MinkyMike

its mad I'm a computer specialist (been building gaming pc's since I was 8), but a class 1 truck driver(everyday job), not a car specialist, but I strive to repair what I can sometimes I feel like I take off more then I can chew but up to now I've always come up good.

Yeah mate just dobting my capabilities at repairing it.. but I'll do my best

I'm very hopeful if this doesn't work I'm going to have to get a another car, as I need to get to work and I've got no where to keep this one.. if its not running.. :/ which is a damn shame its been a good car.

right well, just waiting for the parts to arrive, just had an email saying some parts was unfortunately out of stock so an extra 4 days, hopefully she gets me to work until its done, might need some new plugs for the time being, I'm guessing this thing as been a slow progression but got worse so what's a few more weeks of using her. the nearest engine shop to me is Bromsgrove engine services, he reckons £70, and says he can get it back to me the next day if I drop it down in the morning. so.. going to go for it, they was on car S.O.S according to there website.. Car S.O.S. asked us to rebuild their engine for the restoration of a classic Mini Cooper. Sounds promising... only issue is getting it there with no car.. but have to cross that bridge when I get to it Car S.O.S Series 4 episode 9 episode aired on More4 on January 11th 2017 and can be viewed online. (sorry I cant seem to find it for free, its on disney+) if anyones interested

you don't know if there's a step by step guide knocking around on these forums of what to take off in what order? I don't want to take more off then I need to, I've been looking on YouTube there are a few videos on the not great quality and there all foreign as usual :)) like it seems unhook power, drop the coolant, remove the thermostat from the back on head, then do the injectors all come off in one? then inlet, then exhaust? then obviously head

thanks man totally appreciate it

oh bloody hell yes that looks nasty, is there any reason you would need to turn the engine once to head was off? that last post as totally puzzled me but I'm sure that's gonna be really helpful! once I get to that part! Brain Overload.. ! specifically the vale adjustment part, because I was reading the issues you had earlier in that other post and was quite confused. but yeah I can see that's really gonna help thanks so much for that info m8!

damn this forum is so helpful, i need to stay more active here!

yep, now im gonna have to order these, ocd too! :P thanks mate how many did you buy btw?

oh well head gasket kit ordered and new head bolts, just gonna do some phoning around tomorrow try find a decent machine shop.. how hard are these exhaust bolts to get out? I've got a big breaker bar and wd40 penetration spray. ill spray it tomorrow and keep spraying it until I do the job.

it might be a the slightest bit but over time...

I'm pretty sure its firing on that cylinder mate, I will update with the vag com results tomorrow after a good drive and that spark plug in a different hole, see what its saying, but just cleaning that plug up and moving it made the engine sound like it was running a bit better. if coolant is getting in there its gonna fire poorly isn't it

ah thanks mate, that's what I thought remember someone telling me if it pops when cold next day its head gasket.

just phoned MJA ENGINEERING, and they was like its £45 for a skim plus £20 if they have to remove the camshafts etc? I don't know confused me, plus they was like its £160 if the block needs reconditioning, i said how do i know if it needs reconditioning, they said you wont till we look at it! sounds like I'm gonna get screwed here,... this will be the hard part finding a genuine machinist.

yeah mate I did, there's loads of pressure in there the next morning after leaving it all night.

just a quick one the sisters brother is saying it could be faulty coil pack O.o, but i dont think so... any thoughts? i put that spark plug in a different cylinder and will run vcds on it and see if the misfire as changed cylinders

would a MOTIVE Cylinder Head Gasket Set be comparable to a temac gasket? its all i can see on eurocarparts as a set

I guess I can inspect them when its off, well thanks for the help very much appreciated, I'm gonna give it a go. (oh dear oh dear) What kind of place do I need to get to skim the head? a normal garage wont do this for me will they? like a car auto machine shop?

yeah, just been looking at that thread, mine too has hissing the next day when engine is cold taking cover off expansion tank, did you replace all the lifters there or just give them a clean, I'm also getting a nasty tapping noise at idle, which i figured is possibly them.. although i have not checked them

ah right that's not bad at all is it, so basically, I'd need 4 new spark plugs, a head gasket / kit ? new head bolts and a inlet manifold gasket? (try find somewhere to skim it) is there anything else I've missed, just gonna price these up, also thanks for the replies guys, very helpful!

what sort of cost did skimming it cost you mate?

also, its not a teemac gasket, I've looked in the corner and can't see that

Ah right, I didn't realise that, so no taking off the oil sump ect.. might be worth me having a bash at it then? not got much to loose have I

Yeah, I'm pretty certain it is, damn, how is it an easier job btw? Doesn't everything I've done have to be all took off again, doesn't the timing chain have to come back off to remove the head? Yeah the floor as been bone dry, I'm pretty sure its not leaking anywhere :/

Hi all, Well, The car has started running poorly, its still been loosing water out the coolant bottle, very slowly, but the idle as been sounding rough this last week so i plugged it in and got error code P0302, misfire on cylinder 2, upon taking the spark plug out, number 2 is visibly different from the rest, I've included pictures, would this seem to be proof water is leaking into this cylinder? Thanks Again, just done the cam cain and water pump, gutted.. The Left obviously cylinder 2, the other 3 look same as right one. (i did clean it up a bit before taking the photo, sorry!, there was like rust looking deposits on there, maybe dried coolant?) thanks again, if this is head gasket i think ill be getting a different car, its been one thing after another with this. and I reckon it'll be too much of a big job for me. Gonna go and cry, and get a frickin beer. FML