Long story but my son ran his 2010 low on oil. I know he ran it with only a quart in it. I added 3 quarts to get on the dip stick. It was the oil pressure sending unit leaking. It still runs, but now smokes, and has P0300, P0301, P0303 and P0304. At idle it misses but other than that it runs fine. Where we live has testing and I know its not going to pass. He also needs a car to get to work.

The current motor (the smoker) already has 130 plus. I have my own machine shop so rebuilding a motor is not a stretch for me. His car has the Sport Button and I am finding all sorts of BS on that. So, it leaves me with some questions on getting a donor engine for rebuilding. The cost of a running junkyard engine is over $2000. I can pick one up at the local yard for under $200. A rebuild is about $500 and my son has a good motor for another 130 plus.

Questions:

1. Are all the non turbo/ non super charged engine blocks and heads the same with or without the sport button (2007 -2010) the same?

2. It looks like the sport button adjusts the exhaust cam, advance or retarded I am not sure. Is this right? Or is this on all engines?

3. Is there any years I should stay away from?

4. Is there a best 1.6 engine to rebuild?



Thanks, from an old big block guy. I know 455 olds inside and out but I don’t have the much history with these mini engines.

 

Wish I could answer your questions but where do you live? I’m gonna need need a block refresh soon myself.

 

1- 2007 to 2010 N12 engines are the same. 2010 to 2014 N16 are the same. You could cross use N12 and N16 with minor changes like the oil pump and oil filter housing.
2- almost %99 of 2nd gen minis have the sport button. It make the car more responsive to the gas peddle and tightens the steering wheel a bit.
3- Years, no. poor maintenance, yes.
4- not sure what you mean

 

STL area.
1. Ill stick with 07 to 10. Looking a motors, Mini has changed the layout of the valve cover a couple of times.
2. Thank You for the info about the sport button.
3. From what I've seen the cams see galling on the lobes.
4. For olds… head casting letters are important if a N12 is an N12 it makes it easy to find a donor.

I am headed to look at one of the local yards to see how much has been taken. I'll update this as I go.

Shopping now.

re

 

I got lucky. I hit the yard and found a N14 pulled sitting on the ground still together but the water pump and oil filter mount had been removed. I've pulled it apart and found the upper timing chain keeper missing and a lot of what was left of it in the pan. Most likely jumped time and wasn't willing to fix it. 07 Mini Cooper. Motor is full of carbon. I have not disassemble the head. The cylinders measure under 77mm and the rings are all loose. The bears are warn but nothing spun.

I am still pulling this motor apart and finding some fun things. The cams get advanced by using oil pressure past though electric solenoids.

I've been looking at kits and I have some questions.

N14 vs N14 s what is the difference between these engines? I can only find full rebuild kits for the N14S. Looking for sources too.
I really don't want to buy piece parts.

Thanks

 

Just to update. Pull the motor apart and outside the carbon build up inside the motor it all looks pretty good.

Before I continue to post is there an want of the group for me to explain this build? i.e step by step. I plan on doing all the work myself as a low budget build.

 

I am interested. I will be doing something this winter.

 

I'm basically doing all this now...didn't jump time but overheated. New CP pistons, ARP head studs, valve guides, stem seals, valve cover, thermostat, water pipe. Carbon is the least of my worries. To my knowledge, all N14 are the turbo Cooper S, the N12 are the base models.

 

I am building a N12.
Largest bore is 76.4 with very little bit of a ridge. I plan on just honing the cylinders and going back to stock pistons.
Two exhaust valves don't look right and one intake. ordering when I am done grinding valves.
I just finished doing a light porting and polish to the head last night. The intake and exhaust runners where really bad. The two half of the casting left flashings on the intake and exhaust. They clean up well with one inch flap wheel and a small porting sanding drum.
I plan on ordering STD Main bearing and using plastic-a-gage to see if that will work or if I have to get the crank turned.
I grind the valves tomorrow and lap them to the head. The seats look good. 3 angle valve jobs are great but doesn't last long from my experience.
Block deck and head are flat. I used a granite block, grade A, with a piece of 220 to clean them.
I am using information from:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r...als/11-engine/

Are you building a N12 or N14?
What cause the overheat?
Who did you get parts from?
Still looking for valve guide specifications. Or did you just put in new?

 

I'm building an N14. The previous owner advertised the car as having an oil leak...what I found was the plastic pipe between the thermostat and water pump had deteriorated. This is a common issue. I got most of my parts from FCP Euro. I like ECS tuning but they made me wait too long for an order that was 'in stock.' There was an exhaust valve seat out of place, I assume came out when overheated. I brought the head to a reputable machine shop, they said 10 guides were bad and 1 valve. They ordered those, I don't know from where. I brought them the stem seals.
ARP studs I found on ebay from a seller in California, nobody else had them in stock.

 

First time I did main bearings, I used the procedure in the Bentley manual. It says follow the crank and block "codes" to select bearings. Apparently there are slightly different thicknesses available. I've read where some guys just order one size and have had no problems, but I have little faith in suggestions from those that deviate from established procedures. Just something else for you to consider ---

One last thought --- cam caps are not interchangeable between heads. Cam journals are line-bored, making the caps part of the head. Also, observe the "placement by numbers" and ensure you don't reverse their orientation, the journal surface is not evenly spaced between the bolt holes. Really helps to take pics before tear-down.

Step-by-step details of your rebuild is overkill, but I'd like to see periodic updates. Details are helpful if you ever ask for help.

Have fun ---

 

I took pics of the cam caps on mine...some were upside down, is that normal? I ask because the Mini dealership had 'rebuilt' it for the previous owner.

 

Not normal.

Unless they put on wrong, line bored wrong and then put together that way with larger bearings???? But normally numbers are all on one side and match numbers on the head.

 

If the dealership "rebuilt" the engine, they may not have done anything to the head, and the previous owner is responsible for wrong installation of cam caps. When mine was last put together, I believe either #"0" or #"5" was "upside down", but I don't have pics to verify this claim and it was awhile ago. Maybe someone else can clarify orientation, or newTIS has a pic? Since it's not a consistent machining process, maybe your "upside down" caps are an acceptable fit, but I'd check them very closely. Can you post your cam cap pics?

 

Our N14 cams don't have bearings, they ride on bare oil coated aluminum journals.

 

I think there are plenty of folks here that would appreciate the effort you take to document what you do and share the experience. I'm in a similar situation with our 2010 Cooper S as it has low oil pressure and is now starting to smoke. As I weigh the options I'm leaning more and more towards doing a rebuild on the current motor as opposed to dropping 2k or more on a used one with no history or guarantee. At least this way you know what you have.

 

Here are my cam caps before. Looks like the exhaust side is upside down compared to the intake, but they are more uniform than I thought.

 

cap 9 and 6 are swapped!

 

MiniToBe is correct. Your exhaust cam caps are installed correctly. Note the cap numbers are installed to be read from the tranny end of the engine, and they are sequential from top to bottom. Intake should be the same, with #5 being "upside down". Also, note on the exhaust caps, the numbers are on the "outside" of the cap. Intake numbers should also be on the "outside" (as shown on #7 and 8), so don't just turn #'s 6 and 9 around, they are truly in the wrong location.

I suggest you inspect both cap and head journals for excessive wear, scoring, etc, focusing on #6 and 9.

 

Thanks guys, I'll check it out. Getting parts has dragged out the rebuild, both for me and the machine shop. I started reassembly yesterday but chipped a piston ring so I am delayed again until sometime next week.

 

Just a quick notes on the rebuild.
I did a simple port job on the head. Just to get the casting crap out and to slow the carbon build.
I order all new valves. I found two intakes valves that the dome what not centered (just odd) and an exhaust vale that when I check the runout on it was bad. Time I priced out the three, I could get all for 10 more dollars.
If you look at one of the photos you'll see a pair of hemostats. I wear size XXXL gloves and there tight. I couldn't pick up the keepers for the valves. When you put in the new valve using a "c" type valve tool with screws wrap something on the part that goes on the valve. It is just a good thing to do.
The n12 cams are loaded. This means when you reinstall the cam mini is uses a clamp to push the cam into the head. I used two large C clamps with cardboard on the surface.
I used the two wrenches, rod, and spacer to roll the springs over to remove the bolt photo below.
Cleaned everything.

You Tube

If you're going to do this watch this. Also be carful not to cross thread the bolt. When I did the torque I held the spring down.

Do not remove this bolt without a way to hold the spring!!!

Cam installing without the mini tool.






https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r...shaft/JkeeEEqo

 

This thread have a good information and videos of the valve tronic removal .

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...c-job-diy.html