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Buttoned up the N14 Mini Cooper S engine and test fired it. Success! No misfires, no major issues. 🥳. The minor 2 items are: Faulty coolant sensor. It was included with the thermostat assembly so I ran with it. New does not mean good. Fortunately it’s relatively easy to get at and swap...

Reassembled the Mini engine and accessories yesterday. Intake, turbo, electrical connections, vacuum lines, etc. Set the radiator assembly and AC condenser back on the car and bolted the whole thing back together. I need to install my upsized intercooler as seen in this picture. I have a...

Dial gold bar soap or Coast. I can get the larger bar soap at my local Walmart. I did recently buy some Dial “Calming Lavender” 😁. I’m not prone to wild outbursts in the shower, but it is a neat looking purple bar of soap. If that’s a thing for people 😜.

I had a 1979 264GLE like @John105 in this thread back in 1994. Built like a bank vault, I enjoyed that car until the V6 went into its death throes (camshaft - PRV must have made them from pencil leads). Couldn’t sell it, so I donated it to a local technical school. No idea if they ever got it...

I put a set of Goodyear Assurance tires in 225 60 17 on my 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis last November when the Black Friday sale at Walmart had them at a mere $360 for all 4 tires. One time deal for sure, but the ride and handling were much better vs the worn Michelins that were on it. Speaking...

Installed a new oil cooler and coolant hose in my sister-in-law Town and Country van. Pentastar with a Dorman cooler in it a couple years back. The previous installer used the included seals and they started leaking again. My brother got another oil cooler and I swapped it in after checking...

Continued work on the Mini: Torqued the cylinder head bolts, locked the cams (lock tool gets in the way of two bolts so it has to come off), and inserted the timing chain cassette (as the assembly is called). Tightened the crank, guide pins and installed the cam sprockets, then did the torque...

I’m indifferent to it. I do notice I’ll let up on the brake slightly to re-fire the engine in anticipation of a green light, etc. It’s my habit now and I tend to do it even in non stop/start vehicles.

I love my Jeep. Oddly, being a Chrysler product owner has made me well versed in their quirks and bad designs so I can say they are fun to drive and put a smile on your face when you drive. Be prepared for repairs down the road. If buying new, it will be a while before anything rears its head...

Cleaned the exhaust manifold and mounted the new turbo for the Mini. On the bench is the only sure way to mount and torque the studs and nuts properly. Placed the head gasket and set the cylinder head. Had a difficult time getting the coolant pipe that runs from the back of the water pump...

My 2007 Mini Cooper S 1.6 L turbo 4 has the exhaust, and the turbo, front and center. Does it make removing and replacing the turbo super easy? NO! The front of the car comes off to remove it, because the turbo mount on the exhaust manifold is inaccessible unless the manifold is off and on...

I use my metric nut drivers on things like hose clamps and interior fasteners. Related: I had to remove a T30 bolt from the high pressure fuel pump on the Mini, and one is accessible only through a very narrow point. A 3/8” drive is too big, and while the T30 torx driver fit, it didn’t have...

Past the halfway point of the Mini engine overhaul (at least the top end). Sent the old cylinder head back to the rebuilder, and sized up the replacement. All looks good with it, but I’ll need new bolts for the engine lift point mounted on the head. I’ll go get a couple this morning. Removed...

If this is a thread of your worst repair experience, mine is: replacing a failed water pump on a 1994 Cadillac Sedan de Ville 4.9 V8. In February. In northern Minnesota. When it’s a high of 20*F. The 4.9 water pump is long and skinny, up against the fender well (steel) and uses three different...

I had a 2016 Ford Explorer Sport with the 3.5 EcoBoost V6, and I loved the power it had for a boxy SUV. I do not recall in my time with it ever hearing the twin turbochargers even when full boost. I tested the turbo 4 before I got mine and liked it as well. I chose the Sport for the additional...

I have a 190E 2.3 gasoline engine sedan from 1988 parked out in the field. “Ran when parked”! 🤣. It really did, when I parked it back in 2005… I toy with dragging it up to the garage and sorting it all out to put back in the road. It was a solid little car that was all Mercedes quality, and a...

It’s a test car so it might be a programming test as well. I won’t know as the cars are gone and so am I. I’m done testing and I’m going back to my own projects. 🙂

I’m no longer doing testing for GM or Mercedes, but we were testing the new Trax for durability and cold weather. I didn’t get seat time in one, but one of the drivers I was leading drove one. It looks sharp and has a nice interior and options for what it is: inexpensive transportation. He did...

Irony of seeing this thread as I get ready to bring my moms 2008 Chevy Silverado to the dealer to do this very service. I’d do it but I’d heard from someone my nephew brought it to that they couldn’t crack open the fill plug. Plus I don’t have a place to do it as my Mini is hogging up my...

I worked on my nephew’s 2008 last fall, and I had to replace his ball joints as well. Except it became a full on front end job. Taking on the control arms on one that vintage is going to be an epic battle. I got his out and replaced but only after cutting away the bolts that seized in the...