I actually posted a couple of excruciatingly boring videos (1,2)on Vimeo. I used an adapter to charge the cylinder with air, holding the valves closed during the process.
Once the springs were off, the seal replacement and spring re-installs were simple. Don't forget to move the air hose to the next cylinder!
The rest of the reassembly was straightforward. I got it back together, filled with Zerex G5.
A quick test ride (too quick) and parked it.
Next day my daughter heads off to class with it, makes about 5 miles before she's beset by lights and steam and she calls me from a service station, it's overheating.
I will address this next issue in another thread.

 

Wow, lots of info and you have things covered , yes the Bentley is great. I also have a link to some other TIS info that may help you in the future, PM me.

If you need anything else let me know.

 

Thanks. I have added pics and some more info to the post.

 

Awesome, i like the machined parts , nice work.

 

Hi
resurrecting this thread, since I looking to this job
thank you for your post. it was very instructive. after reading your post and search a little and found some of the require tools and tricks .

here some links:
remove valvetronic without special tools

here a demo of the special tool

here where you can buy it
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32842716523.html
here
how to used.
and this is similar to your built


and here is very nice trick to remove and install the valve spring keepers.


here a cool tool for compress the springs
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3282...9c2ea934957b73

Here the video how to use the valve spring compressor tool, minute 3:48

 

there are two new links, the valve spring compressor tool , and video how to used.

 

other method to install the intermediate springs without special tools.