Do all gens of new mini blow there timing chains?

[A500leroy]

As above really, if I were to purchase one would it be prudent to get it and the tensioner changer asap? Is that an expensive job?

[Maracus]

Plenty of threads on here recently about this.

It's the gen 2 N14 Pre Facelift that has the tensioner issue, this was fixed with the LCI facelift (from mid 2010 on in the hatchback - the 184BHP N18 engine).

Part of the issue may well be the lack of care in regular checks of the oil level and oil changes as the N14 does burn a bit (according to the interweb). This is of course speculation

We've got an N18 Gen 2 and it doesn't need any oil top ups. In addition, I change the oil every 7-8000 miles.

[E-bmw]

Also, apparently the major issue with the earlier ones was the use of oil meant if not checked regularly, by the time you hear any untoward engine noises it was too late.

[rigga]

Very early tensioners relied on oil pressure only, later ones had a spring as well, there were I think at least 4 revisions of tensioner, but still didn't sort it.

[highway]

I got BMW to fit the revised tensioner when the Mrs 08 Cooper S went for its last service. We bought the car from the original owner who had given up driving when it covered under 6k miles, 2 years ago. Were charged around £180 for the revised tensioner.

[LeeHodges]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm having potentially similar issues. I took my car in to Quickfit (I know...) for a full service but they said they couldn't do it because they thought the head gasket had gone. I checked the expansion tank and it did look a little murky, but then it's not been serviced since 2014 (yes, I know...). The mini garage then said it's the gasket as it is overheating and wanted to charge us around £1,500. What with the alternator it also needs and we're in for around the value of the car. Now, my observations are:

- It runs badly (stuttering and down on power)
- The temp gauge is in the middle and doesn't go higher
- The coolant level is ok and stays that way
- There is a bit of water gunk around the bulkhead by the expansion tank cap after I drove it home
- It does get unusually hot when ran

The timing/low oil issue resonates because we've always had an issue with our Mini in that the oil light never comes on, even when we've found the level extremely low on the stick. This has caused us to run it too low without realising. So, I guess I am asking:

- Can a timing issue cause the overheating (the stuttering for sure) or is the head gasket likely to be gone? Likely both?
- Having heard various opinions on replacing a 54-plate mini cooper head gasket, how easy is it? I've stripped engines before, but not for a while.

Thanks, and sorry again.

Lee

Edited by LeeHodges on Friday 24th March 12:51

[mike9009]

LeeHodges said:

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm having potentially similar issues. I took my car in to Quickfit (I know...) for a full service but they said they couldn't do it because they thought the head gasket had gone. I checked the expansion tank and it did look a little murky, but then it's not been serviced since 2014 (yes, I know...). The mini garage then said it's the gasket as it is overheating and wanted to charge us around £1,500. What with the alternator it also needs and we're in for around the value of the car. Now, my observations are:

- It runs badly (stuttering and down on power)
- The temp gauge is in the middle and doesn't go higher
- The coolant level is ok and stays that way
- There is a bit of water gunk around the bulkhead by the expansion tank cap after I drove it home
- It does get unusually hot when ran

The timing/low oil issue resonates because we've always had an issue with our Mini in that the oil light never comes on, even when we've found the level extremely low on the stick. This has caused us to run it too low without realising. So, I guess I am asking:

- Can a timing issue cause the overheating (the stuttering for sure) or is the head gasket likely to be gone? Likely both?
- Having heard various opinions on replacing a 54-plate mini cooper head gasket, how easy is it? I've stripped engines before, but not for a while.

Thanks, and sorry again.

Lee

Edited by LeeHodges on Friday 24th March 12:51

A quick history

The original new MINI (2000-2006) did not suffer from timing chain issues. Issues associated with this generation are gearbox (on pre 2004 Ones and Cooper), steering pump failures (all), airbag lights (all)

The second gen new MINI (2007-2014??) only suffered timing chain issues and high oil consumption on Cooper S/ JCW models until around 2010. The other models in the range 'seem' more robust.

This is a rough guide to the issues and others will probably say there are other issues with each generation - but these seem the most prevalent.

Having said this I owned a 2007 Cooper S for almost six years and did not have an issue with the timing chain. I did have an overheating issue due to the thermostat housing failing. Luckily I caught it before further issues were caused. Mine did like a drop of oil too - but a simple fortnightly check kept that in order.


Mike

[rigga]

First Gen mini r53 did have timing chain tensioner issues, as they were often noisy, but was a simple replacement job to sort. My r56 jcw has had a tensioner a month or so after i purchased it, and now having the complete chain set replaced some 2 years later, there's a lot of BMW cars that also seem to suffer from chain issues, you'd think they could spec the right stuff in the first place by now.

[vikingaero]

I've just had the full camchain, tensioner, guides and pulley replaced on my N14 engined Cooper S. It's made a huge difference. Gone is the sickly rattle and the reluctance to change gear (auto) and it's like a new car. The tensioner can run out of adjustment and the plastic guides do break up. Cost was £600 inc labour and VAT at a trusted independent.

And the N14 does like a weekly slug of oil. My 2-300 mile weekly commute could use oil equating to 1/8th of the dipstick to a full quarter if the traffic was exceptionally bad. On my Cooper S I buy oil cheap from ECP/Asda etc for my fastidious twice weekly checks. Your average/fleet owner won't even lift the bonnet until the screenwash is depleted 6 months down the line.

[LeeHodges]

Well, regardless of what I do to the 54-plate Cooper (maybe nothing as it's on eBay as a spares/repair), my wife has just picked up a '07 Cooper from a Mini dealer. I was surprised (and maybe I heard wrong) that the service schedule is every 2 years or 18k miles. If the 54-plate was anything to go by then it'd be seized solid through lack of oil after six months...

[watchnut]

I run a diesel Mini one, I use it for teaching driving, I do about 30-35k a year and they are "hard" miles.....I have in 3 years never had to top up the oil, it gets serviced when it wants one, I am suprised when i hear so many people require a top up on oil......on all of our cars we never need a top up on oil......why do some burn the stuff and others don't?

[mon the fish]

watchnut said:

I run a diesel Mini one, I use it for teaching driving, I do about 30-35k a year and they are "hard" miles.....I have in 3 years never had to top up the oil, it gets serviced when it wants one, I am suprised when i hear so many people require a top up on oil......on all of our cars we never need a top up on oil......why do some burn the stuff and others don't?

There's a theory that if you run-in the engine hard when it's new, it seats the piston rings better, stops glazing of the bores, and thus ensures a better seal and no oil enters the combustion chamber. There's a lot on the net about this on various BMW engines.

I've had my R53 from new, it's now on 80k miles, and the only time it's used oil is after some autobahn abuse. I've now changed from 5w-30 to 5w-40 due to the age of the engine, and it doesn't use any oil. But I know that some do like a drink

Edit to add that I ran it in as per OEM recommendation - not thrashed as I mentioned above

Edited by mon the fish on Wednesday 26th April 08:24

[SlimJim16v]

Although less common, I've also heard of N12 engines in the One and Cooper having timing chain issues.
They also had revisions to the tensioner.

[zipimini]

A quick history

The original new MINI (2000-2006) did not suffer from timing chain issues. Issues associated with this generation are gearbox (on pre 2004 Ones and Cooper), steering pump failures (all), airbag lights (all)

The second gen new MINI (2007-2014??) only suffered timing chain issues and high oil consumption on Cooper S/ JCW models until around 2010. The other models in the range 'seem' more robust.

This is a rough guide to the issues and others will probably say there are other issues with each generation - but these seem the most prevalent.

Having said this I owned a 2007 Cooper S for almost six years and did not have an issue with the timing chain. I did have an overheating issue due to the thermostat housing failing. Luckily I caught it before further issues were caused. Mine did like a drop of oil too - but a simple fortnightly check kept that in order.






Mike

[/quote]


R59 Roadster with the later engine and it had a timing chain failure at 30240. Be very careful with ANY MINI.

[oilit]

I've seen a 2011 mini one with eml on and quotes from BMW for the vanos to be replaced, but a quick replacement of the vanos solenoids as per the fault code on inlet and exhaust sides fixed the eml problem and it didn't re-occur. I wonder if this is like many things - if you don't fix the root cause the problem becomes bigger.

Similarly on the gen 1 mini's the fan wiring had a capacitor built into the assembly which broke due to wiring getting corroded, that meant the low speed side of the fan didn't work, which meant the car ran hotter than designed - a simple new capacitor fitted inline can fix that and potentially stop the risk of overheating.

Both of these tasks BMW would charge a lot for (according to some forums), but the first one could be done for less than £100 and 30 minutes of your life, and the second about £15 and an hour and a half of your life.

I am also told the steering pump failure is often just debris in the fan stopping it from cooling the pump...

Northamericanmotoring has a very good mini forum for the diy'er