2009 mini cooper clubman, timing chain and valve seals

great white said:
I deal with the eurooean “wheel bolt” issue by taking a longer bolt with the same threads, cut the head off, round the end and use that as a “stand in” stud so I can hang the wheel, install 3 (or four) wheel bolts, untheead the temp stud and install the last wheel bolt.

A bit ginky, but it works without having to fight the wheel into postion and hokd it whike you try not to cross-thread a wheel bolt.
Click to expand...
Peugeot includes a locating pin it it's tire changing kit, here is a picture, cut off bolt will work just as well, but i've been doing it for so long now i always place my thumb over the bolt i insert when i lift the tire on the hub and just turn it till that bolt go in a bolt hole.
IMG_20230524_204438.jpg
 
GoceKU said:
Peugeot includes a locating pin it it's tire changing kit, here is a picture, cut off bolt will work just as well, but i've been doing it for so long now i always place my thumb over the bolt i insert when i lift the tire on the hub and just turn it till that bolt go in a bolt hole.
View attachment 448858
Click to expand...
Yeah, not so much if you’re female and 110 lbs soaking wet…she’s fully capable of changing a tire, but theres certain size and strength limitations that make it difficult to overcome an inferior design.

Like wheel bolts instead of studs….
 
I also confirmed my feeling that it was time to do the timing chain.

I didn’t use the measuring tool, but the adjuster was all the way to the end of its travel and the chain still had a fair amount of slop.

Zero clearance engine so this is a “just in time” repair.

BMW did release an “upgraded” tensioner with more travel, but thats a band aid at best on an engine thats already run out of travel on the original tensioner. Best to replace the chain and associated parts and be done with it.
 
Years of running my own shop have given me a fine sense of when to do the job myself or farm it out.

I just got my ‘97 F250 back from the shop. $2k to completely rebuild the front end including a new steering box and welding repair to an upper shock mount. Money well spent IMHO.

I always ask myself “what if something goes wrong and it breaks right after I think it’s fixed?” Something simple on top of the engine? I’ll do it myself. Something that requires hours of struggling underneath covered in dirt and oil that I can’t see and can barely reach? That’s a job for the shop.

Best was when I owned a shop with a 10k hoist and had an ace mechanic on the payroll but that was almost a decade ago now.

John
 
Valve seals done, cams re-installed and phased:

IMG_3105.jpeg

You can see the cam “jigs” on the rh side of the engine. They’re the black pieces that don’t look like they’re a part of the engine. They hold the cams in the correct postion for installing the timing chain.

What a PITB those seals were! Well, truthfully, the seals themselves were easy. I’m used to working on NA V8’s and such, where the stems, spring keepers etc are a decent size. Those things are TINY on this engine! I’ve seen chips come off the fly cutter bigger than the collets! Was a heck of a time trying to finagle them back into the spring keepers while holding the springs compressed.

This is actually the first time I’ve done valve seals without removing the head. I’m not going to say it was “easy”, but it wasn’t that hard either. Just a lot of fussy little bits. The tool kit I bought to do valve seals with the head still on the engine worked great:

IMG_3107.jpeg

I was actually surprised how well the cylinders held the compressed air I was pumping in to them to hold the valves shut. I’m thinking this little engine would do well on a leak down test, which is a good thing. Tool kit was money well spent, made the job not only easier, it actually made it possible.

Next (tomorrow) is to install the “valvetronic” operating springs, which will be a doodle with the special tool I have for that:

IMG_3106.jpeg

Sure, you can sort of “muscle” them into place with a modified big screwdriver, but having the proper tool is just sooooo much easier. Another money well spent item. Much better than getting one of those springs in the face or chest when your “improvised screwdriver tool” slips…

Then its on to the timing chain replacement.

I’m just taking my time and going at my own pace. Work when I want, sit on my “A” when I don’t.

Wife has her minivan to go back and forth to work, so no rush or urgency to get it done.

There can be times when its nice to have more than one (or two!) driving cars…
 
Last edited:
“Valvetronic” system back together:

IMG_3109.jpeg

And that completes the valve seal replacement portion of our program.

;)

Gotta say, if you don’t have the special spring compression tool before doing one of these, you definitely want to spend the cash on one. I think I spent somewhere around $125-$150 cad and it was worth every penny!

I watched a couple youtube videos on doing it without the tool and while possible, they were all a massive PITA compared to using the proper tool. Went a lot faster with the tool and I didn’t have to make up any new curse words!

Next up is the timing chain replacement. That will have to wait for tomorrow though. Doctors appt this afternoon….
 
Time to stop for today. Got the thing stripped down and removed the timing chain and guides:

fr_4247.jpg

fr_4248.jpg

I also puled off the Belt tensioner assembly and the weird water pump drive friction wheel assembly. It's nearly impossible to get to them without going this deep into the engine, so I'm changing them on spec. the car has somewhere around 125,000 kms on it, so it's time to swap them out for new.

Because I'm saving so much on the labor, I was able to buy all new BMW/Mini parts to replace them. to me, it's a false economy to tear it down this far and not replace things like tensioners, belts and hoses. I want to be able to send the missus out in this car and not have her call me in the afternoon saying "it's making a weird squealing noise".

Tomorrow I'll pop that crank seal out and replace with new and start building the timing system back up again....then a few more maintenance related items and hand the keys back to the missus.
 
Good work, i'll suggest a new oil seal for the crank pulley also rebuild or reseal the intake pulley. They are known to rattle on start up. Is this a 1,4 or 1,6 engine because the heads are identical, i've changed chain and guides, valve seals and valves on a peugeot 207, with the 1,4 bmw engine. Someone before me change only one chain guide and left the crank bolt loose it bent 4 valves. It was a rush job i did it in an afternoon, but did not get the cylinder head resifised and i reuse the head bolts, its still working i see it around town often.
 
GoceKU said:
Good work, i'll suggest a new oil seal for the crank pulley also rebuild or reseal the intake pulley. They are known to rattle on start up. Is this a 1,4 or 1,6 engine because the heads are identical, i've changed chain and guides, valve seals and valves on a peugeot 207, with the 1,4 bmw engine. Someone before me change only one chain guide and left the crank bolt loose it bent 4 valves. It was a rush job i did it in an afternoon, but did not get the cylinder head resifised and i reuse the head bolts, its still working i see it around town often.
Click to expand...
N12 = 1.6L

As I already mentioned, crank seal gets changed tomorrow.

What is the “intake pulley”? Theres no other pulleys on this engine besides whats in the accessories drive.

Perhaps you mean the vacuum pump? If so, its already been changed with a new one. Its also not on the intake cam but driven off the exhaust cam.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top