2012 Cooper S

Fixing some oil leaks and found these in the bottom of the oil pan... figured this would be a fun test for some of the experts out there

They look like they may have been in there for a while...

Hoping they might be related to some mild symptoms I've been having

 

Looks like a dislodged block plug for maybe the cooling system. What symptoms have you been having?

 

Looks like this one, maybe they fixed it before and that dropped to the bottom. Looks like it hit some things on the way down.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nt-mixing.html

 

THATS IT! I opened up the valve cover and there it was plain as day... JB welded closed. lol.

Symptoms (some I know are not related to this):
-rough idle on cold starts, sometimes stumbles and dies until it's warm.
-down on power
-surges a bit under full throttle and boost fluctuates (I've found at least one boost leak so probably not related)

I also after having the valve cover off once or the tensioner spring for the cam had slipped off and was rubbing between cam lobes.

This is a new-to-me vehicle and most of these symptoms have been steadily getting worse over the last 4 months. This is the first time I"ve had him apart to really have a look.

Thanks so much for the help! I'd have been searching forever.


This was the spring that had come out of the perch and you can see it seems to have been off for at least a while.

I grabbed it with a pair of channel locks and it seemed to go right back where it came from...

Looks like they must have pushed the old one through and decided to just JB weld it. Thanks again for the help

 

I wonder what path that plug took to reach the oil pan?

 

I think I saw this on an episode of the magic school bus actually...

 

Glad to help. Yes, i would make sure no other damage was done.

I will tell you the engine looks pretty clean for oil and sludge issues. The wear on those parts look minimal to affect anything. If it touched the lobs i would worry.

I would check the bottom end with the pan off. Just make sure nothing got damaged.

-rough idle on cold starts, sometimes stumbles and dies until it's warm. ( HPFP, injectors, plugs and coils.) plugs and coil are where i would start.
-down on power ( plugs and coils )
-surges a bit under full throttle and boost fluctuates (I've found at least one boost leak so probably not related) boost leak. something in the air system is not tight, might need to smoke test or pressure test the system section by section.