Yup my blower locked up last week on new years drivin home the car went into limp mode and wouldnt let me rev past 2k and go past 20mph which im glad so nothin else would get damaged go to my house and turned the car off and waited till the morning so i could see what was happenin. The next day I started it and saw the s/c not spining and thats something that should be moving any time the car is on. It sux because my car is out of warranty its an 05 S with only 57k on the clock im the orginal owner and maintain my car with oil changes replacment of the oil pan, and valve cover gaskets, rear shock bushings, i have done all of this myself in the last year im a recent grad of Wyotech out in Sacramento and i have skills to do it and a shop at a friends house so ill be able to do it there ill keep yall updated with lots of pics

 

Your drive home must have been short. When the SC stops turning, the water pump stops also, hope you didn't overheat anything. I'm surprised your didn't burn through your serp belt.

Please show us pics when you get it off and apart. As soon as you get into service mode, take a pic of the SC on the block but show the under side where any leaks would be evident. then drain each end and measure how much lube came out, if any and let us know.

thanks

YD

 

check your harmonic ballancer, its probably separated.

 

If the belt is not moving and it's still intact, it is the crankshaft vibration damper pulley that has failed.

 

There is no 'limp mode' with a seized s/c. When mine seized, motor stopped. Complete stop. Call-the-tow-truck stop.

 

its the same thing potato, po ta to

 

I never lost one....but I believe this to be very true. If it did seize up, the water pump stops.... period.....the engine starts to overheat, the idiot light then comes on....the head gasket then blows, the head cracks and warps...the block cracks and the motor seizes.....and the car stops. Unless you stop it faster!! I just wanted to be to make a point. No limp mode here..........
I would get it looked at...sounds like a different issues....maybe a slipping reduction pulley??? Has happened to many people. Possible a slipping Harmonic damper......lots are starting to fail......
If it does turn out your SC is shot, a rebuilt unit is 800 or so, plus 200 for the core...your is not returnable/rebuildable by the sound of it if it is the SC. Plan on 8-9 hours or so of labor. I'd do a water pump at the same time.

 

Definetly check that crank pulley. I've replaced several in the last few months. We've been using the ATI Superdampers to replace them.

 

yea there is a limp mode in most cars made now in the mini the ecu which controls the throttle, brakes, and other systems in the mini will not work properly. since my blower locked it threw a code for mainifold presure below threshhold which made the car go into limp mode which the ecu will not let the car rev past 2k and not let u go faster then 20 i ran the codes my self i found out that the blower is covered under warranty and a mini dealer is gonna fix my car for FREE my car is modded but it locking up is was nothing to do with the tune, intake exhaust or suspension mods that are on my car I am recent graduate of Wyotech and im a trained technician so thanks for ur input keep u updated with why i seized up

 

yea its the supercharger threw a code form mainfold pressure

 

yea i only drove for like 3 blocks so it really wasnt on long enough Im Wyotech graduate so i hear where u comming from the dealer is right behind my appartment so i dont have a long push

 

I don't mean to be a schmart *** here but since you are making the point that you are a Wyotech Grad, and certain that you have a seized SC, why don't you just replace it yourself?

YD

 

Many cars have "limp-mode"....the auto cooper S has it for transmission issues (I think...or is just the CVT? )....the EP...but the Cooper S....when there is no water pump running due to a seized supercharger....everything stops.....the ENTIRE ACCESSORY belt STOPS....and BURNS its way through it as the crank pulley keeps turning it....and the supercharger is stopped...when it breaks.....then the tensioner springs back, and nicks a bunch of crap costing you $$$....Mr Wyo-tech....
This car does not have the ability to turn off alternate cylinders to allow it to drive after a water-pump failure..(many cars of the same years do...MINI's do NOT)....I am impressed, you are a budding young mechanic on his road to greatness (I am really happy to see you are getting an education and expanding your skills, sounds like it was fun, and we need more competent mechanics with a good education!)....just remember that you know nothing till you have working on a particular make/model, and as you will so learn, they vary a lot, and real-world wrenching trumps class-time 2-1, maybe 10-1. But we all have to start somewhere and get our foot in a door somewhere for a job......Welcome to NAM !! We all really do have fun....don't take any ribbing you get too seriously....a lot of it is to help future readers of these threads!! And just remember....in any career thinking that you know everything is the quickest way to get humbled and into a lot of trouble!!
PS..be sure to post the dealers findings.....might help future users someday!!

Also see post:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ercharger.html

 

Per CA law, the Supercharger is part of the smog system, and is covered by a 75,000 warranty. Look at that first.

 

Good point, I do believe Mini catagorizes it as part of the Exhaust System too.

Anyone in CA have ever gone this route ?

 

beacuse im broke and the s/c is covered under warranty till 70k so there soing it for FREE like I said earlier other wise i was gonna have to do that it would prbably take a weekend since i aint done it before

 

Thanks I will I was gonna make a step by step guide untill i found out it was covered under warranty yea the schooling helped alot to give a good foundation on the complexities of cars made now but like you said its nothing like being in the field

 

Free is always better!! Especially when someone else will get their hands dirty and pay for it.....makes it easier to sit back, and have a cold one.
Besides...free leaves more money for upgrades!!
Also if you get a new supercharger out of it...you come out ahead....its expected lifespan is about 110,000 miles.....money saved for the long-term too!! Consider yourself luck for ONCE living in CA...other than that IMO it is a curse (at least these lately)!!

 

Yea know what you mean I moved out here from the Fort Worth area of TeXas to Sacramento back in 08 about to have to move back in with the parents if I cant Find a job

 

My supercharger is now in need of replacement and frankly I'm a little ticked off. From reading on NAM, this is a fairly frequent problem and seems like MINI should issue a recall.

Thoughts?

 

Superchargers are wear items....they die from both use and disuse...IMO you need to budget to do a rebuild/waterpump every 6-8 years due to oil leaking out and drying, or 110,000 miles or so, just like a timeing belt/waterpump on a Honda or toyota. It does suck to know there is a rather expensive system that will need some rather expensive matainance, but it goes with the terriority of a high performance car, just like a turbo overhaul on a turbo car....but we get of cheap compared to them!!

 

Lucky you that your Mini was an original CA registered vehicle. 70k warranty on the S/C... yoohoo!!!

Curious, did the S/C make any kind of noise (rattling, grinding) prior to failing?