Hello everyone!

I've heard that this forum is super helpful so I wanted to run a scenario by you all... my mini is at about 55,000 miles and has just been diagnosed with a leaky head gasket. It is an '06 and no longer under warranty so the fact that the head gasket needs to be replaced is doubly unfortunate! I love my car a lot and have taken good care of her but money is tight.

I've heard that this is a common problem and wanted to know if anyone has been successful in having Mini remedy the issue--how did you approach them?

Thanks very much!

Hillary

 

system.http://www.moroso.com/catalog/catego...?catcode=22005

Hi. My 05 had the same thing. Also with the budget being small I was at a loss of what to do. A friend that races said that when they build all there engines they always treat it with this stuff. he also said that it would work and be perfectly safe for my minis engine. So I was not fully convinced and checked around a few shops. most said that they do not do the chemical repair but that in a pinch it would be fine. I also called and talked to the company and they also said that it would be ok and safe for my engine. Well the shop charged me 40 to put it in my car. I guess it is not totally straight forward pour in? Ten thousand and five hundred miles later still no more leak.
And I am knocking on wood right now!
Hope this helps you as it did for me. good luck.

 

The only thing that should go in your oil or coolant are oil and coolant.

If it needs a headgasket, just get it fixed the right way instead of bandaging it. It will just be more of a pain in the end.

Ive tried this stuff before, it never works. There no such thing as a technician in a bottle.



If your buddy builds engines and needs to put in a head gasket sealer right away, I wouldn't be asking him for advice on fixing your car.

 

With only 5K out of warranty I would see if your MINI dealer would help you. May and may not but it does not hurt to ask.
Good luck.

 

Was this diagnosis done with a compression gauge? Or just from brown oily stuff in the coolant tank? OEM coolant turns this way after a while....

 

I used a product called Thermagasket to repair a badly leaking head gasket after a brief overheating incident 6 months ago. It worked perfectly as advertized and The car never burnt another ounce of coolant after the treatment.

At least a dozen mechanics said it would never work. They were dead wrong. I saved a $2500 head gasket repair with this stuff. I have read about others attesting that similar repairs lasted for 50,000 mile or more.

Those who have never used it assume it is just the same old "bars" stuff that has been around for years for plugging minor coolant leaks. It is not. It is a 2 part epoxy that cures when exposed to high heat generated from the head gasket breach.

I think it works best for a head gasket breach that is allowing coolant into the combustion chamber, but no oil. (White smoke and sweet smell from the tail pipe).



Tom

 

Yep works great till the head DOES need to come off, or a cooling system repair needs to be done. Then, all that crap you put in there wont allow the head to come off, or you built up a lining of this garbage in the passages.



Just do it the right way. Half *** is half ***, even if it is some fancy pants epoxy.





Theres a saying in the world of automotive technicians.... pay me now or pay me later, and its very, very true.

 

how exactly did you determine the head gasket is leaking?

that seems odd unless you have overheated the car really badly. what typically goes on this car is the thermostat housing which is made of plastic and warps causing a leak.

 

Back to the original question, yes, Mini might step in and provide some goodwill extra warranty coverage. Politely ask your dealer if they will intervene on your behalf citing that you are only slightly out on one of the two parameters (mileage) in the warranty. My guess is that Mini will offer to provide the parts for free and your dealer might be willing to discount their labor a bit and make the whole thing palatable.

- Mark