First time posting after reading through these forums for years, has been an invaluable resource!

Recently bought a 2005 R53 Mini with a blown engine with the intent to buy a used engine and swap it in.

Ended up buying a used long block with ~100k miles from Redline Autoparts to fit the bill. The listing for the engine stated that the cylinders had consistent compression at ~170-175 psi (saw a video of the test).

I've installed everything and I am now at the point where I'm ready to start the car up, but the engine cranks with no start. I have checked fuel pressure (~55 psi) and checked the spark at the plugs with an in-line spark tester. The main red flag is that I am only getting 15-30 psi across all cylinders (dry, still need to do a wet test).

The OBD is showing me a few codes: P0341 - Camshaft position sensor A - range/performance problem P0340 - Camshaft position sensor A - circuit malfunction P2303 and P2300 - Ignition Coil Circuit Low - Ignition Coil B & A, respectively. P0456 - EVAP system, very small leak detected.

In the process of installing the new engine, I replaced just about everything that you can/should replace. This includes all gaskets (head, valve cover, oil pan, supercharger, water pump, thermostat, etc.) and all sensors (Crank position, Cam position, thermostat, O2 sensor, etc.). Also replaced the battery, timing chain tensioner, spark plugs, coil pack, coil wires, alternator, fuel injectors, radiator, starter motor, put in an LSD, and likely a number of other things I'm forgetting.

At this point, I am suspecting a timing issue due to user error when re-installing the cam, timing chain, and tensioner. That will be easy enough to check, but I am honestly nervous to check because I'm worried the timing will be fine and I won't know where to go from here, haha.

Given the codes, it also crossed my mind that the new CAM position sensor I installed may have been a dud. I did get the cheapest one I could find on amazon... I have a used OEM sensor from AllMag ordered just in case...

Some other possibly relevant things that I did NOT replace with new parts include: the timing chain tensioner, the timing chain itself, the camshaft, the cam sprocket, the fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter....maybe also worth noting that I put on a 15% reduction supercharger pulley and higher volume output injectors...

I also had to gently wet sand down (~800-1200 grit) some rust off the cylinder walls (mostly in cly 4) to get it unstuck after it sitting for a while, but it seems unlikely that would have caused an issue...

Any thoughts on what else I might check for given this information?

 

Start with double checking the cam timing. If the valves are out of time then compression readings will be off. The cam error codes are a red flag too.

 

If you are only getting 15-30 psi compression then yes you have it out of time or the valves are bent.

 

Would cranking the engine while out of alignment cause the valves to get bent? Do they actually physically interfere with the piston head in these engines?

Thanks!

 

Yes if the timing is that far out. It can be slightly out or 180 degrees out and not bend valves. I don’t know how far is too far, but on a lot of cars 1 tooth off will be ok.

you need to check it and see how far or if it is out.

 

Well I was able to check the timing this morning and it was off by about 4 teeth.

I got it realigned, but then when I went to crank the engine manually, it would click about 8 times per full revolution, and by the time I got back around to TDC, the alignment was off by a few teeth. As I continued to crank, it continued to become more misaligned.

It seemed as if the tensioner guide on the side where the tensioner actually contacts was holding the chain firmly, but the other side there appears to be slack in the chain.

I've got a whole timing chain kit replacement in the mail, but any thoughts on what specifically might be wrong?

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Do you have a manual or watched any videos on the R53 timing chain replacement? It would help to explain what I’m about to write.

the R53 timing chain has two different colored links on one side of th chain. (be careful,the one I just put in my wife’s car had them in the wrong side ). You need to put the cam and crank on TDC. Then put the chain on with one colored link on the cam and one in the crank. There are three arrows on the (1) cam and (2) on the crank if I remember correctly. The tensioner should be out to do this.

reinstall the tensioner and it should be lined up. Rotate it over a couple of revolutions to make sure there is no contact between the valves and pistons. The colored links won’t line up again until you turn it over like 27 times. It sounds crazy but that’s it.

if needed, I can take pictures of the manual and send them to you.

 

I have watched some of those videos, so I generally understand what's going on in there.

But are you saying that the colored links are supposed to move in relation to the marking on the sprocket as the engine cranks? I was interpreting that as a problem, but are you saying that's normal?

In other words, I should align the colored links with the associated markings on the cam and crank sprockets to get things installed, but then once I start cranking, I should expect those markings to move out of alignment with each other?

 

That is correct. The first time I did this with my nephew I was like you. I think it took like 27 rotations before the links lines up to the original position.

 

Interesting. So just to be clear, are you saying I should go ahead and rotate it enough times to get them back into alignment with each other before I put everything back to together?

Or are you saying that it doesn't matter as it will continue to do that even once I have the engine running?

Seems so odd for it to do that, but if you noticed that too and it ran fine, who am I to question it. haha.

 

The book does not have you rotate the engine until it lines up again. I just told you that because the first time I did a timing set I was just where you are at. So I kept rotating until I got it to line up.

intall the timing chain
install the tensioner ( first push it into the reset position)
rotate the engine to make sure nothing is hitting
reinstall the timing cover and move on.

 

Ah right, of course. That was a bit of a facepalm moment... the sprocket's circumference is less than the length of the chain, so of course it will take a bunch of revolutions to get it realigned. For some reason I was thinking one sprocket rotation = one full chain rotation.

I'm still getting a "click" sound near the right side chain guide 8 times every revolution. It is consistent in the sense that the "clicks" are evenly spaced as I rotate.

I can post a short video later.

 

Did you do a compression check? No sure what the click is. Did you watch the valvetrain when it clicks? You might have a sticky valve or bad roller in your chain.

 

Update

I took the timing cover off and replaced the timing chain, the guide rails, the tensioner, and the cam sprocket. Made sure to have everything aligned. Checked everything thrice.

Also put on an OEM cam position sensor. Buttoned everything back up. Still no start. Getting a slightly louder sound when cranking (almost like partially burning fuel), but it still won't run on its own power.

I checked compression again, and now I'm getting 40-60 psi in all the cylinders, which is more than the 15-30 they were reading before, but of course still way too low.

I cleared the codes to see if anything new came up, and now I'm getting no codes at all. (how long would it take for new codes to show up if they were going to?)

At this point I'm at a bit of a loss given everything I've checked and replaced this far. The only other thing I thought to try tomorrow will be to put new gas in. It's been sitting for about 6 months, and though I did put fuel stabilizer in back then, it might still have gone bad?

Any other suggestions??

 

I am assuming he compression was a dry test. Did you try a small squirt of oil in the cylinders? If it’s been sitting for a while this may increase the compression enough to get it started.

I would also suggest a leak down test. When we had a Burt valve the compression test was good but failed the leak down test.

lastly if you don’t have the ability to do a leak down you should borescope it to see if any of the valves have made contact with the pistons.

 

Yeah, it was a dry test. I'll give a wet test a shot.

I do have a horoscope, how would I check at the angle to see if it made any contact? I can see the top of the pistons and they look normal. Should I try to fold the scope into a J shape and look up at the valves?

I had done a bit of looking around the forums about the valves, and it seemed like the consensus was that the 2005-2006 S were non-interference? Couldn't find a true "official" source on that.

 

That’s a tough one. The borescope that I have has a mirror to reflect the view upward but I wouldn’t put that in the cylinder.

you can go in from the exhaust or intake to see but is hard to see.

your best bet is a leak down test.

 

Well, after a leak down test things are looking pretty bleak.

Cylinder 1 - 40% leakage (no noticeable hissing anywhere)

Cylinder 2 - 85% leakage (obvious hissing air coming from dipstick tube and oil fill cap)

Cylinder 3 - 50% leakage (slight hissing air from dipstick tube)

Cylinder 4 - 85% leakage (loud and obvious air from dipstick tube and oil cap)

Based on these results I'm assuming piston/piston ring/cylinder walls are the most likely culprits, meaning I'm probably not getting out of this without another disassembly.

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Sorry, not looking good. Is there a warranty on the engine?

 

There is, but of course they are asking for a detailed timeline and a list of parts installed, tests done, etc. Not surprised, but will take me a bit to type that all up, haha.

Hopefully they are sympathetic given how much effort I've otherwise put in. We will see! Currently have an email exchange going with them now. Fingers crossed.

 

How did you make out on this? Did they warranty the engine?

 

Well, long story short, they gave me 50% of the cost of the engine back. Instead of buying a new engine, I found another R53 in better shape and have since used that car as a donor for all the other new parts that I had put on the previous one.

Ended up costing me a lot more than I ever planned on spending, but that seems to be par for the course around here! haha

Should have everything up and running by this weekend!

 

That sucks, one wonders how long it sat around max if they jsut left plugs out to have ruined the bores with rust.

because it shouldn’t have had any rust in it. At all.


but glad to hear it will be up and together soon.