WWGRMD re: popped Cooper S.

So, for those that haven't been following the R53 Cooper S thread of mine, she went terminal... at least I think. I imagine I'm going to find all kinds of metal in the pan, and at least one toasted bearing. The valves may or may not be shot due to a low oil condition. I'm assuming I need a whole new long block. Most of the ancillary stuff (water pump, tensioners, pulleys, etc were replaced within the last 50k). The whole front end is basically new- hubs, rotors, bearings etc. The body is..relatively straight. Hood is bent because the wife likes to hit trailer hitches, but whatever. UNTIL recently, this car has been rock solid reliable. Paint is tired, but the car is AMAZINGLY rust free, other than one small bubble on the hatch. Underside is spotless for an MN car. Other than general wear and wife being a goober, it's been awesome. I figure it's worth MAYBE 2k due to the condition of the car itself. Selling it as popped will not bet me a whole lot. I'm in no huge rush to get it back on the road, it needed some other small things (it was due for a new set of winter meats, the suspension is tired.... but still solid). All in all, it would probably make a nice little terrorizer in the next few months if I throw an engine at it. Car is paid off, I'm not REAL keen on doing another car note. I have spares (a 99 Chevy Prism and my would-be challenge car, the 88mx6 v1... Ben has v2). Am I stupid for thinking of throwing a lump at it and keeping it on the road? Is it time to cut my losses and run? What say the masses?

Can you find a JY replacement motor? I'd go that route honestly. If the car is in awesome shape, why not?

Awesome shape visually, not so much. Mechanically, it's been ROCK solid. Still pulled hard till last night when she started to let go. Coasted it home and shut it down. Still runs but it isn't pretty. I'm already on the lookout for a JY longblock. Cheapest on eBay right now is 1500$ for a unit with 100k on it, up to 2200 for a unit with 50k on it. I suspect if it does go down, I'll pony up the cash for the low mileage unit. Shell has 130k on it, so it'd be a move in the right direction.

I read a little of your saga, and it sounded much like my experience with my (now gone) R53. Noisy rattles for a few days, then it E36 M3 the bed. That was at ~57k. Put a factory re-man motor in it. Then other E36 M3 started crapping out - BCM, headlight leveler module, etc. Berkeleyer was getting too expensive to keep fixing, and I'm glad to be rid of it.

See- I'm in that odd place where all the E36 M3 that coulda gone wrong, already has and has been replaced. That's why I'm in turmoil here. THEORETICALLY this car with a new motor would be good for another 100k..... with minor fixes and the usual maitenance. I just recently quit hating the thing as I've made friends with a BMW aficionado with a lift. Life is good there. There's not a whole lot of electronics on this thing- it's about as stripped as it can get for an S. Iono.

Well... I think you know my answer by now...

...however, I have no delusions it'll be easy for you. I can't imagine there are many MINI's in MN compared to here in PA/NJ where we are pretty much tripping over them...

Of course, if you have some money to burn...

http://www.revolutionmotorworks.com/?page_id=75&category=3

Not listed on their page is their 1.8L stroker long block...

5.3 LS out of a Monte Carlo?

Ian F wrote: Well... I think you know my answer by now... ...however, I have no delusions it'll be easy for you. I can't imagine there are many MINI's in MN compared to here in PA/NJ where we are pretty much tripping over them... Of course, if you have some money to burn... http://www.revolutionmotorworks.com/?page_id=75&category=3 Not listed on their page is their 1.8L stroker long block...

And I'll probably go down that road. I love to hate this thing, but it's just too much goddamn fun when it works good to throw it away completely. I might put the wife on punishment and make her drive the E36 M3box prism till it goes, find her another E36 M3box after that, and keep the MINI for myself.

As far as falling over MINIs locally, there aren't a ton of parts cars. Cheapest engines I've found thusfar are Canadian. I've been combing copart for a wrecked one, MN doesn't have any- nearest one I found was in IL, and it had a billion miles on it.

I will say Ian, it's your fault I think I can do this. I've been reading instructions and it seems SHOCKINGLY easy, especially since the whole front end comes off like that.

In reply to mndsm:

If you're dead set on keeping it, contact Way (that's his name), at Way Motorsports. I taked to him about one of his built motors, when I was in the broken motor dilemma. What he had was about the same price as the factory re-man, but with mo' betta oomf.

EDIT: I felt more comfortable posting a little more for the new motor, with warranty, rather than getting one with unknown life expectancy.

I'll trade you a black 1988 MX6 GT for it.

My next question: How wide is the engine bay and track on these things?

Rusty TDI jettas are all over up here. If you sold it to me cheap that would be my solution.

That or a 5.3, np3500, and Toyota rear axle.

Swank Force One wrote: I'll trade you a black 1988 MX6 GT for it. My next question: How wide is the engine bay and track on these things?

Which one? Also, IDK if anything much bigger than the Tritec is going to fit. It's fairly tight.

"Both of them!"

Can I have all the money I spent in parts back too?

mndsm wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: I'll trade you a black 1988 MX6 GT for it. My next question: How wide is the engine bay and track on these things?

Which one? Also, IDK if anything much bigger than the Tritec is going to fit. It's fairly tight.

Doesn't need to fit in the front. Put it in the back with BIIIIIIG flares. Win.

turboswede wrote:

mndsm wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: I'll trade you a black 1988 MX6 GT for it. My next question: How wide is the engine bay and track on these things?

Which one? Also, IDK if anything much bigger than the Tritec is going to fit. It's fairly tight.

Doesn't need to fit in the front. Put it in the back with BIIIIIIG flares. Win.

YES.

/me starts looking for wrecked FWD LS cars on Copart.....

mndsm wrote: /me starts looking for wrecked FWD LS cars on Copart.....

You're doing it wrong. You have a solid mechanically-but-berkeleyed-otherwise turbo FWD car in your possession currently. Added bonus for potential Group B levels of turboboosting, antilag, and insane noises.

Swank Force One wrote:

mndsm wrote: /me starts looking for wrecked FWD LS cars on Copart.....

You're doing it wrong. You have a solid mechanically-but-berkeleyed-otherwise turbo FWD car in your possession currently. Added bonus for potential Group B levels of turboboosting, antilag, and insane noises.

YES.

I approve of where this thread went.

Swank Force One wrote:

mndsm wrote: /me starts looking for wrecked FWD LS cars on Copart.....

You're doing it wrong. You have a solid mechanically-but-berkeleyed-otherwise turbo FWD car in your possession currently. Added bonus for potential Group B levels of turboboosting, antilag, and insane noises.

Wait, so you want me to take out the modern BMW derived engine, and swap in an archaic Mazda TRUCK motor, that as of this writing has almost DOUBLE the miles it's replacing?

I'll look at it later, but I think the block is too wide.

In reply to mndsm:

The answer is: PIITB

OOOOooooh, so you're thinking R5 style. I get it.

turboswede wrote: In reply to mndsm: The answer is: PIITB

PIITB

or Shogun/Fastiva style:

Or Metro 6R4: