Aaaauuuuhhhhh!!!

My wife's 2010 Clubman justa. Last year I replaced the thermostat assembly with no complaints. That stupid A-shaped clip gave me a headache, but I got lucky and it popped back in somehow.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Steam pouring out of hood in local traffic and we pull over. Bubbles from bleeder valve on t-stat. Ok great, we buy some coolant and nurse it home, filling along the way.

Ordered new dorman t-stat, get it in and the effing clip falls into a higher dimension. I removed the DME to try and get a better angle (removed negative cable first), still no clip

Watched a few videos on how to remove intake manifold, found the lower hidden bolt. Ordered new clip and manifold gaskets.

Clip is still not found.

I get the parts in, installed new clip, gaskets and reinstall all parts, harness, connectors, no extra parts.

Hook up battery, try to start, it can't find idle, stinks of fuel and I hear popping noises like backfires. Random MIL for p173b and p300, and other misfires.

I remove filter housing, MAF, hose to throttle body, check all connectors, nothing out of ordinary. I disconnected the negative and check pins on the DME, all ok.

I started it without hooking the MAF back up, no change.

I hooked everything back up, still won't run, pops, chugs dies.

I checked the intake manifold nuts, they were loose for some reason. I retorqued them, heard a pop/crack noise. Saw no visual issues.

Reseated the connectors for the cam sensors and the intake manifold vario runner motor.

Someone please help! Simple repair turned into a nightmare, we are down to 1 car.

😖

 

Hello,

Did you follow set by step on this? I would retrace your steps. Link on thread for thermostat diy. I would also post up some pics so i can see what was done.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...8-no-heat.html

 

The thermostat is installed the same as last time. All connectors are reconnected. The car is totally back together. All that is in the original post. The thermostat is not the issue, it's installed and torqued properly with an inchpound tq wrench. All hoses and connectors installed, and double checked. The thermostat isn't the issue, as I have replaced mine and one on a buddies r56 as well, it's straight forward, not a hard task.

I took it all back apart and checked all connectors.

It still won't start, coughs, pops, chugs and dies.

What's there to take a picture of, an assembled engine bay?

Sorry to be terse, it just seems like an illogical question with what I posted.

 

Although freaky, it is possible two unrelated faults occured at the same time, your T housing and ??? The smell of fuel a) might be flooding from trying to start, but is suspicious don't you think? b) checked oil level? was it truly as a result of the leak or were you running dry on lube? I think the investigations should start with top down, spark? fuel? compression? you have checked the throttle and air already so that is good. Full diagnostics, i.e. how detailed is your code reader?

 

re-run you hand on all connectors and make sure they pushed in..,push all of them in specially the throttle body.

as mentioned above, take everything apart again and redo it...take your time. Sometimes you need to disassemble again to reassemble better. dont rush it.

 

Yes, a picture sometimes helps point out things that were missed. I would recheck everything, because it does not make sense. All i can think of is on the main harness that moves out of the way was damaged, cut, or a wire pulled. Thats the critical link near the HPFP and thermostat housing. Its in that main bundle with a L shaped plastic cover, which is shown in the DIY.

 

I use torque on Android. 9 out of ten times I get no codes because it won't start.

The oil was just changed a month and 1000 miles ago.

It ran perfectly driving it into the spot I work on it.

The coolant was bubbling out of the bleeder and pooling in the trans housing.

 

It's a justa. It's not turbo, so no HPFP

I did have a thought when I woke in the middle of the night. I gotta go check the cam sensors, maybe I reversed the harnesses for them since they are the same connectors.

EDIT:. Not possible to swap cam sensor plugs, too far apart, harness-wise

 

There is a thread here somewhere and it does mention that the connectors do not necessarily go with the same colour of female connectors. So, if you have colour matched them, they are probably wrong!
Edit - Oil pressure switch connector has only one wire. Both Cam sensors have three each (as you said, they don't reach anywhere else). The temp housing, not possible to get them wrong either due to length of wire and it would not cause your symptoms. So, only two you could have the wrong way round are the oil pressure switch and top temp sensor - again doubt that would cause issues starting.


See picture in post 3 here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...need-help.html


It is an S in pics but for justa ignore the pcv detail

 

I'm following this thread with great interest, I had the exact same symptoms after removing and reinstalling my intake manifold. p300,p301, misfires, flashing engine light. I ended up removing the head to see if there was any upper motor damage, but everything looks great. Removed the oil pan to in order to see if there are any pison ring pieces, nope it looks perfect. Keep this thread going if you figure it out.

 

Ugh, yeah I remember from last time about the connectors. On mine the temp sensor has a tooth and the other does not. They are kinda foolproof.

We aren't sure how to proceed further now.

I need another set of eyes. Closest trustworthy dealership is 100 miles away.

Anyone know of good independent repair shops in VT for minis?

 

Here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...wrenching.html

 

If you took the intake manifold off, it’s possible that a seal or gasket folded over on you or shifted during reinstalling it.
Even oval silicone seals that sit in channels can do goofy stuff on you and you don’t see it once they’re covered up. A massive vacuum leak in a cyl would give you issues.

 

Alrighty!! She's running!

Removed the intake manifold. Found it wasn't seated properly on the head. Locator dowels were not in the holes. Massive vacuum leak to say the least.

All back together and now it starts and runs.... Like crap.

Pulled plugs, heavily fouled with carbon. Installed new plugs. Still hunts at idle and has a POP on cold start. After it finds idle it's smooth. Runs around town smooth. However, when it's warmed up it now has a lope at idle like it's got a hot cam from an old small block from 600 to 800 RPM.

Now the cold start hunt for idle and pop has been going on for a year, so that's not new. I would love to find the reason there.

I pulled codes and I'm getting pending misfires on all 4 cylinders, but no current codes.

Thanks everyone for the advice and help, it's sure frustrating when you think you did everything right and you gotta swollow your pride and check again (and again and again).

😁

 

MIL is back on, gunna go pull codes now.

A few days ago steam was pouring out again, nooooooo!!!

Turns out, upper radiator hose popped off of thermostat, clamp broke.

Fixed and rebled system again. No air, temp runs normal!

 

Misfires on 2, 3 and 4. I'm thinking a leaking injector at 150k isn't unreasonable.

Also what is the normal coolant temp on these cars? I have been monitoring hers and it ranges from 190 to 219 when at running temp.

Is that too high?

 

By the Scan Gauge a steady 220 most of the time.

Under heavy load (like holding 80 mph up a long, steep Rocky Mountain grade), it will drop down to 180, but when load is reduced, it goes back up to 220.

Programmed thermostat control?
Art

 

Huh, so I guess 220f is normal?

 

Thats about normal, my n14 will get up to 224-5 sometimes and hitting the sport button or running the AC drops it down some.

 

Phew, I was getting nervous. I did not want to change out a defective thermostat!

 

I know it's a different Generation, but mine runs 224-226º all the time. But, if you want to see the temp plummet just turn on max A/C. Mine will drop 70-80º in no time.
Are you still running the original coil packs? Could cause misfire faults.

 

Would coil packs cause a backfire sort of pop and raw fuel smell, and idle hunting?

It ​​kinda sounds like a leaky injector overnight, well, to me.

After I do the temp sensor in the head, and injectors, if it persists, I'll do coils.

 

So that sensor just above and forward of the thermostat housing is an oil pressure switch, not a second coolant sensor.

Ergh, I'll just wait for the injectors to arrive to see if they cure this popping and cold start rough running.

What else causes cold start crap on cars? I have seen on older jeeps with the inline 6 having leaking injectors cause similar issues.

 

Cold start crap could be HPFP ( https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...r-r56-jcw.html ) or carbon build up also ( https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-cleaning.html ). Do you have a pic of that sensor?

 

ECS, I appreciate your input, but just like the last time you suggested that, it's not a turbo, so no HPFP, no carbon issues.

😀