Hey everyone,first post on here, wanted to reach out to everyone on NAM and see if you guys have ever experienced my problem.I've looked through the forums,have seen similar problems,but with everything replaced on my car,I've ran out of ideas. I have a 2008 mini cooper s, 70,000 miles, and a p0012 code. Here is some history...

I bought the car 3 months ago for 4,000 dollars,owner had an awesome maintenance history, showed that the chain assembly was replaced already because it was stretched,and the top chain rail broke,which we all know is a huge problem. Since I got the car for so cheap,I went and bought the timing kit. Chain,rails, tensioner bolt, valve cover gasket,everything for the swap. I was planning on having it done for a piece of mind since it was sounding bad on the right passenger side. Rattling on startup, etc. Then the p0012 code showed up. So I replaced my vanos solenoid before ever putting the new chain kit on, still had the p0012. Replaced the camshaft sensor,same code, had a shop do my chain assembly,gave me back all my old parts,same p0012.

Mini dealer was clueless, the 2 indy shops I took it to were clueless,finally I saw how a shop sent off the head of someone else's mini to have it resurfaced because of a head gasket failure,but when they put it all back together,they had a p0012 code. They never took the check valve out when they sent it off.They said they replaced the non return check valve on the back of the cylinder head. That check valve allows oil to flow to the vanos solenoid old to control timing.so I ordered the check valve for 22.90 off ecs tuning, took out my old one and it was completely clogged.I cleaned it while waiting for the new one and put it back in.of course same code,so I waited for my new valve.

When it came in,I installed it, cranked it up and it drove better,also all the abnormal engine noise went away. Throttle response was so much better as well. I felt like the vanos system was working correctly,and my light stayed off...until I cranked it back up on the way home. Of course I was pissed off,frustrated, have replaced everything I can think of. And before anyone says anything about my timing,the cam locking tool fits perfectly. I took the battery terminals off,and left it for hours. Cranked it up this morning with no light and went to work. I'm on lunch now,I feel that when I head home,it's going to come back on even though it's driving PERFECTLY and feels like a new engine. I'm hoping it just needed to be reset since the fix,and it will be good to go.

Any idea if this doesn't work,what could be my problem? If this doesn't work, the oil passages must be clogged somewhere in the cylinder head. Thank you for reading everyone. My local dealer didn't even have the non return check valve in stock,or know what it was.

 

Paragraphs, can't read as is and only the dedicated will try.

 

I've not timed a mini engine yet, but on my M62TU it took me two tries to get it right, the tension on the tensioner has to be just right

 

Is that better? I apologize, I'm so used to using reddit or other forums and have been out of school awhile I didn't realize how bad it looked once submitted. Whenever I leave work,I just hope it doesn't return with the code. It drove and sounds completely fine now.

 

I see what looks like the check valve on the left front head area beneath the exhaust side vanos solenoid. I do not see a check valve on the right front side of head. I see the intake side vanos solenoid and timing chain tensioner. Is that the only check valve? I have a p0012 and p0011 coming up. I saw a post on IATN about resetting the adaptive with a factory level scan tool.