EmilysMum has a 1600 petrol Citroen C3 which I'm lead to believe shares its engine with a Mini. Its 'thermostat' is plastic and uses an ECU controlled motorised valve instead of a proper thermostat, also the water pump is driven by the back of the 'fan belt' but isn't always driven ie when cold, the water pump is electrically moved to & from the belt as required.
The “Engineers” design it, it’s the Mechanics that have to maintain them and never the Twain shall meet...At some point why wasn't the engineer responsible for these thermostats sent to the shop for some common sense.
The “Engineers” design it, it’s the Mechanics that have to maintain them and never the Twain shall meet...
Not on your own Joderest I find as I get older and cars get more technologically complicated I loose a certain amount of self confidence in doing the same jobs I would have tackled in a heartbeat a few years back. I find being partly computer illiterate (understanding diagnostic readings, live data or programming) makes it just impossible sometimes to complete the technology side of a repair if it wasnt for help from dedicated forums like here. I should have added owning the diagnostic equipment is hard and economically unviable too at timesI'm going to open this again, need some input.
The Mini runs well, no water loss, and no mis fires etc.
HOWEVER
The oil consumption issue is still there, and getting worse, i suspect valve stem oil seals for this reason...….
Engine cold, start up, fine. Drive car for half hour to work, let it idle for say 20 seconds, and then pulling away, a large cloud of BLUE smoke, this happens every time. I do not see any smoke on normal driving, even if giving a good bit of right foot.
Years ago, i would have dived in there, pulled the head off, take valves out and decoke it all, lap valves in and put on new seals and put it all back together, it was almost a routine job. On the Mini, all the front has to come off, the chassis has to be put in strip down mode (pulled forward about 20cm), engine mounts off, jack up engine to get at other bits, timing chain out after locking flywheel and cams, then head off, then cams out, then etc etc etc.
I have not got what it takes now, so looking for a company to do it in Kent or East Sussex, but they are thin on the ground unless you go to Mini and have open wallet surgery.
Parts alone would be about £350, then the tools you have to buy about another £150. I would expect a Mini specialist would charge about £1000 for work, as may as well replace cam chain, guides and tensioner at the same time (it is due this anyway).
I have to ask, am i getting lazy, or is i just that modern cars are just too complicated for a home mechanic to do major work on. It does appear one tooth out on the cam timing will destroy the engine, as i say, in the old days a head off and decoke was routine and easy.
We want to keep the car, as its clean and tidy, no faults except this, and it would cost far more to replace it with something newer that still might have an issue, oh, and the wife loves the car !!!!!