[QUOTE][/Anti-seize compound will keep the plug threads from corroding to the head; it does nothing from keeping them from backing off. Proper torque is what does this. DO NOT USE ANY LOCKTITE.... Putting any locktite could cause more problems later as loctite is like gluing the plugs in.]

oops, maybe I didn't describe it well enough. What I meant was a material to use between the helicoil and the aluminum (head). Believe me, from now on I will use antiseize btwn the plugs and the aluminum head (and 1 helicoil).

Also, I will be switching to the stock Bosch Platinum 4 plugs. Forget the Densos by default.

 

Did the quote thing wrong on my previous post. Bummer.

So to finalize phase 1 of this event, I've told the shop to stop everything, button 'er up, and I will have the car towed back to my house. I'll pull the head and take it somewhere for the helicoil work, then bolt everything back up. Unfortunately I don't have the money right now to invest in a completely new head, maybe when the motor detonates from running SM in SCCA solo and track schools.

The only problems now are:
1) I work 13 hours per day and most weekends
2) My E30 is also down, for problems much smaller and less costly however
3) The holidays weren't cheap =)

ARG. Ah well. Anyone interested in buying a 325iX in amazing condition with a new cat-back exhaust (and much more)? I need to simplify; having two cars is just too much; I need to switch to a truck or something easier and more reliable. Grr. The E30 may have to go.

Its true what they say. Cars & motorsports are more than a hobby; its an addiction.

 

are you brave?

http://eastwood.com/shopping/product...roductID=15015

 

As TonyB stated this is a fairly common occurance on 02s and early 03s - regardless of the plug used.

I have an 03 MCS and I had the same exact problem before the car was ever modded. The problem continued after the car was modded and has appeared to cease after I got my aftermarket head which was an 05.

As to the JCW head being immune to this, think again. My friend has an 03 JCW with no aftermarket plugs, pullies, plasma boosters, warp drives etc. and he has the same problem.

BMW had an existing problem. As with most of their issues, they have decided to ignore it. If you modify your car, be prepared to have them deny you your warranty - start getting used to it.

 

"Eastwood" supplies huh?

Maybe the question should be rephrased, "Do you feel lucky, punk?"

 

Yeah this is sort of the method the shop was going to do today; but I know my luck and this would blow up in my face. So, I'm going to remove the head myself.

So an '05 head-besides the dealer of course, where is the best source for this?

 

eBay sometimes ...
For example this one but from England, you'd probably need an English friend to help with transport.

 

Not true.....We had this happen to a customer of ours with the Denso plugs and it blew the plugs out.....Over 3k later ( out of customers pocket ) we put a new head on and stock plugs back in.....He then put the Denso's back in after we did hr job and it happened all over again. So either these plugs arent being put in correctly or the head is garbage. And i cant comment on either situations.

 

did you replace the old 02' 03' head with a new 05' one? brand new or old the alloys used in those heads were garbage..(acconding to evidence we see) it doesnt matter if you replaced the old head with a new one if it has the same defect as the one you are replacing it with.. what about those who didnt upgrade colder plugs and still have the there plugs pop out? very interesting to say the least..

 

Mine blew out of #3.

I went for a no-head removal fix, and just under $400 at A&E performance in Cupertino.

Shop that would remove the head were quoting 6 hours labor, pocket change for the helicoil, and remember, they'll charge for a head gasket, intake gaskets etc. Oh yeah, and plugs.

We don't run HOTTER plugs, we run COOLER plugs when running a pully (but I don't know the actual delta in the plug temp...)

My car has been fine for many a mile since then, but I too am saving pennies for an aftermarket head.

I'm running NGKs now, and they haven't worked loose.

Torque was 18 ft-lbs for mine (if I remember right).

I use moly anti-sieze stuff on all steel fasteners.

Mine came out because I didn't install with a torque wrench, totally my fault, and I paid for it.

I think this sucks, in all the many cars I've owned, I've never had issues like this before, and it's obviously a head design issue. Probably due to heat control issues.

I don't ever expect a fix, as the head design will change shortly.

I do wonder what this will mean for core availability as our motors get older, and BMW/Mini don't make them any more.

The Works head is the same casting, just with a half-assed porting job. It's no more designed for serious performance than the stocker (well, just a little bit more performance, but not enough to justify the over $3k replacement cost for a works head).

Matt

 

Heli-Coils aren't that hard to install if you can use a drill press and you know how to properly use taps to thread holes. Make sure to use thread cutting fluid meant for aluminum, or take it to any competent machine shop.

Get all four spark plug holes done. The money and/or PITA is the removal and re-installation of the head. While you're in there, you may as well make sure it STAYS fixed. A stitch in time can save nine...

You don't need to coat the threads of the Heli-Coil insert. It looks like a spring, and it'll only screw in. You CAN'T back it out. The tail end digs in and prevents it. Loctite "turns loose" at about 475 degrees anyway, so it wouldn't help anyway.

Get a scrap piece of aluminum and tap a 3/8-16 hole in it. Then get a Heli_Coil kit and practice on it. It'll cost about $5 to do this and you'll know whether you want to try it on the head, and it'll let you convince yourself that it's a strong repair.

Best of luck and keep us in the loop,
Rawhyde

 

Dr Obnxs: "I think this sucks, in all the many cars I've owned, I've never had issues like this before, and it's obviously a head design issue. Probably due to heat control issues."

Same here Matt. I'll reiterate as well that this is a head problem, or at least was (earlier MINI's). I can put the stock plugs back-in now, and experience the same, as I did prior to the mod'ing. The anti-seize compound seems to allow for a more accurate torque setting, which helps, I feel...

 

 

I will def check that out when i get into work tomorrow...Thing is, if there is an updated head which is used from 02-05 they will change the number all together in the data base and ill never know....One way i might see an old number is checking there warehouse with the new number to see if there was one which was superceded but that doesnt tell me why they changed the number to begin with.

We did change it with whatever the newest number they offered for use so i have no way of finding out anything which im sure they wont tell me if it was a design flaw or they would be covering all these customer pay claims.

 

Only one p/n shown on realoem (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...85&hg=11&fg=15) so that indicates no change in part number - although of course there could have been ongoing tweaks to improve things.

 

That site also shows no change in the part number for the cowl vents from 2002 to 12/2004, when actually the part changed from a 3-piece unit to a one-piece unit. This definitely happened by spring '05, anyway. So, I'm dubious of that site's accuracy.

 

Well i just looked it up.......I forgot i had access from home to the web ETK ( parts catalog ) and found only one number from 02-05 and even confirmed it from the warehouse which shows no superceding numbers.

Part# 11-12-7-508-536

 

I wondered that too ... but it recognizes my early 2005 VIN, and it knows about the p/n change in the toggle switch panels for the '05 model year.

My guess is, like the cowls, that the design changed but the p/n did not. I know with some part redesigns, MINI of Peabody could not order replacements for folks because they would get the old stock till it had all "flowed through the pipeline".

 

If the part numbers are the same, that unfortunately would not confirm that the heads have or have not changed. I say this from past experience, most recently with the crank pulley for the MCS.

I was aware over the Summer that the '05 MCS crank pulley was redisgned, the most notable difference being the weight delta (fairly substantial). I contacted several local MINI dealerships, and all said that the part number was the same. I spoke with Randy Webb, and he re-stated, without a doubt, that they are different (the crank pullies). I shared this info with Tony Nuzzo (Grand AM MINI racer) as an fyi, and he too checked with his MINI parts guy... same story... that is that the part # had not changed... yet the part dramatically changed.

 

Very interesting.

Its hard to say but i do see the same part number from 02-05 but it shows a newer number in the warehouse, but who says that isnt even a newer number. But it doesnt show me the old number for the differences in construction of each pulley.

 

to install the helicoil you first have to drill out the existing hole to the right size, lightly countersink the hole, tap it with the special Helicoil tap, and then twist in the Helicoil coil itself just far enough so that none of it prevents the plug from fully inserting and that none of it extends into the combustion chamber. All of this has to be done through the 6" plug cover tube. If the plug bore is square to the deck surface, you might use a drill press to drill the hole, but that is the least of the problems, mainly due to limited access and visibility down that tube. get a six pack ready.

If I remember right, the Helicoil sparkplug repair kit has a tapping gizmo that picks up the leftover old threads, pulls itself in while enlarging the hole and then threads it...

 

LOL, this thread is starting to make me laugh....

It is a conspiracy!

Good luck with the claims fellas...

 

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm planning on taking it to a local machine shop to install the helicoil as well as take a few thou off the head; maybe get a bit more bang out of the motor. To that end, has anyone heard of a performance cylinder head gasket for the MCS? I figure with some of the insane HP ratings I've read about on this board, someone has to know something about this....

 

Comec (google it) makes a good gasket, but the stock is also a good item.

 

Do you mean:

Comec - Commission on Missing and Exploited Children

OR

Cometic Gasket Co.

I googled it!