But is the turbo only oil cooled? And so gets no cooling at shutoff?

 

the turbo is getting cooled after turn-off.

 

Re-read post #25 for your answer...

 

OK, call me stupid. I asked the question because, given all the conflicting information, it wasn't clear. And reading post #25 again (and again), still doesn't make it clear to me. Neither does post #28 help me...

Does the "Engine" include the turbo or not? When I look at the turbo, I see one set of lines going to/from it. Are those lines oil or coolant?

The only way the turbo can be getting cooled after the motor is off, and the pump is circulating coolant only, is that the turbo is cooled by coolant and not oil.

Is that the way it is? That would be really suprising. Coolant has lower temp limits than oil, and I've only ever heard of oil cooled turbos.

 

dwjj,

If the oil is not circulating it will sit in one place and boil in those turbo lines. Not good. Most newer turbos are oil cooled i know. And no just because it is called coolant does it mean it is the only fluid that can take heat away from the car.

Not only is that pump running when needed but the fan will come on also when needed after spirited driving.

 

Is "coolant" taking on a special meaning in this thread, then? It's really cooling oil-comes from the crankcase and has a pump. If so, fine I get it.

Coolant doesn't mean water/antifreeze in this context, right?

 

To quote MotoringFile's write up of the BMW/PSA powerplant:

"With turbocharged engines being subject to significant thermal loads and forces, an oil/water heat exchanger integrated in the oil filter housing keeps the engine oil temperature at a safe level even when running under full load. A further point is that the heat exchanger, by heating up the coolant more quickly, shortens the warming-up period and reduces both fuel consumption and exhaust emissions in the process."

And I believe the VNT turbo is a Garrett unit (could be wrong - didn't search to confirm). Here's a portion of Garrett's FAQ regarding cooling on their diesel line:

"Water-cooling of turbocharger bearing housings has been widely used to enhance bearing durability. It is designed to remove heat from the center housing after the engine is shut down. This is accomplished because a thermal siphon is set up in the center housing. As heat from the turbine housing and exhaust manifold soaks into the center housing, the water is vaporized and rises, drawing in cooler water. This continues until there is insufficient heat to cause the process to continue."

Which echoes what Garret says about their gasoline line of turbos:

"To make a turbo that functions well under high temperature is feasible. The challenge is to mass produce them at a reasonable cost. It requires ingenious solutions in turbo materials, designs and wastegate operation. Honeywell has been developing different materials for the turbine wheel, turbine housing and turbine end seal. Its aerospace link within Honeywell gives it a special advantage in this area. An enhanced shroud design and the optimization of the water cooling of the turbo center housing have eliminated the concerns of overheating. As to wastegate, the adoption of gasoline specific electric actuation ensures that the turbo functions optimally and reliably under high temperature."

Hope those tidbits help narrow the chase...

Realistically the turbo motor will probably prove more reliable than the r53 mill simply because of the nature of how turbos work. As noted before idling for a little bit after a hard run certainly won't hurt anything, but specific to the turbo, probably won't help as much as the before in the old turbos days when cooking was a problem.

And just to clarify oil is oil, and coolant is anti-freeze.

Flame on.

 

Thanks! I had no idea where to look for info like that-it helps a bunch! I appreciate your taking the time

 

Hello Skuzzy, Have developed a serious problem with the engine. My turbo-charged Super S Mini year 2007 was running fine...it has 118,000 miles on it. Suddenly the "loss of power Engine Light" came on and indeed I had lost power . Moved over to the right-hand lane and could go at 63 mph, then 53 mph and continued thus to end of my journey. If I find out that the engine has been blown, then is it worth it to put in another engine, or simply lick my wounds and move on? I think I know the answer already... your input above says it all. If I get a Mini again it will have to be a non-turbo charged engine. Not a happy camper to have paid $38,000 + and then have the engine die with only 118,000 miles on it.

 

 

You do realize that you quoted a post that is 6 years old. The person might not be monitoring the thread anymore.

You'll find that a lot of manufacturers are now turbocharging their cars for fuel economy reasons. In fact the new F56 (2015 models) non-S and S are both turbo-charged.

 

I think you may be joking, but just in case... IS there such a thing as a warranty for the BMW engine that lasts past 100,000? Well, this is no joke right now. Let's hope for a miracle!

 

The only "warranty" I'm aware of past 100K is the extension to 120K they added for the HPFP. Hopefully that is your problem. I'm hoping to get mine replaced before I put another 7K on it. You'll probably get better info from others, because I'm new to the Mini scene myself.

 

I think you must be joking again! You are actually thinking of replacing your engine before another 7K? Or, are you just saying that because I am having problems and you don't want to have the same? Well, you are so funny that I'm beginning to lighten up!

 

While I am glad you're feeling better, what I was referring to is the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP). They came out with a change a while back extending the coverage on that particular part to 10 years or 120K miles. I am still on my original HPFP and am hoping that IF it fails, it does so before I hit 120K miles.

 

OH, yes, I didn't know what HPFP stood for. I just got thru searching for a used engine. Saw one for $999 but no warranty attached. I'm kind of forced to fix my current car because, I can only get $1,000 from the dealership for it and $2,000 if sold privately. Urgh! The Kelly Blue Book price if mine were in good condition is $6,500 - not much considering I paid of $38,000 just 6 years ago. I think it's telling that the depreciation in value is so high.
Still, I do love this little Mini - it really MOVED when it was ok. Now, we go about town locally - don't get on the freeway. I will probably fix it up some how...

 

Since it's still drivable I would take it to an independent garage that works on Mini's and have them check it out. It might not be as serious as a new engine.

 

Absolutely, that's in the works right now. I have two mini mechanics. One has said that it most probably has had the threads stripped (and would need a new engine), the other is coming Wednesday to take a look. His feeling is that it could be other things wrong with it. Thank you so much for your input!

 

Wanted to add that I'll write back here as to the outcome, since you have been so generous with your time.