couple weeks ago I had a Dreaded "Service Engine" warning I checked the water level and the tank was empty. I put 5 pints worth of water in the reservoir and started the engine. as the engine warmed up all the water blew out (DANG IT) and the remaining water was bubbling up like a pot on the stove at full boil.


I figured head gasket and have now gotten the head back from the machine shop. They reported no warpage and did not grind off any material. no cracks either. I have new engine driven water pump (old one looks fine) new thermostat and not sure if the old one is good or bad (it never opened
in boiling water).


So is it possible to blow a seal in the turbo and blow pressure back into the turbo water cooling lines? How would I test this?

 

A few months ago I open my hood just to check fluid levels and noticed my coolant reservoir looked like boiling water on a stove and steam turning into water dripping around the coolant reservoir, $42 for a new cap problem solved. No different than having a radiator cap not holding pressure like there supposed to leaking coolant everywhere.

Strange thing is I have the car for less than a week after having a new flywheel and clutch installed, makes me wonder if the dealer mistakenly put a defective cap on my coolant reservoir.

 

Hmm Well I am pretty much WAY past that. Maybe a cracked reservoir. Well I now have a clean head and will clean the pistons too.

 

Only way to clean the pistons is either BG 44K or head removal. When I first read your last sentence I took you at your word as far as having a clean head!

I could use some coffee about now.

 

Well Motor is nearly back together. Turbo went in yesterday so only little things left like valve cover and sensors.


Head cleaned up real nice, lapped valves while I had it all apart Pistons cleaned up OK. I don't think I will ever want to do this again. stay tuned in the classifieds for a really clean 07 Cooper S.

 

Oh you're not keeping it after all this work?

 

I feel it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Got spoiled with my E36 M3. just a totally different driving experience.

 

Now that explains it, that's a pretty big upgrade!

 

Got the motor started last night. Yea!!!! Just got to button up a few loose ends. My issue is where does this bracket go?


Pre CAT O2 sensor connector bracket I can't remember where it goes. Anyone got a pic?

 

This certainly sounds like a head gasket. Did you actually look at the head gasket once you got the cylinder head off? You should have been able to see where the combustion gasses were leaking through into a coolant passage.

Also, the thermostat is electronically controlled so putting it in a pot of water isn't going to do anything. This is a r56 mini right?

All this work and you've only fixed the symptom. You need to figure out why you were leaking out coolant in the first place. if you're replacing the water pump and thermostat there is two possible places for coolant to leak out. There are others though. Keep an eye on the coolant level when you get the car back together.

 

V10 thanks for coming to the party a bit late. Yea well original question has yet to be answered so THERE YA GO.


I am thinking that if you blow the oil seal in the turbo then you get blue smoke out the exhaust. If you blow the water seal in the turbo where will it go? Steam out the exhaust or excessive water drip. Once the seal completely goes then there might be a path back up the coolant supply. Just a guess.

 

No. A small amount of internet research would have told you such.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using NAMotoring

 

I know for sure what happens if your oil pressure seal starts leaking, right into the cat. I would assume the same thing would happen if your coolant started leaking from within the turbo housing. Do you have any pictures? That would help out a lot.

 

So pretty sure I found the source of the problem Cooling fan does not work. Spent all last night searching posts on how to TS and fix. So far fuses are good swapped relays and did a continuity test of the motor. and blades spin freely. Will chase power today. I put scanner into OBDII and monitored temps to 225+ and no fan. A/C on and no fan. Have I mentioned how much I hate this car?

 

Joekart there is a temperature sensor when it reaches a set temperature turns the cooling fan on, I believe it's mounted somewhere near the cooling fan. I heard of this failing sensor many times, for the first year of ownership my cooling fan never came on in hot weather and I didn't know anything was wrong until my thermostat housing started leaking, after it was replaced my cooling fan came on much more frequently especially at red lights even in semi warm (75F) weather.

 

Ok for today's update, Jumped 12V from a battery to the fan and it ran in both low and high speeds. Pulled low speed relay and measured 12V @ pin 30 so it should run. Nope A/C on and no fan. swapped high speed relay to low speed position Whala got low speed fan with A/c on. Temps with code reader steady @ 150 to 162 after revving and fully warmed up. Looks like bad relay.


Systematic troubleshooting works.

 

This wouldn't be the first time I heard of a bad relay, less frequent that replacing bad thermostat housings.

Glad you got it figured out.