Hey, so 2 weeks ago I was taking my dads friend to the airport and on the way back my engine lost all power, there were no warning lights or anything it just lost power. So I pulled over on the side of the road and tons of smoke poured out of the hood I went to look at it and the coolant cap was popped off but luckily still in the engine bay. I got it towed to my house and just yesterday a friend and I took the valve cover off and we found that it had melted into the head alone with the timing chain tensioners disintegrating. I ordered parts for the fix but that’s all we know of what’s wrong with the car I’m hoping the head isn’t warped or anything. We’re gonna try to get the plastic off the head and put the new parts on and hope for the best. I also got a new head gasket because he thinks that’s why it got so hot in the first place so we’ll see if anything is warped or blown once we take the head off to install the head gasket. I just got the car like a month ago and know nothing about it so any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated as I have never had this happen before and don’t know anything about the r56’s besides all of their problems lol but I am willing to learn all about them.

 

Some of the plastic could have plugged the suction of the oil pump. You probably know to pull the pan. On the oil pump, the cover over the suction screen pops off and allows for complete cleaning. An overheated engine, caused by loss of coolant can be saved by synthetic oil. An engine that has loss of oil caused by loss of oil flow, can't be saved. That engine looks toast to me. The cams saw so much heat they discolored. I wouldnt buy any parts till I pulled the cylinder head off. Looks it's time to buy a rebuilt engine.
Does the engine even turn with a 18 mm socket on the crank shaft? I would be surprised if it's not frozen up.

 

I did all that and luckily there weren’t many plastic pieces in the oil pan I just got a quick look at it I didn’t check much but I’ll check again tomorrow. I turned it over it went about half a turn then stopped and I can’t get it to turn anymore. I think there might be a piece of plastic blocking it from turning somehow so I’m going to check better tomorrow.

 

Hopefully, you only turned the engine clockwise… turning the engine counter-clockwise will introduce the valves to the pistons. However, with the guides completely gone and the chain having that amount of slack, even turning the engine clockwise might not have been a good idea.

Youre going to need at least a full timing chain replacement, since the chain guides are so far gone. New valve cover and ignition coils will be needed. You “might” be able to get away without a head removal…

 

i only turned it clockwise I have the Bentley manual and have been using that but when I cranked the engine over it only turned halfway and then it stopped and the timing chain got tight so I’m not sure what happened I’m going to look to see if it’s plastic or something stuck in it after work. I’m removing the head regardless because I’m pretty sure the head gasket is why it overheated. HOPEFULLY I can save the car

 

Since you already pulled the pan, did it have enough oil? I've never seen that coloration on cams before.

 

well I drained it before I took it off but yes there was still a lot in it after I drained it and a lot came out while draining.

 

I don’t know how but somehow my head or block isn’t warped and none of my valves are bent!!! My thermostat did melt though so I did order another one the head gasket also melted into the block but all I need to do is clean it out of the grooves around the cylinder holes in the block and we should be good to reassemble and try and start it!

 

Thanks for the update, I was wondering how it's going. Good luck

 

So I got everything back together and I turned it over to make sure everything is going the right way and everything seems to be good I got all the connections right every bolt back in the right place but it won’t start. It’ll crank over and it sounds like it wants to start but it still won’t start. I thought it was the coil packs since they melted so I replaced those. I checked the spark plugs they all have spark and I replaced those anyway just in case and still no start. It sounds like it wants to start but it just won’t I don’t know what to do so any help would be greatly appreciated I’ll post a video a little later of it

 

Does the fuel rail have pressure. Push that little tire tube (Schrader valve) valve and see if gas squirts. Then other thing I wonder what happened to the MAF sensor. Don't remember what Mini calls it. If it cranks and no start, it has to be air, fuel or spark.

 

With it turning over you have met most permissives, I think. You could even put a squirt of ether into several cylinders. It will want to start with starting fluid. If it doesn't fire up, it may be air. Good luck

 

I’m guessing the Schrader valve is on the left of the fuel rail? I couldn’t see it but I’ll try and get to it it seems like a tight squeeze. I have spark I know that for sure. I included a video before I try to start the engine you can hear a random ticking I was wondering if you knew what that was at all?

 

It should have a tire tube cap which needs removing. It's just a sure fire way to check for fuel. I imagine it would also be a way to test pressure. You're just trying to start engine. Adding ether (starting fluid) is another sure fire way to test start. If youbhave spark, ether will get it to sputter, possibly run for a few seconds. I have seen a cap full of gasoline added to each cylinder. Ether is just such a good tool.
I couldnt open file you attached, sorry

 

Im guessing I put the ether in the spark plug holes or no? I don’t believe I have the schrader valve on my n14 fuel rail but maybe im looking in the wrong place.

 

Pull all plugs and then give a squirt, then install that plug. Then another squirt, install another. It keeps from evaporating. Move along little doggie.

 

I figured out it’s my compression the 1st cylinder is 70psi 2nd and 3rd cylinders are 60psi and 4th cylinder is 90psi. Any ideas on how to fix compression? I did get it running for about 2 seconds with the starting fluid though but it immediately shut off after.

 

Oh my, I thought you pulled the head off and serviced the intake/exhaust valves. It's clear you need to do that. It's probably why you don't have compression.

 

I did indeed that’s why I’m confused? Could it possibly be bad cylinder rings?

 

You looked at the piston cylinders. They were smooth, I assume. With a set of rings you could have put one in the cylinder and measured the gap to tell you exactly what the diameter is. Should have, could have... would have.. something doesn't make sense. Are you sure the compression was correct? Redo the test and put a few drops of oil in cylinder. I think that's called a wet compression test