thank you so much for your feedback we checked the grounds and they are good.

realized that my guy didn’t time it correctly because he didn’t lock the crank shaft before aligning the cams... *sigh*

today is is a new day and I will keep you all posted on progress. I appreciate you!

you mean install the pin that lock the crankshaft at the back by the transmission side? Im thinking he never works on Mini before...

Hi team,

thank you all all so much for the feedback.

So the long fix of what we we thought was just going to be the timing chain has almost come to a close...

no my guy guy who is a friend who works on cars a LOT said “I can fix it” and since he had worked miracles on my Mercedes I figured, trust him.

After being immersed in these threads I was able to see how delicate the Mini’s are and how READING the threads you have so generously provided is crucial to a fix. Thank you all for your knowledge and feedback you all probably saved me thousands!!!

my pistons are fine no valve issues (thankfully) but for anyone who has a mini I figured my story was important and may be able to help someone in the future... so here we go.

My mother purchased a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman S for my 16 year old daughter (her first car) from one of those janky car dealerships that buys cars from auctions, put minimal effort into getting the car going and sell it to the first sucker it had 104k miles and an auto transmission.

My mother did purchase a warranty for 10k miles but they have been about as helpful as an ingrown toenail. Seriously biggest waste of money ever.

Before driving it off the lot the dealer did replace the right tire sensor (it was throwing a code) and supposedly did an oil change. (I found out later he did not, as the oil filter was a black as the longest night in the deepest cave in the planet).

my mom noticed an oil leak so she decided to quit messing with that janky dealer and take it to Mini of Corte Madera.

$850 diagnostic later they “recommended changing the timing chain” and pointed out that there was an oil leak coming from the oil filter gasket. Mini says the fix costs 7 grand total, but that it can be driven. Drive it home kids drives it for 2 weeks we watch oil levels which are FINE and DEATH RATTLE.

I take it to Seabring west in Fresno CA. They say that the car is running on no oil and that we “blew the motor” and need a new one. Warranty company said because the engine had no oil and because the oil leak was previously diagnosed they wouldn’t fix it. 8 grand was the quote for a new motor. Seabring also took the top timing chain guide off and placed it into the front seat of my mini. Saying oh and this is another issue. *great* when I have it towed from their shop they DRIVE IT (without the top timing chain guide) from their back lot to the tow truck leave it running and walk away... I have a video, it was atrocious.

I reach out to “my guy” and he says he can do it for parts costs... so I tow it home and I fly him from Texas to California.

parts purchased... new timing chain assembly with sprockets, chain, and guides. New oil pan gasket, oil filter gasket, gasket sealant, oil, coolant. Okay great I am in for about $500... ramps, jacks, lights, and a plethora of stuff at harbor freight and I am now in for about $1500.

Mini goes into service mode and the fix begins oil pan removed and HUGE chunks of plastic appear, we didn’t have the cam locking tool so we removed the chain tensioner, old chain and crank shaft sprocket were “fine” so only replaced exhaust sprocket. New guides went in everything gets locked in place. Cleaning of the engine from the oil leak that I was told was “not that big of an issue” was atrocious, thank god for purple power. Cleaning commences and a day later... Beautiful! We replace the bad gasket, seal it all up slap it back together. Whallah no oil leak!

i ordered the cam locking tool from online that said it was for my mini, but didn’t specify turbo so we got the wrong one... great. Modified the kit I did buy to work by grinding off the end of the exhaust side locker... it worked. “My guy” sets it to TDC at #1 piston turns the crank shaft a couple hundred times no blockage so he figures we are good and attempts to fire and ... nothing. Does a compression test, everything is “fine” He does his research, I find this forum and start doing some research of my own.

Now i am a business woman. I can balance QB and help you run a profitable business in the blink of an eye but I was always terrified of working on cars... after replacing the battery and spark plugs and about 30 more times of “setting the timing” replacing the crank shaft and cam sensor, I find Czars explanation of locking the crank shaft and then setting the cams from that position. Guys (husband included) don’t want to listen to me and then after another day I said “amuse me” do it my way. Then they can’t find where to lock the crank shaft... I buy the Haynes online guide...

they figure out where it needs needs to be locked and have to tool down the locker that came with my kit because it is “too big”. Okay... they set the timing correctly as I am having mini strokes along the way... turn it over a couple hundred times manually; no chain binding nothing hitting so we go again. She fires right up. THANK YOU JESUS, (and Czar).

run a diagnostic on the OBD tool and misfires in cylinders 2 and 3. At this point I am frantic and decide to post here. No spark issue and it is idiling kind of rough...

said forget it and decided to just replace all of the ignition coils... fire her up again and run the diagnostic no errors running beautiful... purrs like a kitten.

They slap it back together and the guys take it for for a test drive, some smoke coming off the engine they said it is oil burning off... okay. (Still not sure about this)...

but it dies during the test drive. So they say it is the MAS... get cleaner then open it up and the thermostat is garbage. Go get another one of those.

So where I am at is that the MAS has been cleaned and now waiting for the thermostat to be replaced... we will see what develops today.

sorry for the novel but i figured if I can help anyone, it was worth the time it took to write it.

In summation, your engine doesn’t need to be replaced, do it yourself buy the right tools and USE THIS FORUM as a resource. And don’t trust the guys to have done the research themselves. Stay involved in your repairs every step of the way, car person or not.

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED!