I'm no gear head so had the MINI ('05 S) towed to the shop last Thursday. Code on service engine light told them it was a throttle actuator with eval leak. So they ordered the part and took an extra day getting it in. test drove and same limp mode going on, so now he thinks it's not that but harmonic balancer. I have no clue what either thing is. Am I now looking for another mechanic?? or WHAT are these things?? Nothing wrong with the first part they discover, so putting original back in and doing the other for about the same cost.

 

An harmonic balancer wouldn't throw a code, unless it grenades itself to pieces and create a sudden loss of power that the car can't somewhat handle. An harmonic balancer is also called a crank pulley. As implied in the name, it's the pulley that's bolted to the crank on the engine, you can see it from the engine bay, it's the biggest pulley down there.

Knowing the code it's throwing would be a plus for anyone here helping you. If your mechanic is changing parts and "hoping" to fix the issue, I think it would be wise to find someone more into Minis and euro cars. From what you're saying, it would be an evaporative system leak code, it's the system that recirculate fuel vapors into the engine so that they are burned rather than release in the atmosphere. Engine malfunction lights for this can come from a loose gas cap, defect in rubber hose/vacuum hoses, canister, valves, etc. There's quite a few components in the evaporative system and it can get costly pretty quick if you're throwing new parts in there without knowing the exact source of the problem.

In most recent cars, it can be diagnosed by running real-time tests with a proper scanner, smoke test or something as simple as looking at all components and make sure there's no holes in the hoses, lines, etc.

 

Thanks for the explanation Da Ghost! I will be speaking to the mechanic this morning. I'll ask the code number too and post it here.

 

I'm confused....
Not sure how a harmonic damper and an evap system leak are connected.....
100% get the code....
Hopefully it is a good shop...but might be a BS artist.

 

Can't tell about the mech. It's a German car specialist and had excellent reviews when I searched local shops on line. I've only been here 2 weeks! I miss my old mechanic!! Is there a difference from harmonic damper and harmonic balancer?

 

Should be the same...
It is an external part...
Easy to look at...even wiggle with a prybar to see if it is "loosing up" when on a lift or just looking at it from the passanger side wheel well with the tire removed and liner pulled aside....
A "German car" specialist does not mean much if he is familiar with Mercedes and VW's...might to more harm than good actually....
The girst gen mini is about 50% rover (English) and about 50% German BMW....so a BMW guy will still be learning lots, but the tools, parts lookup system and computers are BMW....
Communication is usually the latest issue with a shop...let's face it...most shops are not the best at communication..... And sometimes oversimplify explanations for ease of explaining stuff....

 

I'm all too familiar with communication breakdowns working in a state university system and yes, oversimplification can really screw up your day! His advertisement mentions BMW and MINI on his page. hmmmm.. I've now discovered 2 other reputable mechs nearer my new home. I'll go talk to them too.
I thought an 05 was second gen. I'm I wrong?
Thanks :>)

 

Gen1 has the "tritec" cast iron motor...supercharged...
2002-2006 hardtop r50/53 and 2005-2008 cabrio r52..
Gen2 has the "prince" French direct injected turbo....so the rest of the "r" models...
The newly rolled out "f" cars are gen3.

 

Got it! Thanks again. Sure like this place. I learn stuff all the time.

 

Well, just got the Blue Meanie back. It was the balancer (or pulley). The rubber part of it just shredded apart. No charge for the other parts as they just put the original good ones back on. No extra labor for their goof, and the evap. leak was just a bad gas cap!! All is well. I did forget to ask the code number, but since all was good, it slipped my mind.
Time for a drive! it's been sitting for 6 weeks while we moved! Yahoo!

 

Glad the problem was corrected. Seems like the mechanic is OK since he put the original suspect part back on at no extra charge. Many mechanics will replace a part that did not resolve the problem and argue that it was part of the problem and still charge the customer.