2006 R53 Cooper S GP Won't Start - *FIXED*
 

Hello all,

I thought I'd post this as a PSA. My 2006 Cooper S GP with about 90K on the clock all of a sudden wouldn't start.

It made a whirring sound like it was trying to start but didn't have enough power.

Here are all the steps I tried.

1. Initially I thought I must have drained the battery with the map light. Tried trickle charging it. Wouldn't start.

2. I tried to jump it and actually saw some smoke coming out of the middle of the engine bay - wouldn't start.

3. Bought a new Optima Redtop 34R battery. Old one was manufactured in Oct-2010 so I think 8 years was lucky. Wouldn't start.

4. Checked wiring, checked ground strap, checked the positive BST for any signs of looseness. Everything looked good.

5. Checked plugs and coilpack - unplugged and replugged. No luck.

6. Bought a new starter. I've attached a picture of the old one. Wouldn't start BUT car is 12 years old so I figured it would be preventive anyways.

7. Then I started going crazy thinking maybe my in-dash OEM push button ignition start was defective and even replaced the original iginition switch unnecessarily (the original switch is bypassed for the button duh)

8. I finally found a video on YT of a guy who was working on a Cooper S that had been sold at auction with a "seized engine". Turns out he's a student of some kind and his teacher stopped by, looked at the crank pulley as someone tried to start it, and noticed that nothing was budging. He surmised that one of the accessories (Supercharger, alternator, AC compressor) was seized and preventing the car from turning over. They had done all kinds of fancy schmancy electrical testing to rule out the battery.

Seized alternator video


Turns out it was a completely seized alternator on that video. So I took off the belt, tried to turn all the accessories and wouldn't you know it the damn alternator would NOT budge 1mm.

Car started right up with the belt disconnected so I ordered a remanufactured Bosch from Bavarian Autosport for $189 + $73 core charge (free shipping). In the meantime I put the car into service mode (which by now I can do blinded folded with one hand and one leg in a blizzard).

I also managed to cross thread one of the lug nuts and on the damn GP they changed the size to M14 x 1.25. Nobody has this tap/die locally and of course my big Pittsburgh set from HarborFreight only has 1.5 and 2.0 thread pitches. Ordered those as well. They arrived today and I just retapped all the holes with a generous amount of cutting oil. Easy peasy worked perfectly.

Kudos to ModMini for his starter replacement video. Super helpful and did not have to take off the exhaust headers. I did have a problem reinstall one of the metal bendable brackets that loops over the pin on the alternator but I don't think it's a big deal - just bent it out of the way.

Modmini Alternator video:

Alternator ($189.95 + $73 core charge + free shipping):
https://www.bavauto.com/mini-alternator-al9434x

Battery ($238 + $5 core charge - for some reason online shows $22 but when I checked out it was only $5)
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/optima-red-top-battery-group-size-34r-800-cca-r34-980/16080023-P?cm_mmc=ET-_-Trans-_-Confirmation-_-General#utm_source=et&utm_medium=trans&utm_campaig n=confirmation&utm_content=general

Ignition Switch ($85 includes a $20 coupon)
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/intermotor-ignition-starter-switch-cs1257/10432254-P?cm_mmc=ET-_-Trans-_-Confirmation-_-General#utm_source=et&utm_medium=trans&utm_campaig n=confirmation&utm_content=general

Starter ($208 + $50 core charge).
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/min...cooper-sr0466x

M14 x 1.25 tap ($7.40 prime shipping)

M14 x 1.25 die ($8.43 prime shipping)


I had to pay return shipping for the starter and the alternator.

I'm a bit at myself that I didn't come to the conclusion to check the accessories myself....but this is the first car I've had whose alternator has seized 100% like this.

Iv'e attached a picture of both the old starter and alternator. Look at the cracked housing for the alternator! Holy crap this thing had a catastrophic failure of the bearing(s).

So for anyone whose R53 (they are all old as **** now) is not starting, make sure to check your records to see if you've ever changed the alternator. Take off the belt and see if anything is seized up.

One more note on the battery - I have another 2006 Cooper S (wifey's) and put the same battery in. This time, however, it seems like they made the negative terminal post noticeably smaller than the positive and I ended up having to put a new clamp that would tighten down properly. I also had to put a spacer in between the bracket and the battery. The spacer that comes with the battery that clips to the bottom is just a bit too tall.

Good luck and happy motoring!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...04160d9acd.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...6101515f99.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...404c0f73f8.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...ad89f7414e.jpg

Many thanks for the public service announcement.

It is appreciated and I thank you for taking the time.

A totally seized alternator is something I would never guess, so it's good to know that this is a possibility and an easy check down the flow chart if a similar situation ever happens to my car.

Car wasn't sitting. I drive it almost daily.

My pleasure and my duty. Sharing of information is caring. :D

I've seen this happen a couple times, usually from an R53 that sits for a long time.