About a month and half ago I had to take my 2011 r56s n18 with jcw tuning kit to the shop for a misfire on cylinder 4 turns out it's got almost no compression caused by scoring on the sidewall. Dealer says I need a new engine. No problem I've got a warranty! Nope GWC is denying the claim because they believe the intake hose from the air box to the turbo allowed sand into the engine and caused the scoring. The hose does have a crack under the hose clamp that I was completely unaware of until the claim adjuster came to look at the car. My dealer stands behind the fact that there were no lean codes no damage to the turbo or any other parts leading to the engine but GWC Warranty continues to fight the claim and they've hired a lawyer. Anybody think it's possible that sand would enter the engine through this crack?

 

This is the crack as it was shown to me with the engine disassembled

 

Odd only one cylinder was effected, and the fact turbo has no damage.
-Did you ever have undiagnosed codes to go with that crack.
-How was this diagnosed, did they scope the cylinder ?

I am wondering if this was caused by a faulty injector for that cylinder.

 

Actually nothing has been mentioned about the injectors at all but they checked the valves and they were fine. The dealer said they believe something is bent or the piston rings started to go

 

GR- I was wonder that also with one cylinder having issues. Maybe a bad ring from the beginning and the crack brought light to the issue.

 

That's a direct view into the turbo from where the cracked intake hose connects. To me it looks near pristine I can't see any way that sand would cause no damage to the turbo and make it to the engine.

 

Yea, I cant see anything there, i guess on the very edges , you would see pitting on the edge blades really close. Like sand blasting.

 

isn't the JCW intake and hose a Mini part?

 

Looks like it to me.

 

No way sand only made it into one cylinder, I don't believe the insurance company understands (hence the lawyer) how fast all cylinders are firing each second. The insurance company doesn't have a legitament claim since the turbo and other cylinders are all perfect fine and no sand was found inside the engine by the dealer. Sand doesn't flow up into the engine bay, this is what happens when you deal with people who don't understand or have any common sense. It's more likely that the rings started to deteriorate in that one cylinder causing score marks do to broken rings pieces that may have detached, i wonder if you had that bad cylinder piston removed would there be peices of the rings broken off? This definitely isn't the first time I've heard of it.

 

yea, it does sound like they are just pointing at a possible cause.