TOPIC: Mini update

Hey Vernon, I work at a Acura dealership and one thing I have saw on our turbo RDX was that we would get misfires by Non OEM spark plugs, ignition coils, and problems with the valve adjustment. Sometimes by other repair shops but mostly because of lack of maintenance. The valve lash has been proven on Honda and Acura's. I am just wondering if that engine needs valve adjustments and when was the last time ithat was checked. I hope this was some help and I hope you find the issue.

Yeah these Peugeot engines can be extremely tricky to diagnose. But I think I finally figured it out. The coil packs on some of them have been known to get weak. But since my spark plugs kept breaking, I always thought that was my issue. After about the 10th one I investigated it. I found alldatas torque spec was wrong. It was about then when I discovered the coil pack possibility. So I ordered new performance coils and put them on and so far it hasn’t missed at all. But im afraid my problem now is washdown that was caused by incomplete combustion from the weak coils

Peugeot? I thought they were BMW...or is it the same company now??

Washdown - I’m reminded of my uncle who self-diagnosed COPD on WebMD only to have a stress test indicate a partially blocked artery. Unfortunately red wine wouldn’t clear out those partial blockages, but he did only need a couple of stents rather than a full heart-lung transplant to get him breathing normally with his former energy level.

Drive the car with the snake oil in it, Vernon. Then change the oil and put more of the Snake Oil in with that fresh stuff. You’ll know shortly how much surgery you’ll need performed on that engine soon enough.

BMW owns mini, but 07- they got Peugeot engines for whatever reason. Now sure if BMW owned them to or not

I hope the snake oil helps the problem you are having. If you have time take that valve cover off and check that clearance for the valves . If they are not closing how they are supposed to then your compression test will be off. Let us know after driving 50 miles or so please. Hoping that my different way might help. Good luck brother!

The compression increased when I put oil in the cylinder in question

It's good advice/food for thought regardless, Vernon...but might be more appropriate if you HAVE to get into the engine.

(Washdown isn't the only possibility for cylinder damage - what IF the valve is burnt or bent or stuck ...or bent and stuck?)

You're not there quite yet, even if the car was abused/poorly maintained by previous owners, and I hope that it's still quite a ways off.

Right?

Vernon, in case you didn't know- there's another kind of compression test. You need a Leak-Down Tester. It's a compression tester with a pressure gauge or sometimes two guages, and a hose quick disconnect for an air hose.

With this setup, you rotate the crank to TDC on the cylinder you're testing, then screw the tester into the plug hole. Then an air hose from a compressor is connected to the tester. You then take a reading from the gauge, plus you listen at the exhaust tailpipe, the throttle body or carb, and thru the oil fill hole. This test gives an indication of where air is leaking, therefore compression.

It's been years since I did one of these tests, but it does give a more complete idea of condition, and helps pinpoint trouble.

hope this helps!

Tracy

I did the leakdown test. Put 60psi. in the cylinder but it only held 10psi. And it came out through the crankcase

I also stuck the scope in the cylinder again and had a closer look at the piston head and it looks like it is just the slightest bit oblong at the edges. Like it may be just a hair melted. Its hard to tell with the old scope we have

So my plan is to rebuild the engine sometime when I got time to tear it apart. So it’s anyone’s guess when I get the throttle body put on!

Plus one karma for good luck!