Hello, I'm a long-time lurker and first time poster.

My wife just got home - it's 104 degrees here in San Jose, and reported her Mini started running rough when she pulled up to a light. The yellow check engine light is on. I'm pretty sure it's only running on 3 cylinders, and will take it to a local parts store tomorrow to hook up a check engine light tester.

My instinct tells me a coil pack has failed but I really don't know. At idle it is rough but there are no other symptoms. The oil has no water in it (blown head gasket), there are no strange smells and everything else seems fine.

Ideas? I am having new Koni FSD shocks put on it this coming Wednesday, and if I can't figure it out between now and then will have it repaired at that time.

I will post feedback about the FSDs later in the week.

Ken

 

Update:

Scratch the coil pack idea I think. I pulled each plug wire one at a time and started the engine, there was no appreciable difference. When I took it for a drive it feels fine above 100 to 1200 rpm, and drives fine but I still think it's not firing on one cylinder. Call me nuts but it sounds like a Subaru WRX - an exhaust note that I do not care for. We do have the JCW software update, exhaust and air filter so it does sound better.

 

OBD II scan states no.1 cylinder misfire. Installed new Bosch coil (oem are Delphi), still misfiring. Swapped new coil to the other three cylinders and there is no change. One of the two OBD scanners did state the no. 1 plug was faulty. Off to get a set of plugs and swap them out.

 

Swapped out the plugs, gapped to .030", still no change.

 

Possible carbon build up due to direct injection, check if your getting spark, any smoke coming out of your tailpipe?

 

Problem diagnosed, and the news is not good. I pulled the plugs this afternoon and no.1 is very oil soaked. Either rings or a burnt piston.... Now the question is how much my wife wants to dump into this clubman. She really loves the car and will be bummed at the news. Time to research rebuilding cost vs. a factory long block, if they are available.

 

I have seen engines with a CHIPPED piston :( and a damaged non-repairable piston wall.

check car-part.com for short and long blocks.

where are you located?

 

Mini update: Mini of Stevens Creek (Santa Clara, CA) called to say the rings on no. 1 piston are toast and the cylinder is scored. Replacement engine (new, 2yr 50k mile warranty) is $12,195 installed. I figured $10 to $11k, so that's in the ballpark.

On Sunday the wife and I test drove a Golf GTI Autobahn and she loved it. Best no haggle price is Sunnyvale VW at $6,000.00 off MSRP. Not too shabby, no work required by me at this point. I should be able to get one for $30,800.00 or thereabouts. But I digress. We test drove the JCW Clubman manual trans next. Nice car. The wife has done a complete 180 on me, used to hate the Golf (it's boxy) - what, the Clubman isn't?

I asked her to humour me for a bit, and let's think big. In my little fantasy I ask Mini to meet me halfway at $6100.00 to replace the engine, based on the service record of the car (always serviced by SC Mini and Mini of Concord to their service schedule).

We're at about $9k in engine repairs this year alone - t.c. and tensioner, water pump, practically every engine seal and gasket and valve cover - this has been one expensive car to own. I asked if she would keep it and forgo the GTI for $6100.00. Yes, this is still more than her Clubman is worth but she absolutely loves the thing. She said no, let's cut the chord and get the GTI. Just then we drove past SC Mini and she made a little sad sound. I asked what was up, and she said she is sad her Mini is dead. I reminded her again that it could be repaired....

The dealer called today, and in response to my request for Mini's financial assistance when I dropped it off on Saturday, they offered a steep discount on a new Mini of our choice. They didn't say how much, because I told them no, we would go for the GTI if we replace it. The service writer told me he would contact Mini again and call me back. This young man has been absolutely awesome to work with both this time and with the last major repair, being instrumental then in Mini giving me a 50% discount.

He called back, and stated that he had Mini pull our service records for the car, told them we were a loyal Mini customer, yada yada, and then told me they offered to replace the engine for - 50% off! So that $6100.00 fantasy came true. Good on him, and good on Mini.

My wife will be in her little slot car a bit longer, and now i will get to see what a difference the Konis make!

Oh, the icing on the cake for me is that I asked if they would put me in a loaner until the car is done. The service writer agreed. I feel a bit cheeky, but know it is the right thing for them to do.

If any of you own Minis and have them serviced at this dealership, his name is Luver. He is a fantastic customer advocate, really going the extra mile and then some.

In the end, we are spending more than it's worth, but I plan on selling it before the next issue arises. If only I had a crystal ball......

 

that is quite a bit of money. I did a rebuild for a friend in MD and replaced the block and almost everything on the engine for with initial shipping to PA for 3500.

 

welcome to the mini dealer game. To think 2 years ago the entire crate motors were $3995. Its sad, but likely that there was so much carbon on that cylinder ring that it failed to make compression. Wurth Rost off chemical spray into that cylinder over night soak, run the ignition key a few cycles with all the plugs out and then reinstall. Change oil and then drive.
"ring is toast" is Minis way of saying to cash up. What they need to say is:
cylinder is failing to seal properly or ring is carbon fouled and bound up or ring seal is broken in pieces. There is no manual in print that shows " ring is toast" = new engine. Lazy service writers that work at mini, but that drive hondas and trucks say this stuff when they are on commission!!
Im all for your mini staying on the road, I'm just blown away that service writers have no integrity or technical knowledge to properly communicate to their paying customers. You deserve a proper explanation or a camera scope of the piston top showing a broken ring or a video showing how the cylinder wall is damaged. ANYTHING is better than what they failed to communicate to you.
Given all the work you have done this past year - you might up to simply RR the cylinder head and rering the block with the bottom of the engine still installed in the car.

 

900ss, check out the independent Mini shops in the area for a second opinion.

I have not been here but reviews on Yelp are very strong: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mini-werks-san-carlos

 

If you read my post I had the same issues with mine. Similar quote on the engine. 13k for me. I'm in San Diego. My issue was misdiagnosed and I'm starting to think it's a game for them to be able to sell more cars. After he gave me the quote I found the injector had failed open. The spark plug was soaked with fuel. I replaced the injectors and cleared codes and problem solved. Car runs perfect. Only thing is that my Cat converter got damaged and or the O2 sensors because of the excess fuel. Long story short, I got the Bosch injectors for about 260.00 from ECS which are the same part number as the Mini brand which are about 460 each. And I had to change the oil because a bunch of fuel migrated to the oil pan. Be careful with dealerships and learn how to diagnose your own cars. Recommend to get a scan tool. Good luck.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4329919

Tool is here also.