OK, so hit a pot hole yesterday morning, big one. Tore the air dam/spoiler off the bottom. No engine lights came on, so I put the damaged Tupperware in the back and took off. Fifteen minutes later the engine light comes on - yellow. OK to drive at reduced speed and use caution. At no time did the red come on. Engine slowly just started to decelerate from MPH. I took it off to the shoulder and the engine died. Started to smell, both coolant and oil, filled the passenger compartment. Would not start again. Towed it home and tried this morning, with no compression now. Bummer, anyone tell me where I can get a new engine without going to the dealer?
Bob

2008 Mini "S"

 

time to find out more. Hopefully someone in SoCal can suggest a shop to do an inspection that is knowledgeable and trustworthy.

I'm sure you thought what I am thinking - either that's one hell of a coincidence, or there's a cause and effect thing happening.

If that d*mned pot hole was the cause, "blown engine" might be an inaccurate description - unless the sump was damaged and the engine ran without oil.

What does the dipstick say? Any visible damage at the bottom of the engine?

 

I think what happened is that you damaged the radiator and then overheated the engine.

Why do you say you have no compression? just from the sound or did you test it?

You might be able to file a claim with your insurance company since it happened while you were driving. I'd call your agent and talk to them.....

Other than that, find a good independant shop and a used engine from a salvage yard.

 

Now that I have calmed down a bit, I did get a jack under it. Shows no direct damage under it. However, coolant is not to be seen even in the bottle. Might have fried the engine. But to go further, oil is all over the right inside fender and some coming out the hood line. Looking at it, there is no oil or coolant on the driveway. Oil does not show on the dip stick. No water in the recovery bottle. Did I mention that I smelled coolant when this all happened, but I got no indicator light as to any damage or high temps? I'll have to dig further from there but it is pouring rain right now. I know it had oil my last gas stop (last week) as I check it every other gas up.

 

I did try to turn it over real quick this mornng. Unless the starter gear broke, all it does is spin.

 

OK, did you call your insurance agent?

I think you overheated it and blew the head gasket, hence no compression.

The oil also could have come out of the head gasket too.....

 

Yes sir, just did it. He is to call me back tomorrow. Agent on the phone said to go get an estimate and then he would talk to me tomorrow about the claim. Just had it towed to the "dealer" for an estimate anyway.

You may just be right.
Thanks

 

many "premium" insurance companies will cover 'catastrophic failure' losses as part of an auto insurance policy. I wish I had known this when my 4Runner did exactly what your mini did and destroyed my credit. :(

Your other option is to find the owner of the pothole (cal-trans, or the city/county) and file the claim for damage through them. This will likely depend on the outcome of the estimate, but if you fill out the forms and send copies of the receipts they will (eventually) reimburse you for the damage.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/damageclaims.htm

 

I've never been successful getting any city, state or other local entity to pay for pothole related damage, but if your insurance company winds up paying a big claim, I'll bet they could get them to pay!

If you have another car, I'd go take some pics of the pothole real quick like, just for support of your claim.

 

Ok then, got the report from the dealer. Of course I will have to see this myself, but......blown radiator hose, intercooler, melted valve cover, engine history, price 8,000 for engine replacement, 2,200 for related parts outside the engine, including tuperware parts. Plus any other misc parts found or problem when gone into. WOW! One pot hole = 10,200 dollars so far. Alignment has not been checked and tire and wheel round has not been checked. If I have a bad wheel and tire, well I know the tire is about 400, up front you just can't get one, they have to match.

 

where was pothole at??
these potholes are really damaging the cars in LA.
my brand new car suffered from bent rim already twice in this month.
I thought I was the victim of the month but wow blown engine?!
The impact must of have rattled whole car.

 

It was on the 134 westbound between the 210 and the 2. in the slow lane. These cars are pretty low anyway, so when the wheel hit the frame hit as well. Yes, it rattled me as well. It was between 5:30 and 6am, was headed to the LA Marathon, so it was still dark and the freeway was wet from the light rain that had already started.

 

Wow and I thought the potholes in Richmond VA were bad....

 

What did your insurance guy say? Seems to me if it was big enough that you hit the frame, you should have a valid claim, no different that hitting a big rock or something else unavoidable.

 

Crazy!! There was a story on the news a few years ago of a guy who hit one on I-95S and it literally riped the rear axle off the truck...

 

Santa Barbara roads suck. 101 has so many pot holes, I have the whole town memorized even when I'm not paying attention I'm moving around the lane to
line up for the next clear spot. I'm glad I have strut plates.

 

Steve's Auto Clinic has a LOT of experience with blown r-56's . He is in North hills at 818 891 6109 .

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

So it's been 15 days sense I hit the pothole. The adjuster just yesterday spent 5 hours at the shop looking at it, asking questions, taking pictures, trying to get the shop to put in a USED engine. The guy there told the adjuster my client (me) would not accept a used engine and I will tell him everything you are telling me. So at the end of the day, I'm getting a new engine, inter cooler, radiator and misc parts like air dam and other Tupperware. At first they were going to total it, then the adjuster did a cost analysis between value of car and repair cost. The major number is half of blue book, which my mini was valued at 25000 cost of repair was just about half, well a little more than that. So it had to be bounced up to upper management, but in the end it came back to me as they will repair it. Now, they have to order the engine from Germany, said it could be anywhere from two weeks to two months. Oh boy.

 

Does your insurance cover a rental?? My insurance company covers up to $35 a day, which means I probably pay a buck a day out of pocket. It will not be a MINI, but it is something. Haha.

Glad everything worked out the way it did. The wait will suck, but having a new engine will be awesome!

 

rental - nope, don't know why I didn't get that or add it to my insurance. I did have another car at the time, so that was probably it. But now my extra is a motorcycle, but I'm going between the drops when it rains. I'm happy they are fixing it. Not so much with the time, but I'll live.

 

There have been a LOT of blown r56 engines?

In California?

Not covered under warranty?

What kind of "tuning" is being done to these cars?

 

So, if I hit a really huge pothole at interstate speeds and it destroys my engine, the insurance company might total it? Hmmm... I may have to quit dodging all those craters on I-81 from northeast TN thru VA.

 

It ain't that easy. YOu have to prove the blown engine was caused by the pot hole. In my case when I bottomed out, it knocked out the intercooler and radiator, causing the engine to fry, because no engine light came on to say it was overheating (idiot lights) it was all in the little black box.

 

I'm just messin' around. I really feel sorry for you & everyone on here who likes their MINIs having to go thru these kinds of things (blown engines, catching on fire in the parking lot, etc.). I hope you get the engine fixed right so you can enjoy it. I'm just bored with mine and wish it would go away.

 

My gawd! How can you become bored with a MINI!

Dave