1. Was there a recall for R56S cylinder head cover (prior facelift models)?
2. What are the differences between the R56S facelift model and the model before regarding the cylinder head cover?

Reason i ask for alls this is because i was told that the facelift models cylinder head cover when placed on the older model, it fixes the issue of the R56S oil burning! There was a recall for this in Germany.

Can this information be a hoax? Anyone know anything about this?

 

Hasn't anyone heard of this???

 

Perhaps someone that lives or has mini friends in Germany might know anything about this?

 

Yes there was a recall on the earlier model Coopers - the problem had to do with condensation in the intake freezing the trottle closed - the engine would then stay in limp mode until the ice thawed and the enginewas restarted - it's documented in the 'Sticky' thread "Yellow engine light..."

As for oil burning, I'm not sure any redesign was to deal with that - the valve cover redesign on even later models ('11+) was more to deal with carbon build up on the valves from the PCV system - the cover was redesigned to better clean the PCV gasses prior to letting them get into the intake tract.

Cheers,
E

 

Here is what the latest part number for the N14 Valve cover looks like.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/11127585907/ES2601877/



Thanks

 

Would it be safe to say that when PCV passages get fowled with buildup the pressure relief valve opens with pressure and then engine oil is leaking out. Could that be the reason why engine oil is burned etc etc?

 

I'm not sure if the passages have been shown to clog... If they did, you would likely get a CEL and heavy external leaks.

PCV systems were adopted both for preventing explosions in the crank case (by sucking the blow by and other volatile crud out of the case) and to help reduce oil leaks (by keeping the case and valve cover at a slight negative pressure).

From what I understand, turbocharged engines burn more oil than normally aspirated engines because of the turbo itself and difficulties in keeping the oil in the bearings while they alternate from near 0 RPM and 50,000+ RPM with big pressure differences and changes on the air and exhaust sides of the bearing seals... It can't be an easy feat!

That said, many MCS and JCW owners (myself included) don't have to add significant amounts of oil between changes.

As for the N series engines in general, do they burn more oil than others? I can't comment. Mine is doing as well as my Integra did when it was new, and at the end with 218,000km on the clock, it was burning 1l per 1000 to 1500km.

All engines burn oil. ALL of them; unless it has run out of oil... Some burn more than others off the same assembly line.

Rant complete...
E

 

If all engines burn oil, how can there be owners, R56S owners that claim that they have never added any oil to their car. In this forum there are such owners and if they read this, plz speak up

 

If you did oil tests you would see the level is matained in a motor that "does not use oil" by a small amount of dilution from gasoline, and water from combustion....even a perfect engine will burn a tiny bit....period. Oil "use" for some folks is truely not an issue, depending on driving style, luck, and oil choice.....some controlable, some not.
One thing to consider...
A motor that consumes a bit of oil will have FRESHER oil when a test is done in many cases due to the added "make-up" oil added...
so having an moderate oil burner is not bad if you remember to check it...

 

+1

 

here is my take on the mini oil consumption issue:

it is caused by 2 items
first is the extended oil change interval
second is the SALES ASSOCIATES stressing to "top up the oil" to the full mark

i currently own 4 vehicles and an airplane ... everyone of them will consume oil if filled to the full mark yet none of them consume oil if i let the oil level fall to some point LESS THAN FULL BUT ABOVE THE ADD MARK

specifically

my 1971 cessna 150 holds 6 qts @ full, it will consume 2 qts in 3-4 hours of operation and then stay at 4 quarts, requiring me to add less than 1 qt to maintain the level at 4 qts until i change the oil at 50 hours of operation ... it has done this since new and has 1300 hours of operation

my 1974 R60/6 BMW motorcycle holds 3 qts, it consumes 1/2 qt in less than 200 miles and then stays at 2.5 qts requiring maybe a pint to maintain the level at 2.5 qts until i change the oil at 4,000 miles ... it has done this since new and has over 120,000 miles

my 1987 K75s BMW motorcycle hold 4 qts, and acts just like the R60/6, liking to run 1/2 qt low from full ... it has done this since new and has over 120,000 miles

my 1997 GMC sonoma 4.3 V6 does the same, but it like to run 1/8" above the "add line" ... it has done this since new and has 290,000 miles ... it still requires less than 1 qt added between oil changes at 5,000 mile intervals

my 2012 CMS ALL4 holds 4.4 qts at full, will consume oil til the half mark in about 200 miles and then consumes almost no oil until i change it at 4,000 miles ... at oil change the level is still above the "add line", requiring no oil to be added ... has done this since new and has 11,000 miles

my dad bought a 2012 CMS ALL4 demo/loaner 2 weeks after i got my cms all4 and HIS ACTS EXACTLY THE SAME AS MINE

on all of my vehicles, when i change oil, i do not fill to the to the full mark, but to the point each vehicle runs the oil level stable

on the CMS ALL4, that works out to adding 4 qts at change time ... i even requested the dealer to only add 4 qts when they did the first dealer change at 7,900 miles

scott