Good afternoon!

I am a car enthusiast who has owned BMWs, Toyotas, Hondas, Mercedes and more, but I found this sweet little mini for $1500 and couldnt pass it up.

https://imgur.com/zKdp3r8

The vehicle has five problems that need attention, and ive done a few hours of research on here and I think i have narrowed it down, but wanted a confirmation for those experienced!

Problem 1.

The vehicle clutch will not full disengage when depressed fully. Gears will only shift when rev matched and will not shift out of neutral at a stop. Has good pressure, no indication of leaks. Will not stall when in first gear. Clutch acts as if the slave cylinder is not fully actuating and the clutch is still maintaining pressure on friction surfaces. Was able to drive it home as the clutch DOES disengage slightly throughout the range, but not as it should. Confirmed visually that the slave cylinder is moving, roughly to 25-30 degrees (not sure what full actuation should look like on the arm).

I believe that either the slave cylinder has air in it and is not fully actuating OR it is the throwout bearing and guide as many others have discovered. The clutch does not slip when clutch is released and full acceleration is applied in any gear.

Solution: Attempt to bleed system if this is a possible solution, most likely order the Valeo conversion and clutch kit if the slave cylinder is acting as it should.

Problem 2:

Under acceleration and at highway speeds there is a vibration that is felt through steering wheel. Most vibration subsides when acceleration is stopped, however there is still resonance in cabin and steering wheel. Visual fluid leakage from right motor mount.

Solution: Engine and transmission mounts most likely worn? too much engine vibration transferred to drive axles and cabin. Control arm bushings may require replacement. Will opt for press in bushings and retain oem control arms

Problem 3:

Vehicle has coolant smell/small coolant leak from right front. Need to tear down when I remove the bumper and identify source. I am guessing it is either from a lower radiator drain plug (if that exists) on the right front, or from the waterpump gasket. I have not identified the location or components on the R53 to figure out if my diagnosis makes sense-but I will do so when I tear down. I assume that the water pump is mechanical and mounted on engine right. Accessory belt is also VERY old and shows major damage.

Solution: Replace hoses as required, water pump and gasket while im doing the other work. Coolant flush/fill

Problem 4:

Vehicle passenger door does not open with door handle. Prior owner removed locking mechanism. Door will open when window opened approx 2 inches. Will lock closed when window closed and door in closed position. Window will not roll down past this point.

Solution: Take door panel off and identify components. I assume there is an actuation unit that rolls window down slightly to allow door to open. May be inoperative. Reattach all door opening mechanisms and replace this unit...hopefully a solution.

Problem 5:

Glovebox latch does not engage or disengage. Prior owner used velcro to secure (thats a new one). I believe the latch needs to be completely replaced, but doesnt look to be very complicated.

Solution: Remove and replace latch mechanism and reuse keycore from old latch. Remove velcro.

Other small fixes

Vehicle was missing upper air box that was allowing unfiltered air into motor 0.0

Vehicle is missing right and left front fender trim and requires additional clips

Small dent in rear, should remove with paintless dent removal tool.

Interior needs major detailing

Subframe bushings may be replaced while I am doing transmission

Gaskets on engine may need replacing- Intake, supercharger, oil pan gasket.

Gas cap

I have had the car 1 day and this is what I have identified. I still think its a great deal from what I have read about the overall reliability of the vehicle. This is the proposed repair paths for the car to get it into a fun daily driver condition. If something looks incorrect, or people with more experience have an idea for what to look at or what to change "while im in there" please leave a reply! I am still learning/reading about the vehicle as I type this, but I am very excited. The vehicle runs well-no ticking/weird engine noises. Smooth idle. No oil in coolant or coolant in oil (thats always a plus). Plenty of pull on the highway through all RPMs. Only one service engine soon item which is a gas cap diagnostic code.


Thanks in advanced, looking forward to learning more and sharing more.

-Dean

 

Nice, looks good for that price point!

Also, how many miles does it have?

Problem 2
Could also be inbalance in the wheel(s)

Problem 3
Could also be the flanges on the radiator. They are bolt on and there is a O-ring which tends to leak over time.

 

It has 64500 miles. I checked the carfax and it is correct, hasnt been driven much apparently. First owners hardly drove it for the first 10 years of ownership.

Inbalance would make sense. Its probably compounded with motor mounts. That flange would be a likely culprit im sure. Im not sure if im going to start taking off the front bumper and start work on the intake today, but if I do il reply back!

 

nice one, for the money, looks like.

thats a long list dude, you might need a Bentley manual. Also inpa / tis will help you.

most of these repairs are covered here...might take you some time reading and searching...

 

also sometimes I find good used parts here: allmagautoparts.com

might help with the door / windows issue.

I'd post on each problem as you work though them

 

Yea, Ive seen the forum has a bunch. I may get the bentley if I can find a digital version to purchase. I always like having them around. As far as the inpa/tis, I have a usb connector for protool from my last BMW-It doesnt show R53 as an option-the oldest is R55. I can try and auto connect, but id be surprised if it magically works.

It seems like a long list, but I think il have it done in the next 3 weeks. I work "on call" a lot, so my time at home sitting and waiting is much higher than the normal person...so I can get things done! The most time consuming will be the clutch, but because Il already be doing it I will knock out the bushings I talked about while I have all the tools out and the car on jackstands. Im hoping to provide some more data for people here experiencing the same issue if I can diagnose the clutch thing correctly.

 

See around 5:40 for the flanges

 

Busy day! After christmas and new years I decided to start working on the Mini.

Today i removed the transmission and clutch to get to the problem. With this job, you get to remove the subframe, the radiator, bumper, control arms, and all sorts of fun brackets and heat shields!

I will definitely be taking recommendations on what to replace on the subframe/suspension while its out, and also what other maintenance items are best to get out of the way...such as steering bushings or seals. I think I have a leak somewhere in the steering system that needs fixing.

Overall it took me about 6 hours to remove everything. With patience and a few select words, I finally got the transmission and clutch out. Everything was fairly easy until the top bell housing bolts came around. I broke the octopus wiring harness clip that holds it to the bell housing (which I really dont care much about because it is TERRIBLY PLACED). I also found a few random fasteners needing replacement. I have a list of about 20 things I noted while working on everything that I can revisit once I start buying parts.

The culprit of the clutch issue is shown below. The pressure plate has seen better days, and the slave cylinder was leaky at the plunger.