My buddy gave me a call earlier and asked if I would be able to help him install a new head gasket on his Mini Coop...Its an 03 type s, to be exact.
I am no professional, but I can figure most things out, I mean I have installed a fair amount of aftermarket parts and whatnot....exhaust, intakes, short shifters, etccc.

I told him that we would probably be able to do it, what do you guys think....Whats exactly involved?

 

I have never worked on a MINI Cooper, but have replaced ~6 head gaskets. On a OHC cam engine like the MINI, it's more complicated than a OHV. It's easily a long day job getting both intake and exhaust systems off, timing belt off, and associated other drivebelts. The actual removal of the 10 (I'm guessing it's a typical 10 bolt head) cylinder head bolts and head is fairly straightforward. You also have to drain the oil and coolant. When you remove the head you want to ensure no debris gets into the the cylinders. Also watch for any antifreeze getting into the oil (also not good). Once the head is off it's good to clean and prep the metal surfaces of the head and block with straight razors to remove any stuck gasket material. Reinstallation typically goes smoother, but be careful to get the timing belt aligned properly. Again do it on a weekend so you have plenty of time. Two guys should be able to handle this. Also sometimes getting the head loose after the bolts are out may require some taps from a soft head hammer and prying (most engines have some prying tabs along the sides of the block and head). Good luck!

Looking at this photo, I'm guessing it has a timing belt. Looks pretty tight.

 

I dunno but to get my head gasket replaced on my old '94 Integra was like $1000+

 

Like Legend said, there's a lot of work involved. You need to remove pretty much everything from the head, lots of hoses, wires and tons of hard to reach bolts. Plus you'll have to redo the timing and make sure nothing gets dirty and everything gets put back together again correctly.

I've done it a couple times of classic cars and even that was a pita. It depends on your level of experience and how confident you are. Personally I'd look around to find a low price on getting it done by a mechanic.

 

Lots of work. Keep track of everything (label if you have to). Just take your time. If you have access to all data or some other program it will be beneficial with certain steps.

Not really like installing a short shifter but worth a shot if you are up for the work.

 

if youre friend is asking for help it probably means he is not qualified to do such a big job. i would look for a cheap mechanic to do it.

this isnt a simple job.
you can warp the head
fuck up your timing
bend valves if thats wrong
and all around ruin the engine

 

The best thing to do is get your hands on a 2003 Mini Cooper service manual and see what the procedure is. Don't forget, that thing is BMW designed so there may be specialized tools required to do one thing or remove another, etc. If your experience is installing bolt-on stuff on other cars (like me), understand this is a whole new ballgame. Very involved, no room for error, plus that's the supercharged model meaning even more crap to deal with getting to the head gasket.

Just be aware of the false economy of saving some money tackling this at home, only to miss something and lunch the engine....turning that savings into a 5-fold bill for a new powerplant.

 

pay someone to do it.

PLus you need to have the head shaved.

 

I don't see how this is going to help...

 

haha.
He got quoted 600 somewhere and that was the lowest.

 

you have a point

 

do they perform quality work?

 

IDK. Its a friend of a friend kinda deal.

 

it's beamer made so odds is that it uses star types of bolts and sockets. real pain in the ass. my brothers beamer we have to take to my cousins because he has all of the special sockets and what not to remove the bolts. since it's an OHC and a tight area it's gonna be a shit ton of work.

we need to invest in a set just to work on that car.

 

And now the owner is shopping the work to the lowest bidder?

The opportunity for disaster here is widening. The best advice here is to have him find the best shop in the area and pay what it takes to do it right.

 

Is this an interference engine?
No way I would do this to my car with some
other rookie!

 

^ -

Even if it wasn't. Only thing I'd let someone do with zero experience is the heads on a 289 Ford or something similar

 

Find a mechanic..... And pay the little bit extra now.

Or get ready to pay the shade tree guy, then a down payment on a new engine.

 

I had a friend who was going to save some money and do his timing belt himself on his Audi A6 2.7T, he ended up blowing the engine, not sure if it was the heads and pistons or just one or the other, but it was enough that he could afford to fix it, it was over $9k in damage, all to save a couple hundred bucks.

There is a time to learn and a time not to, this is one of those times. If the OP's friend and him don't know what an interference engine is they really should not be doing this job.

 

HG jobs aren't something I'd do if I didn't have experience doing them on multiple cars and/or I didn't have someone who did it at least once on the same car or knows what they're doing. Tell your friend to get it serviced at a reputable shop

 

I agree to what's been said.. if you guys are going to tackle the job anyways.. check the timing belt / water pump service interval. If your buddy is close to replacement interval, you might as well get that taken care of as well.

 

For the love of god don't do it!!!!

My explorer now has a junk yard motor in it from my father and I replacing the intake gasket. The motor was in suck bad shape inside that we couldn't stop the debris from going places it shouldn't. That motor never built oil pressure again.

Who knows you might even lose a friend as well its things go bad

 

legend2tl, did you do hg replacements on acura legends? the head gasket on my legend blew in '06 and i got rid of the car. to get the hg replaced would have cost about what the car was worth.

 

Oh Freddie, we miss you.

Up the Irons!

 

And to play devils advocate even a first timer has to start somewhere. If you get your hands on a decent manual and dont mind getting dirty AND following the directions it can be done. Take your time, take pics and buy a bag of ziploc bags and label them and place the bolts you remove in them (and if you take pics write the pic # on the bag to make things easier)

 

I would get the manual and see what's involved. Then I would take a look at the engine compartment and see what you will have to remove. Then I would pay someone to do it.

If the gasket needs to be changed and the head it warped at all, you will have to shave the head. I'm not sure you will be able to do that on your own.

 

Thanks for the info guys....He has been in contact with a specialized Mini guy, and is going to take the hour ride tomorrow and see if he will be able to do the job. The guy wants to see whats up before he gives a price, and a definite yes or no if he can tackle the job.

 

No, never on the Legend. My 1G Legend had all the upper/lower valve cover gaskets replaced. They're nothing to replace compared to a head gasket. On either 1G or 2G Legend C motors they're a bitch to replace from what it looks like. On my Legend the most I ever tore it down was for 3 timing belt and water pump replacements.

 

Alot of folks here have given some great suggestions (replace the water pump, timing belt, get the real shop manual for the MINI,...). In terms of the risk I can see both side of the issue, I have seen a couple people over the years screw up a motor but the majority take their time and get it right. It's a risk but you gotta learn sometime and not be afraid.

Below is a photo to what my dad came home to after a business trip to the west coast when I was 16. Our faithful Toyota Corona timing chain tensioner went bad. So in order to replace it you had to remove everthing but the block to get the timing chain cover off. I called my Dad in California and said I could probably fix it, he said give it a try. So this was the first time I ever tore a engine down to the block. Took two days and my dad came home in the middle of it and looked worried that I'd gotten in over my head on this job. My best friend and I took our time and got through it, I was really relieved when it cranked over and started just like normal. Never figured out where those 3 extra bolts and nuts were suppose to go after we reassembled it but the engine ran OK until we donated the car.

 

Have your buddy get himself a MINI-specific Bentley manual.

 

Also... http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...-gasket-2.html

 

I would never attempt this on any car. Good luck if you guys don't use the shop though. BTW, how many miles are on the mini?

 

Thanks. I think he took a ride down to the shop today, but havent talked to him yet.
And somewhere around 68,000 miles. Its an 03'.