Hi, long history short:
I recently bought a R56 Mini Cooper with N12 engine.
My mechanic replaced the timing chain as it made a weird noise (common fault). After that, I replaced myself the vacuum pump as it was leaking oil very bad and I read a lot of horror histories about this pump.
I ran the car at idle 2 days for about 10 minutes after replacing the pump. Engine sound normal.
Then, I replaced the valve cover gasket as I saw oil inside the spark plugs area and I found something really bad while the cover was off:



As you can see, Valve Roller Drag Lever Spring has broke and there is a huge deformation on a camshaft zone.

My mechanic says the destruction has been caused because I have replaced the vacuum pump without adjusting afterwards the BMW VANOS system with a diagnosis tool. As far as I know, VANOS system may cause engine poor operation, but not this problem.

So I wanted to ask in the forum, what do you think about this? Can the VANOS adjustment be the cause of the failure?
Another question: do you think the pictured engine could be started? I did not tried it but the mechanic said it could have caused a lot of damage if I did it.

 

Adjusting the vanos system after replacing the vac pump ? That makes no sense....by that logic when a Vanos Solenoid valve goes faulty, and they do often the end result would be blown up engine...so that makes no sense.

Replacing the Vac pump on a scale of 1-10 is like a 1. It's a one way installation...meaning once old one comes off, new one goes back in and can only go in one way into side of the cam...lube the o-ring seal ighten up and done. These typically crap out due to owner going beyond 5K oil changes.... there's a small hole in the housing for lubrication and crappy oil tends to plug that up.

TO ME.......sounds as if the mechanic "went cheap", didn't purchase / use the BMW/MINI block kit to secure the cam down while he did the timing chain...why folks should never go to an inde shop with a MINI unless they actually specialize in MINI's.....

And why did the valve cover leak after his work ? He should have replaced the valve cover gasket when he did the timing chain, it was already removed ?!

 

The picture you linked to is not visible, at least not to me.

Here are the BMW instructions on how to change the vacuum pump on an N12 engine. No post-installation adjustment of anything mentioned in there (and such adjustments are mentioned whenever necessary).

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r...m-pump/G0p9fT1

Is there any expressed or implied warranty legislation where you are located? Did you sign any form of agreement/order prior to having the car fixed there?

Edit: welcome to the forum!