I got a a P1497 cel the other day and can hear a distinctive vacuum leak but cannot tell where it is coming from. It sounds like its near the port on the passenger side of the valve cover. I also noticed lately that it is making a noise coming from that area like a turbo spooling down. I found a video on youtube that is making the exact same sound.

http://youtu.be/ArajakguJ2Y

I'm thinking this is a bad seal on the the valve cover? or maybe just a bad o-ring on the passenger side vacuum hose? Any other ideas?

 

it is the valve cover itself, its made of plastic. You can not fix it it needs to be replaced.

 

How hard is it to replace and where is the best place to get one? Also is there a better or updated version to look for? I found a new one online for $335.00.

 

I found one for 295. I checked the dealers. Yes it is a new version, the new one has a pressure release valve on the back to prevent getting vacuum leaks. They should have recalled them. Its super easy to replace it took me 20 minutes.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I found one through Pelican parts that looks to include new gaskets, oil filler cap, spark plug seals and mounting hardware for $305. I think i'll have to order it and install it soon. It looks straightforward for the swap. Thanks again for all the help.

 

Glad my video helped someone. We're waiting on Mini to see if they will goodwill the replacement since we're 200 miles out of warranty.

 

Yeah, I just replaced mine during my lunch hour. The dealership wanted something like 4 hours of labor to replace the cover and the cam sensor. I had exactly the same leaking sound as in the video too...sounded just like a turbo spooling down. I wish they had a recall on them, because the one I took off did not have the port on the back like the new one did.

 

I was able to replace mine in about 15 minutes. Reset the cel and everything is great. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

Oh perfect, I have been experiencing this problem for a few weeks now. The audible whine after engine shutoff was not evident until recently. Whew, I can pick up a new valve cover kit and be done with it this weekend. Thanks for posting that video!

 

I replaced the cylinder head cover this morning, cleared the CEL. All is well. Saved a good chunk of change doing the swap myself too!

 

Having issues with my 07 MCS, may be related to cylinder head cover also. Got a CEL a few weeks back, light came on, car still ran fine. Checked the code, it was P1497,(downstream throttle air leak) reset it drove around and a day or so later it came back in. Car still ran good. The other day, under medium throttle thru 1st and 2nd gear, the car cut off. Coasted to a parking lot. The car would start back up, but would not idle and had horrible throttle control. I could get it to run at around 3200 rpm without dying. Since only a few miles from home, I limped it home. Seems whatever my problem has been has staked it's claim now. Codes now are P1497 and P2178 (fuel trim limit exceeded). Has anyone seen the cracked cylinder cover get this drastic? Any other ideas?

 

HPFP ( High Pressure Fuel Pump )

 

For earlier issues check the vacuum block under the intake mani.

 

Can you get to this vacuum block from underneath the car? Can't see much of a way to get to it from the top without taking intake manifold off.

 

I had my laptop connected after it started running badly, was still seeing fuel pressure in the 820, (rough idle) to 2000, (3000 rpm) psi range. Never saw any fuel pressure related codes. I did see where Mini had extended the warranty for the HPFP.

 

it is under the intake manifold runners. Remove the airbox and it unclips from a rubber placement tab. I searched but couldnt find a pic.

 

I got the P1497 code starting about five days ago. Think it is the valve cover leak. I see there is a new one with a better PCV setup in it.

I have the 2008 Mini Cooper S R56 . . . At 60k miles, gonna try replacing the valve cover myself . . . If I fail, will take it to the dealership then.

Who can give me the replacement valve cover part number and point me for the best price to order it online?

Thanks!

 

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: LIncolnton, NC
Posts: 14

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I just had the timing chain, guides, tensioner, replaced on my 07 CooperS. Had 88,000 mi. I had been trying to find the cause of a fault code, P1497, (air leak downstream of throttle), since last November. Replaced the cylinder head cover, still fault came back within 60 mi. of driving. The car ran good, only had an occasional rattle on cold engine start. I kept hearing what to me sounded like an exhaust leak when under acceration. Never could find it. Then about a month ago. I accelerated pretty quickly, (never tached more than 5K), and when I slowed back to idle, I heard this slapping noise. Was not far from home, limped the car home. Took the cylinder head cover off and found quite a bit of slack in the timing chain between the top gears. Looked like it had slipped a tooth or two. Saw no other damage. Believe the noise I was hearing was the timing chain hitting the top chain guide when the slack took up. Towed my car to a local shop that works on Mini's. He kept it a week, did some research, He did tell me that the timing had slipped. Told me the best thing to do would be to replace, chain, guides, tensioner,(which is what I figured) and he did the bottom gear also. He replaced all of these items. I got the car back 2 weeks ago. Amazing how quite the car is now. Runs really good. What before I had heard as a possible exhaust leak when under acceleration is no longer there anymore. I been about 500 mi. since I've got the car back and no check engine light. Also my mech. did say that the timing chain off of my car was stretched some. So far, so good. This repair cost me $1300. The shop was still pretty pricey on labor, but so far I am pretty pleased with the work they did.

 

This is a copy of from a different thread back in April 2012. I had been chasing the P1497 code since Nov 2011. My timing chain had stretched and, now I believe the intake and exhaust valves not being at the proper placement was the cause of the P1497 code. I have put almost 5K miles on the car since the repair and it is running the best ever and no codes back. If you have had any of the rattle issues, it may be work your time to have the timing validated before you start making a cylinder head cover purchase. I don't know where you are at, but Mini of South Atlanta has their entire parts catalog online. The cylinder head cover is a "MINI" part, not available elsewhere. Part # 11127585907, $300.00 at Mini of South Atlanta. My sugestion would be to call your local mini dealer and just see what their price is. This part # comes with all the gaskets. I put a new one on mine, I figured I would throw $ 300 at it in hopes that it would resolve my issue. It did not. Sold my old one for $80. Look at my timing chain post and think about it. Does you car seem to not have the horsepower it once had. I didn't realize mine had lost it, until I got it back after having the timing chain replaced. My Cooper S has 92K on it and runs better than it ever has.

 

Hey guys, I'm new here. Hate to resurrect a dead thread but it's better than starting a new one. Just bought an 08 MCS with 40K miles. Haven't put 600 miles on the car yet but last night the CEL came on, parked it and turned it off and immediately noticed the exact same sound in the video posted above. This morning I took a spray bottle and squirted around the area I heard the air leaking but had no luck finding it.

My question is for those of you that have done the cover replacement for yourselves, did you actually find the crack in the valve cover before you replaced it and if so was it really noticeable??

I took the valve cover off, after finding this and other threads, and inspected it closely for a good 10 minutes trying to find a crack but I couldn't find anything. I'm usually not comfortable dropping that kind of money on a replacement part without evidence of failure. Is there another place i should check?

 

No, I never found a crack in the one I took off. Wound up selling the old for $60-80. My problems , I would relate back to timing chain and timing issues. 16,000 mi. after replacing the timing chain and tensioner, and all is still good. A friend of mine had said that MINI had sent out a notice about timing chain issues. Maybe even agreed to pay for repairs.

 

I don't think mine is timing related. The car runs fine until it heats up plus I had the cover off and the chain is tight and the tensioner looks clean and new relative to the surrounding engine area, so I'm assuming the previous owner had it replaced.

Anyway I tested where the air sound was coming from by stuffing towels onto different areas until the air sound was muffled. Turns out its coming from the top of the valve cover underneath the plastic trim cover with the MINI badge on it. Seems glued down so I couldn't test any further without breaking anything but I'm gonna go with that for now and order a new cover.

 

Just think of doing preventative maintenance because the PCV system is integrated into the valve cover and typically last 50-75k on average, had to replace mine at 50k.

 

Same exact problem and sound, I also had a high pitched squealing sound at idle, sounded like chipmunks in the engine bay (I thought this was a problem with the water pump. I just bought and installed a new valve cover today and the car runs great and all the symptoms disappeared.