Washer jets aren’t supposed to work every time - they only operate once per two or three operations of the windscreen washers. My BMW 130i is the same so I presume Minis use the same concept. Saves washer fluid, I imagine. Also - the cat…I have the same thoughts about my cat. A miniature, very friendly, lion…
At 18:25 when Nino starts messing with the charge pipe and the whistle changes pitch my dog came running in the room, looked at me as if the ask “What the F- is that noise?!!!”
Great video, and a smart trick I learned from a friend and mechanic. When you are working on the brakes hydrolics, depress the brakepedal and lock it in place before you start. That way you block the master cylinder whitch will let no fluid thru the brakelines. There"ll be next to no spilled brakefluid on the ground. Works great:)
The boiling coolant is caused by the coolant bottle cap. It is not pressurising the system enough. And it does not help that your low speed fan is not working. The low speed fan resistor needs changing.
Really enjoying watching these. First car Mini Cooper S, no experience at all with car's at all and I find these so helpful for when I give up or everything goes wrong!
For the hose clamps you can also use a wrench/spanner or socket to tighten them if you can't access them with a screwdriver, they are usually 7mm or 8mm.
My r53 done that but the expansion tank completely split at the seal, I retro fitted a tank from a Passat as it had the same pipe fittings and jobs a good’n
I can’t seem to remember in your previous videos if you bled the coolant system. On lots of BMW’s the coolant system needs bleeding to get rid of the air pockets. I believe air expands more than coolant does. Another comment also said the water pump might not be running, ánd it sounds like the fan doesn’t work as intended, only for the air conditioning. Hope you can get it fixed tho :) I love these Mini’s. I had a very troublesome 2011 R60 Countryman S which I traded in for a 2018 F60 Countryman S JCW and I absolutely love it
Yeah I bled the coolant system the first time around, and it seemed to work well right up until this catastrophe haha. I'll definitely have to check the water pump and see what's up with that. I'd love to have a blast in a JCW - always hear great things about them 👌🏼
I had a similar problem with the cooling system on my mini and I fitted a new pressure cap and it sorted it, your doing good and it never hurts to get some help.
It seems that the temp gauge only tells you what it thinks you need to know, mine boiled over and a minute later the fan kicked in as the temp it should have done and cooled it right down, this was confirmed via live data on a similar diagnostic tool to what you have
I had a Volvo with headlamp washers and they would only pop out every third wash of the windscreen. I ended up taking the fuse out for them as they used loads of fluid and I was forever topping the bottle up haha. Didn't affect 5 MOT's in a row 🤷♂️
As others said, change that coolant tank and get a new Oem cap. Fix your low speed fan with a new resistor or new fan unit, they are not expensive. Green gasket in charge pipe is a common fault at this age. Almost there!
New OEM cap from BMW arriving today. Very much hoping that solves the problem as it looks like the old cap was just failing and letting all the pressure out!
So damn close. At least the brakes seem to be fixed. I think you made the right call getting some help, plus I know whatever you find wrong will help one of us. Thank you
I had the exact same coolant leak on my 05 r52, it was a head gasket failure. I doubt its anything else! if it is it'll probably be worse (and more expensive) Overheated in exactly the same way. it would just dump all the coolant out onto the engine and floor :( Its so worth saving it though (dont get rid of it!!) Good Luck!
24:52 She canne take no more Captain...... she's gonna blow!! P.S. Asking for help from the more knowledgeable is NOT anything to be ashamed of. It is to be commended. Always learning.
You’re having the exact same issues I had with mine. Spent a lot of money rebuilding the engine then had loads of small issues but it was worth it in the end
I think with the amount of work that we put into these things it's going to be a given that loads of small niggles find their way through. Will definitely be worth it in the end for sure 👍🏻
It's a heat issue (car boiling over like that). The 2nd stage fan came blasting on, which means the coolant has reached 112c. Could be thermostat, could be head gasket, at worst. I had a really weird issue after I hit a bump in the ground. Somehow my 'snoot boot' came loose and I had an air leak on the hot side. It was causing the engine to overheat. It was actually too much air getting into the induction process resulting it an extremely red glowing exhaust and the car reaching 2nd stage fan time. So you might not be wrong with a leak somewhere in the boost system.
Hi Nino great videos, I'm sure you'll get it sorted soon mate. Love the cat comes out to watch though please make sure you wash away any antifreeze on the road as cats will drink it because it tastes sweet & it is poisonous to them. It causes kidney failure & can be fatal
As someone says below bud, the headlamp washers don't activate on every windscreen clean. They can be a pain to bleed air from as well - one of mine was disconnected for a few months whilst doing some work to the car and upon reconnecting it, it took around 10-15 cycles of the h/lamp pump to start getting fluid back in there and out of the end. One way to get them to fire on demand is to cycle the ignition between off and position 2 with the lights on, leaving a couple of seconds in-between. Might be an idea to have a battery charger hooked up though if doing this as this will prime the fuel pump each time and on these cars they pull a fair few amps from the battery. P.S. for the cooling issue - check your Stage 1 fan is kicking in - the resistors often fail and cause them to overheat. They're a pressurized cooling system as well so check the cap on the expansion tank. If in doubt replace it for a BMW original or a Stant cap. Check the expansion tank itself for any cracks / splits on the middle seam as well as this is where they like to fail - you'll likely see tell-tale coolant dribbles down the bottom half of the tank and the manifold heatshield if this is happening on yours.
Been looking through your vids. As just found you dont use those hose clamps as with the temp changing it loosebs them you need to get SPRING HOSE CLAMPS AS when the temp rises and the pupes expand they tighten automatically and when it cools it ajusts also stopping leaks that develop from thise clamps you are using
Just subscribed , last video was a good one . I have a r56 and I’m learning as much as I can with these N14 engines . So far so good . Enjoying the Mini content 👍
@@NotEconomicallyViable lol Nah I wish it was . Trust me when I tell you this , r56 has a brilliant engine , apparently a friend of mine works on r53s and he’s always says r53 are good engine . I think you was just unlucky with this one .
The brake cleaner test may not work well if you have a turbo, as the manifold has pressure, not below atmospheric, so it's not going to suck in brake cleaner very well, if at all. On the up side, the brake cleaner may spurt back at you from the leaking location.
I know this video is old and you’ve probably learned since but the head light washers only run on the first spray after you’ve just turned the lights on and maybe up to ten sprays later, it’s the same for more cars with head lights washers
Air lock is my thoughts. I hope you get to the bottom of it. I do know that it's not easy and it took me a few goes at getting the heater hot in the car before it was all good. Good luck. No shame in asking for help.
Wow... This mini fix is a real battle.... Subbed to your channel and enjoyed all the mini posts, if it was me the curseing and tool throwing would be epic lol and I'm buying my first R53 in 4 months 🤷♂️🤪
I'm going to replace the cap with an OEM item as a first port of call, but if that doesn't quite fix it I'll definitely look at changing the tank. Those aluminium aftermarket ones look sick 👌🏼
Nino at 26:15 - I think what you meant to say was “I think I should seek professional help… and possibly a mechanic” Hello to the lovely assistant. Flash backs to my first Mini R53 which blew the power steering pump, fluid hit the exhaust then caught fire and burned up on the highway as I was driving it. My wife was working from home and I called her after I got out and called the Fire Department. My wife looked up the traffic cameras and watched me watching the car burn on the side of the highway. I got a ride home that day in a real fire truck! The Fire Chief is a great guy and took pity on me so gave me a ride home. My wife met me us the driveway with tears in her eyes. She watched the car burn… then let me buy three more R53 and upped my life insurance policy. Wait a minute…. 🤨
Oh wow - that's quite the eventful Mini outing! I think you might need to check your wife's browsing history for anything related to fiddling with the power steering pump 😂😅
Nino I was told about the upper brake light if any bulbs are out it’s mot failure, however if it doesn’t work at all it’s not a failure. Strange I know. 🙂
Definately air pipes somewhere, vaccum pipes, .... Hope you get it sorted mate, your not that far from me, so if you ever need any help or a hand give me a shout, .. I'm in Brentwood and I've learned quite a lot about these Mini's ;-)
I'm sure on these minis your supposed to burp the coolent system, so after topping you leave the cap off to let the air escape. I'm no mechanic but I'm sure I saw Lee lockwood on RUclips do this. Also modamini is where he did it himself. All the best mate. And should there be a throttle body gasket too?
Yeah that’s how you do it. Took me a few times to work out properly the first time I did it. There’s a throttle body gasket that I replaced when I took the engine out 👍🏻
It'll probably be that green charge pipe gasket. Or its the bypass valve. The coolant leak will more than likely be air in the system or a dodgy cap. Look forward to seeing what the issue is. You've done well upto this point though. Don't be disheartened.
Yeah looking like it's the green gasket - will explain everything in the next video. Got an OEM cap for the coolant tank on the way and hoping it's as simple as that!
@@NotEconomicallyViable they are tricky bud. It’s easier to remove throttle body and small horn and push against it hard. You’ve done well though. Done some jobs I would need to build up to. Especially those brake lines 😂
Your allowed a bulb or 2 in upper brake lamp to be out. You can't change the bulbs as its a sealed unit and headlight washers only work every 5 or 6 squirts with windscreen washer to save water who ever moted your car hasn't a clue on how minis work
Hose down the coolant a bit sharpish mate as Panther’s do like to drink it.. Expansion Bottles are known to fail along the seam but I think that’s more of an R50 thing but check your fans are cutting in on both stages.
Just the right time to call in the experts. Good on you knowing when to seek help. I’m with others on the cap needing replacing. May as well do the whole bottle to be safe. Also, low speed fan needs fixing and if the whistle isn’t that green gasket others have said could it be the other end of that plastic tube you were fiddling with. Didn’t hear in the video but did you make sure to get flammable brake clean for the spray test? They sell non-flammable in lots of stores and that won’t work…done it myself 🤦🏻♂️. Keep at it bud.
Got a new cap from BMW arriving today - looks like the old one was not OEM and wasn't sealing properly. What do you reckon needs fixing with the fan? I'm yet to take on any electrical work so completely out of my depth... Yeah it was flammable brake clean, but I only know that because I just checked now haha
@@NotEconomicallyViable shame your so far away as I'd help out with the electric fan, check actual temp via diagnostic tool check the relays are ok and check fuses are the first things to do when it's up to temp and possibly boiling over check if there is power to the fan if yes then you might have a faulty fan if no then it could be relay or wiring fault, hope this helps
@@NotEconomicallyViable not a great high end video but here’s a quick guide to testing fan on an r50. ruclips.net/video/2MmVsNxNSYg/видео.html. May be the same on an R53.
@@NotEconomicallyViable not a great high end video but here’s a quick guide to testing fan on an r50. ruclips.net/video/2MmVsNxNSYg/видео.html. May be the same on an R53. If you’ve got an email you want to share I can send pics of a fan and wiring removed to give a more clear look.
Nino mini r52S/53 well known for header tank failure only solution is to buy a new one 🤨 The headlight washers only work on the first press with the lights on then after a wait period of - quite a while. Also they only spray if they come fully out, spray some spray grease on the ‘stalks’ you can pull them out by hand carefully Keep going it’s a good channel
Cheers, bud. Sounds like these headlight washers are just a bit weird like lots of BMWs. Mine seem to be working then really - might just have to educate the MOT tester before they start the test.
No shame to ask for help Nino. I’ve had to hand over my car on occasions as some jobs I can’t do. Hope it gets sorted in the morning mate 👍 Let us all know how it goes.
You could try and bleed the coolant system, it's as simple as unscrewing two bolts really. look up a tutorial and try that. The likely hood is that professionals will advise a head gasket replacement which may be around £1000 if you end up servicing a bunch of other things whilst the head if off. again try bleeding the system first, always thanks
Hey Nino, just about to watch on my dinner just wanted to say, I got a k+dcan cable around the same time as you as I wanted to read the faults on my 118d mainly DDE stuff. I found Inpa didn’t work well on anything but XP/vista 32bit, but I found the software a bit lacking as you did with scripts failing for certain modules. I eventually found a version Insta D + P and got that installed, a bit of a pain but so worth it. I managed to find that the car was just saying the DPF had no miles left on it, so I took it off cleaned it and then told the car it had a new one, touch would no DPF light since, just need to check it’s actively and passively regenning now. Deffo worth the effort to get ista installed and works on windows 10 no issues. Let me know if you need any help with it. Cheers
Ahh that's good to know. I was installing INPA on a Windows 7 laptop 64-bit, so looks like I fall right in the middle of the two softwares lol. Just seen that I can get ISTA D+P pretty easily, so might give that a go. Cheers bud 👍🏻
i did a head gasket replacement on my r53 in my mums driveway when i was home from Uni. Given time, a torque wrench, the mod a mini tutorial, and a very basic level of mechanical skill you can do it yourself.
@@NotEconomicallyViable yes mate likewise, ive done some pretty big jobs on mine with those videos. I have saved 1000's of pounds by doing it myself. I had never done anything more technical than replace brake pads and discs when i did my head gasket and its its still running strong
I agree, that American modmini explains every step really well, I've successfully changed the headgasket on 2 mini r50's I've got, a great teacher that guy is.@@NotEconomicallyViable
Regarding the coolant - check the coolant bottle for cracks, and hoses for splits. Leaked coolant will often leave crystalline deposits around the area of the leak; in this case it’ll be bright blue👍 But, if it was getting very hot, it might have over-pressurised and pushed a lot of the coolant out of the bottle without there being any obvious damage to anything However…it may also be over-pressurising because of head gasket failure, so watch out for that. Buy a head gasket tester kit, just to be certain.
I'm hoping it's something as simple as a dodgy coolant bottle, or the cap. A head gasket issue sounds like it'd be expensive and hard work haha. Will definitely test it though 👍🏻
make sure you clean that coolant up if this ever happens again mate it, as if your cat licks/drinks it, it'll kill it :( it's got a sweet scent/taste etc and animals are attracted to it and it's majorly poisonous :(
It sounded like the cooling fan didn't kick in on stage 1 and only stage 2 is working. Turn the AC on and see if the cooling fan cycles on and off at high speed. It's an indication that the low speed resistor has failed which means the fan only works on high speed. A really common failure and could be contributing to your "overheating" problem?
Thanks for the advice, Richard. Is replacing the resistor an easy job. At this point I've done zero electrical work and it fills me with the fear lol. Gotta give it a go at some point though!
@@NotEconomicallyViable There's a cheap fix where you splice a new resistor into the high speed circuit (I found this video on RUclips ruclips.net/video/XsowO9efYYs/видео.html). It looks pretty straightforward. You can replace the resistor pack but that's more awkward to get to. I had the whole fan assembly replaced by a garage as it was going in for other work anyway.
Mate, no wonder you have all this bad luck with that black cat crossing you path all the time! Lol Are gonna check your head gasket? Also been meaning to ask, are you going to do or the supercharger service once everything is sorted? Keep faith mate!
That cat crosses my path multiple times a day 😅 Yep, will check the head gasket for sure and will keep my fingers crossed it isn't that! I actually serviced the supercharger when the engine was out. Vid here: ruclips.net/video/2DLgcAM0TeU/видео.html
If you decide to do it yourself... 1. Check for leaks first (the smallest leaks makes the cooling system go crazy) 2. See if your low speed fan is working (I think I only hear your high speed fan working in the video. So it's possible your resistor is gone) 3. If all of the above checks out well: Bleed the cooling system as follows. a. (with the overflow tank cap on)Turn the car on when cold let it come upto operating temperature. b. Remove the overflow tank cap slowly. Then crack the bleed nipple on he upper radiator hose slowly until all the air bubble come out. Keep filling the overflow tank with fluid. Good luck!
Love the videos. Can you do me a favour and not sit with your legs under the car I can just see a bad accident happening. I used to do it myself and a car fell off the stands and I just got out of the way. Just be safe and keep up the good work.
Hey Nino, minis run hot, mine runs 106 - 108C. This is above boiling point, the system is pressurised lowering the coolant boiling point when under pressure. Looks like your expansion tank let go at the seam halfway up the tank thus reducing system pressure, causing the system to boil over. Add the lean condition as you described the cooling system would be hotter... The seam is a weak point on the expansion tank and is a well known failure point on minis. Good luck with the boost leak, using a section of heater hose one end against your ear & the other moving around the engine will pinpoint where the leak is, it does work..... Simulates a stethoscope, give it a go... 👍
I literally just read about the coolant being above boiling in my automotive textbook (yes I have one and read it haha 🤓). Looks like the cap failed, resulting in the loss of pressure and then the coolant boiling suddenly. Got a new OEM cap on the way and hoping that sorts it (along with fixing the boost leak). If it's not the cap then will definitely look at replacing the whole tank 👍🏻
It was way louder in real life haha. Got a new cap on its way - hoping it's just that before fitting a new tank. Thanks for the offer mate, will let you know if I need to call it in 👍🏻
I hated the piles of junk before your first Mini video, total rubbish. I didnt want one before and now after watching these videos you can scrap the bloody lot of them
Washer jets aren’t supposed to work every time - they only operate once per two or three operations of the windscreen washers. My BMW 130i is the same so I presume Minis use the same concept. Saves washer fluid, I imagine.
Also - the cat…I have the same thoughts about my cat. A miniature, very friendly, lion…
Ahh interesting. I imagine the MOT tester didn't know that either lol.
Glad I'm not the only one that finds the concept of a cat a bit odd 😂
Harry's right. The lights need to be on, and every third window wash, the headlights will wash.
@@msirazer2702 On some vehicles you can do it with a quick double operation of the screenwash.
At 18:25 when Nino starts messing with the charge pipe and the whistle changes pitch my dog came running in the room, looked at me as if the ask “What the F- is that noise?!!!”
Great video, and a smart trick I learned from a friend and mechanic. When you are working on the brakes hydrolics, depress the brakepedal and lock it in place before you start. That way you block the master cylinder whitch will let no fluid thru the brakelines. There"ll be next to no spilled brakefluid on the ground. Works great:)
Top tip for the future. wedge the brake pedal down before disconnecting any brake hose or pipe. After the initial spurt you won't lose more fluid.
Also, a hose clamp on the flex-pipe!
That power bleeder has paid for itself! Lost count the amount of times it has made an appearance!! 😂 Loving the video, watching from old to new 🤙
The boiling coolant is caused by the coolant bottle cap. It is not pressurising the system enough. And it does not help that your low speed fan is not working. The low speed fan resistor needs changing.
Yeah looks like that could have been the issue. Lots of people been telling me that the coolant bottles and caps on these R53s are a known weak spot!
Really enjoying watching these. First car Mini Cooper S, no experience at all with car's at all and I find these so helpful for when I give up or everything goes wrong!
For the hose clamps you can also use a wrench/spanner or socket to tighten them if you can't access them with a screwdriver, they are usually 7mm or 8mm.
My r53 done that but the expansion tank completely split at the seal, I retro fitted a tank from a Passat as it had the same pipe fittings and jobs a good’n
I can’t seem to remember in your previous videos if you bled the coolant system. On lots of BMW’s the coolant system needs bleeding to get rid of the air pockets. I believe air expands more than coolant does.
Another comment also said the water pump might not be running, ánd it sounds like the fan doesn’t work as intended, only for the air conditioning. Hope you can get it fixed tho :) I love these Mini’s. I had a very troublesome 2011 R60 Countryman S which I traded in for a 2018 F60 Countryman S JCW and I absolutely love it
Yeah I bled the coolant system the first time around, and it seemed to work well right up until this catastrophe haha. I'll definitely have to check the water pump and see what's up with that. I'd love to have a blast in a JCW - always hear great things about them 👌🏼
I had a similar problem with the cooling system on my mini and I fitted a new pressure cap and it sorted it, your doing good and it never hurts to get some help.
Cheers, Paul. Got an OEM cap on its way - really hoping it's as simple as that!
It seems that the temp gauge only tells you what it thinks you need to know, mine boiled over and a minute later the fan kicked in as the temp it should have done and cooled it right down, this was confirmed via live data on a similar diagnostic tool to what you have
I had a Volvo with headlamp washers and they would only pop out every third wash of the windscreen. I ended up taking the fuse out for them as they used loads of fluid and I was forever topping the bottle up haha. Didn't affect 5 MOT's in a row 🤷♂️
The headlight washer jets work every 4th pull with the headlights on or something like that.
As others said, change that coolant tank and get a new Oem cap. Fix your low speed fan with a new resistor or new fan unit, they are not expensive. Green gasket in charge pipe is a common fault at this age. Almost there!
New OEM cap from BMW arriving today. Very much hoping that solves the problem as it looks like the old cap was just failing and letting all the pressure out!
So damn close. At least the brakes seem to be fixed. I think you made the right call getting some help, plus I know whatever you find wrong will help one of us. Thank you
Yeah I've got a few things to talk about in the next video that should help others for sure 👍🏻
I had the exact same coolant leak on my 05 r52, it was a head gasket failure. I doubt its anything else! if it is it'll probably be worse (and more expensive)
Overheated in exactly the same way. it would just dump all the coolant out onto the engine and floor :(
Its so worth saving it though (dont get rid of it!!)
Good Luck!
24:52 She canne take no more Captain...... she's gonna blow!!
P.S. Asking for help from the more knowledgeable is NOT anything to be ashamed of. It is to be commended. Always learning.
Just subscribed bud! Good luck these bloody wee jobs that are meant to be simple always turn out to be a headache, fairplay to ya keep going!
Haha this whole project was just supposed to be a simple job. I only really intended to fix the engine rattle and ended up half restoring the car 😂
You’re having the exact same issues I had with mine. Spent a lot of money rebuilding the engine then had loads of small issues but it was worth it in the end
I think with the amount of work that we put into these things it's going to be a given that loads of small niggles find their way through. Will definitely be worth it in the end for sure 👍🏻
Loving this, you're living my life that I'd love crawling over cars.... well done Nino... keep it up buddy!
It's a heat issue (car boiling over like that). The 2nd stage fan came blasting on, which means the coolant has reached 112c. Could be thermostat, could be head gasket, at worst. I had a really weird issue after I hit a bump in the ground. Somehow my 'snoot boot' came loose and I had an air leak on the hot side. It was causing the engine to overheat. It was actually too much air getting into the induction process resulting it an extremely red glowing exhaust and the car reaching 2nd stage fan time. So you might not be wrong with a leak somewhere in the boost system.
Love those light washers!
On both of my Volvo the headlamp washer only turns on every 3:rd time i use the windscreenwasher.
Hi Nino great videos, I'm sure you'll get it sorted soon mate. Love the cat comes out to watch though please make sure you wash away any antifreeze on the road as cats will drink it because it tastes sweet & it is poisonous to them. It causes kidney failure & can be fatal
Thanks for letting me know about that, Simon. Hosed the area down good and proper 👍🏻
Hi Nino. Remove/change the Thermostat. Or bleed the Coolant System. It may be due to an Air Lock. 👍👍
Cheers bud will take a look 👍🏻
It's good to anneal the copper washers before use
As someone says below bud, the headlamp washers don't activate on every windscreen clean. They can be a pain to bleed air from as well - one of mine was disconnected for a few months whilst doing some work to the car and upon reconnecting it, it took around 10-15 cycles of the h/lamp pump to start getting fluid back in there and out of the end.
One way to get them to fire on demand is to cycle the ignition between off and position 2 with the lights on, leaving a couple of seconds in-between. Might be an idea to have a battery charger hooked up though if doing this as this will prime the fuel pump each time and on these cars they pull a fair few amps from the battery.
P.S. for the cooling issue - check your Stage 1 fan is kicking in - the resistors often fail and cause them to overheat. They're a pressurized cooling system as well so check the cap on the expansion tank. If in doubt replace it for a BMW original or a Stant cap. Check the expansion tank itself for any cracks / splits on the middle seam as well as this is where they like to fail - you'll likely see tell-tale coolant dribbles down the bottom half of the tank and the manifold heatshield if this is happening on yours.
That's quite a quirky system haha. It sounds like mine are working just fine then - just need to educate the MOT tester next time around
Been looking through your vids. As just found you dont use those hose clamps as with the temp changing it loosebs them you need to get SPRING HOSE CLAMPS AS when the temp rises and the pupes expand they tighten automatically and when it cools it ajusts also stopping leaks that develop from thise clamps you are using
Just subscribed , last video was a good one . I have a r56 and I’m learning as much as I can with these N14 engines . So far so good . Enjoying the Mini content 👍
Cheers bud. Good luck with the R56. From what I've heard they're a bit easier to work on than these R53s. Just. 😅
@@NotEconomicallyViable lol Nah I wish it was . Trust me when I tell you this , r56 has a brilliant engine , apparently a friend of mine works on r53s and he’s always says r53 are good engine . I think you was just unlucky with this one .
Wedge pedal down with lump of wood-stops brake fluid coming out when disconnected
The brake cleaner test may not work well if you have a turbo, as the manifold has pressure, not below atmospheric, so it's not going to suck in brake cleaner very well, if at all. On the up side, the brake cleaner may spurt back at you from the leaking location.
I know this video is old and you’ve probably learned since but the head light washers only run on the first spray after you’ve just turned the lights on and maybe up to ten sprays later, it’s the same for more cars with head lights washers
Air lock is my thoughts. I hope you get to the bottom of it. I do know that it's not easy and it took me a few goes at getting the heater hot in the car before it was all good.
Good luck. No shame in asking for help.
Hi mate. I'd replace expansion tank cap (as others have said) but also your temperature sensor. If this is duff causes all kinds of weirdness.
Cheers, Rob. Got a new cap on its way. If that doesn't solve the issue then will take a look at the temperature sensor 👍🏻
Nino, put the heater on full hot and max fan, up to windscreen, also keep opening the bleed screw on the hose In front of radiator, good luck
Cheers mate will give that a go!
Mate you really jump down some rabbit holes Great work Kirbside auto's 👍
I'm not 100% sure, bud. I'll have to take a look
Wow... This mini fix is a real battle.... Subbed to your channel and enjoyed all the mini posts, if it was me the curseing and tool throwing would be epic lol and I'm buying my first R53 in 4 months 🤷♂️🤪
Subscribed on the back of this one & your assistant
If you turn off the lights then back on the headlight washers will work every time.
The Police pulled me a few weeks ago for a brake light bulb out...they told me the high level brake light is not part of the MOT?
I've read the same as well. He can disconnect it and it will no longer be a fail.
There's so much conflicting info on this high level brake light. I think all these 'officials' are just making it all up as they go haha
Those plastic tanks are known to be a problem with cracks,there are aluminum aftermarket ones
I'm going to replace the cap with an OEM item as a first port of call, but if that doesn't quite fix it I'll definitely look at changing the tank. Those aluminium aftermarket ones look sick 👌🏼
Your face when it all went wrong with the coolant 😂😂🙈
😅
Nino at 26:15 - I think what you meant to say was “I think I should seek professional help… and possibly a mechanic”
Hello to the lovely assistant.
Flash backs to my first Mini R53 which blew the power steering pump, fluid hit the exhaust then caught fire and burned up on the highway as I was driving it. My wife was working from home and I called her after I got out and called the Fire Department. My wife looked up the traffic cameras and watched me watching the car burn on the side of the highway. I got a ride home that day in a real fire truck! The Fire Chief is a great guy and took pity on me so gave me a ride home. My wife met me us the driveway with tears in her eyes. She watched the car burn… then let me buy three more R53 and upped my life insurance policy. Wait a minute…. 🤨
Oh wow - that's quite the eventful Mini outing! I think you might need to check your wife's browsing history for anything related to fiddling with the power steering pump 😂😅
well done for getting this far, when bleeding the cooling system did you open the 8mm bleed screw by the thermostat ?
Cheers bud. I didn't know there was a bleed screw by the thermostat 😅 I have just been bleeding it using the screw in the upper coolant hose
Nino I was told about the upper brake light if any bulbs are out it’s mot failure, however if it doesn’t work at all it’s not a failure. Strange I know. 🙂
Haha who comes up with these rules??? I might just unplug it then for the next test 😅
@@NotEconomicallyViable maybe check with someone first 🙂
Definately air pipes somewhere, vaccum pipes, .... Hope you get it sorted mate, your not that far from me, so if you ever need any help or a hand give me a shout, .. I'm in Brentwood and I've learned quite a lot about these Mini's ;-)
Very kind offer, mate. I'll take you up on that should the need arise 👍🏻
You have the patience of a saint..
I'm sure on these minis your supposed to burp the coolent system, so after topping you leave the cap off to let the air escape. I'm no mechanic but I'm sure I saw Lee lockwood on RUclips do this.
Also modamini is where he did it himself. All the best mate. And should there be a throttle body gasket too?
Yeah that’s how you do it. Took me a few times to work out properly the first time I did it. There’s a throttle body gasket that I replaced when I took the engine out 👍🏻
It'll probably be that green charge pipe gasket. Or its the bypass valve. The coolant leak will more than likely be air in the system or a dodgy cap. Look forward to seeing what the issue is. You've done well upto this point though. Don't be disheartened.
Yeah looking like it's the green gasket - will explain everything in the next video. Got an OEM cap for the coolant tank on the way and hoping it's as simple as that!
@@NotEconomicallyViable they are tricky bud. It’s easier to remove throttle body and small horn and push against it hard. You’ve done well though. Done some jobs I would need to build up to. Especially those brake lines 😂
The third brake light is not imperative in an MOT test.
What a fantastic experience
It the green rubber seal in the plastic charger pipe when threw that took me two weeks to find it
Looks like you were right bud 👍🏻 Will go into detail in the next video
Your allowed a bulb or 2 in upper brake lamp to be out. You can't change the bulbs as its a sealed unit and headlight washers only work every 5 or 6 squirts with windscreen washer to save water who ever moted your car hasn't a clue on how minis work
Thanks for the info bud. Might have to tell the next MOT tester about the washers before they do the test
Hose down the coolant a bit sharpish mate as Panther’s do like to drink it.. Expansion Bottles are known to fail along the seam but I think that’s more of an R50 thing but check your fans are cutting in on both stages.
Thanks for letting me know mate - all hosed down and panther-friendly once again.
Just the right time to call in the experts. Good on you knowing when to seek help. I’m with others on the cap needing replacing. May as well do the whole bottle to be safe. Also, low speed fan needs fixing and if the whistle isn’t that green gasket others have said could it be the other end of that plastic tube you were fiddling with. Didn’t hear in the video but did you make sure to get flammable brake clean for the spray test? They sell non-flammable in lots of stores and that won’t work…done it myself 🤦🏻♂️. Keep at it bud.
Got a new cap from BMW arriving today - looks like the old one was not OEM and wasn't sealing properly. What do you reckon needs fixing with the fan? I'm yet to take on any electrical work so completely out of my depth...
Yeah it was flammable brake clean, but I only know that because I just checked now haha
@@NotEconomicallyViable shame your so far away as I'd help out with the electric fan, check actual temp via diagnostic tool check the relays are ok and check fuses are the first things to do when it's up to temp and possibly boiling over check if there is power to the fan if yes then you might have a faulty fan if no then it could be relay or wiring fault, hope this helps
@@NotEconomicallyViable not a great high end video but here’s a quick guide to testing fan on an r50. ruclips.net/video/2MmVsNxNSYg/видео.html. May be the same on an R53.
@@NotEconomicallyViable not a great high end video but here’s a quick guide to testing fan on an r50. ruclips.net/video/2MmVsNxNSYg/видео.html. May be the same on an R53. If you’ve got an email you want to share I can send pics of a fan and wiring removed to give a more clear look.
Nino mini r52S/53 well known for header tank failure only solution is to buy a new one 🤨
The headlight washers only work on the first press with the lights on then after a wait period of - quite a while. Also they only spray if they come fully out, spray some spray grease on the ‘stalks’ you can pull them out by hand carefully
Keep going it’s a good channel
Cheers, bud. Sounds like these headlight washers are just a bit weird like lots of BMWs. Mine seem to be working then really - might just have to educate the MOT tester before they start the test.
No shame to ask for help Nino. I’ve had to hand over my car on occasions as some jobs I can’t do.
Hope it gets sorted in the morning mate 👍 Let us all know how it goes.
Cheers mate. Hoping to have all the answers in the next video 👍🏻
Well done assistance 😂
You could try and bleed the coolant system, it's as simple as unscrewing two bolts really. look up a tutorial and try that. The likely hood is that professionals will advise a head gasket replacement which may be around £1000 if you end up servicing a bunch of other things whilst the head if off.
again try bleeding the system first, always
thanks
The car should have not failed on the headlight cleaning device it only comes into force from vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2009
Ahh interesting. One thing I've learned during all this is just how open to interpretation the MOT rules seem to be
Hey Nino, just about to watch on my dinner just wanted to say, I got a k+dcan cable around the same time as you as I wanted to read the faults on my 118d mainly DDE stuff. I found Inpa didn’t work well on anything but XP/vista 32bit, but I found the software a bit lacking as you did with scripts failing for certain modules. I eventually found a version Insta D + P and got that installed, a bit of a pain but so worth it. I managed to find that the car was just saying the DPF had no miles left on it, so I took it off cleaned it and then told the car it had a new one, touch would no DPF light since, just need to check it’s actively and passively regenning now. Deffo worth the effort to get ista installed and works on windows 10 no issues. Let me know if you need any help with it. Cheers
Ahh that's good to know. I was installing INPA on a Windows 7 laptop 64-bit, so looks like I fall right in the middle of the two softwares lol. Just seen that I can get ISTA D+P pretty easily, so might give that a go. Cheers bud 👍🏻
Think you need to check slow speed cooling fan there is a mod you can make with a external resistor
Cheers bud will take a look 👍🏻
U r doing a great job it's alright 👍 to ask for help buddy 😅😅😅
Only just come across your channel,did you get the mini sorted in the end
i did a head gasket replacement on my r53 in my mums driveway when i was home from Uni. Given time, a torque wrench, the mod a mini tutorial, and a very basic level of mechanical skill you can do it yourself.
Good to know. I owe so much of this build to that Mod A Mini channel!
@@NotEconomicallyViable yes mate likewise, ive done some pretty big jobs on mine with those videos. I have saved 1000's of pounds by doing it myself. I had never done anything more technical than replace brake pads and discs when i did my head gasket and its its still running strong
I agree, that American modmini explains every step really well, I've successfully changed the headgasket on 2 mini r50's I've got, a great teacher that guy is.@@NotEconomicallyViable
Regarding the coolant - check the coolant bottle for cracks, and hoses for splits. Leaked coolant will often leave crystalline deposits around the area of the leak; in this case it’ll be bright blue👍
But, if it was getting very hot, it might have over-pressurised and pushed a lot of the coolant out of the bottle without there being any obvious damage to anything
However…it may also be over-pressurising because of head gasket failure, so watch out for that. Buy a head gasket tester kit, just to be certain.
I'm hoping it's something as simple as a dodgy coolant bottle, or the cap. A head gasket issue sounds like it'd be expensive and hard work haha. Will definitely test it though 👍🏻
Turn the clamp around so it will face outward
A smoke machine and pump smoke in anywhere smoke comes out is where your air leak is
Get soapy water and spray where you think it's from, the air 2ill cause the soapycwater to bubble
make sure you clean that coolant up if this ever happens again mate it, as if your cat licks/drinks it, it'll kill it :( it's got a sweet scent/taste etc and animals are attracted to it and it's majorly poisonous :(
It sounded like the cooling fan didn't kick in on stage 1 and only stage 2 is working. Turn the AC on and see if the cooling fan cycles on and off at high speed. It's an indication that the low speed resistor has failed which means the fan only works on high speed. A really common failure and could be contributing to your "overheating" problem?
Thanks for the advice, Richard. Is replacing the resistor an easy job. At this point I've done zero electrical work and it fills me with the fear lol. Gotta give it a go at some point though!
@@NotEconomicallyViable There's a cheap fix where you splice a new resistor into the high speed circuit (I found this video on RUclips ruclips.net/video/XsowO9efYYs/видео.html). It looks pretty straightforward. You can replace the resistor pack but that's more awkward to get to. I had the whole fan assembly replaced by a garage as it was going in for other work anyway.
Hi m8 you have alot more patients than me with your mini lol. Hope you get it fixed
Haha cheers Mick. I think if it wasn't a hobby and I was getting paid to do this I'd find it way more stressful!
i`d have lost my rag by now, fair play to you.
Haha cheers Kev
Light water skooshes only operate with every 4 sprays and only when the lights are on...its a BMW thing !
Thanks for the weirdness BMW 😅
If I would give you one tip, Halfords are over price .
Common fault with minis change the coolant bottle they tend to fail at the joint around the bottle causing coolant to go bye bye
My coolant went bye bye that's for sure lol. Got a new OEM cap on the way - if it's not that then will replace the whole bottle 👍🏻
I reckon it's a head gasket mate, combustion gases pressurizing the coolant system for sure.
I really hope it's not that - sounds expensive and hard work haha. Gonna do a head gasket test and see what I get
I had the same, head gasket blown, and water pump shot, I'd be amazed if this car isn't the same.
No shame in using a specialist 👍, I have watched you bring this car back 👍, not long now 🤓
Cheers, Anthony 🙏🏻
Mate, no wonder you have all this bad luck with that black cat crossing you path all the time! Lol Are gonna check your head gasket? Also been meaning to ask, are you going to do or the supercharger service once everything is sorted? Keep faith mate!
That cat crosses my path multiple times a day 😅 Yep, will check the head gasket for sure and will keep my fingers crossed it isn't that! I actually serviced the supercharger when the engine was out. Vid here: ruclips.net/video/2DLgcAM0TeU/видео.html
If you decide to do it yourself...
1. Check for leaks first (the smallest leaks makes the cooling system go crazy)
2. See if your low speed fan is working (I think I only hear your high speed fan working in the video. So it's possible your resistor is gone)
3. If all of the above checks out well: Bleed the cooling system as follows.
a. (with the overflow tank cap on)Turn the car on when cold let it come upto operating temperature.
b. Remove the overflow tank cap slowly. Then crack the bleed nipple on he upper radiator hose slowly until all the air bubble come out. Keep filling the overflow tank with fluid.
Good luck!
And tighten the bleed nipple once the air bubbles are out of course :)
Hose clamps bro, get some hose clamps - then you won't lose *all* of your fluids ;)
repair-mini 🤷♂ don't give up!
looks like the water pump isn't circulating
Subscribed 😂
Love the videos. Can you do me a favour and not sit with your legs under the car I can just see a bad accident happening. I used to do it myself and a car fell off the stands and I just got out of the way. Just be safe and keep up the good work.
Give aaron a call At hyper works garage or 1320 mini
Clamp the hose replace the seal
Hey Nino, minis run hot, mine runs 106 - 108C.
This is above boiling point, the system is pressurised lowering the coolant boiling point when under pressure.
Looks like your expansion tank let go at the seam halfway up the tank thus reducing system pressure, causing the system to boil over.
Add the lean condition as you described the cooling system would be hotter...
The seam is a weak point on the expansion tank and is a well known failure point on minis.
Good luck with the boost leak, using a section of heater hose one end against your ear & the other moving around the engine will pinpoint where the leak is, it does work.....
Simulates a stethoscope, give it a go... 👍
I literally just read about the coolant being above boiling in my automotive textbook (yes I have one and read it haha 🤓). Looks like the cap failed, resulting in the loss of pressure and then the coolant boiling suddenly. Got a new OEM cap on the way and hoping that sorts it (along with fixing the boost leak). If it's not the cap then will definitely look at replacing the whole tank 👍🏻
headphone users be ware :D !!, you need a new expansion tank. im willing to come help you out if you need it instead of paying
It was way louder in real life haha. Got a new cap on its way - hoping it's just that before fitting a new tank. Thanks for the offer mate, will let you know if I need to call it in 👍🏻
need a new cap
Can u try to say boy and or guys and gals please 😊😊😊😊
😂❤
Get help not worth the stress build up. By next week next project.
And change your white tank
Been threw that whistling came from the green seal geating hard and boost blows by them I change them all the time
I hated the piles of junk before your first Mini video, total rubbish. I didnt want one before and now after watching these videos you can scrap the bloody lot of them
Thanks for sharing