R56 Mini Cooper S - Valve Cover Gasket Replacement & Timing Chain Guide Health Check 

After I purchased my mini, did the 168$ inspection, they ran up a list of things they wanted to replace, totaling 3,800$. valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, thermostat housing, serpentine belt, cv boot that was cracked, replace spark plugs, oil change and service interval for everything under the sun... Brought the car home and ... it started the death rattle. Back to the dealer, again paying for diagnostics. This time the estimate was > 10k$, timing chain, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, rear main seal, crank position sensor/o-ring, 4 new tires (I assume rims and all as this alone was 3,200$) I declined all their suggestions. Replaced just the tensioner, symptoms solved. Brought the car home and ... _THAT DAY_ dead battery. Tested - 220CCA output capacity. I love the mini, just wish there were more competent mechanics to work on it. They seem to only want to replace gaskets ad nauseam and run up service bills.

Omg! I love you! You showed every little important detail on its own close up - No one does that on you tube! Thank You 🙏 greatly appreciated from Australia.

Thank you for taking the time to video this piece of work and for zooming in on the small detail as you went 👍

Dude thank you for this and the other excellent Mini Cooper how-to videos. I just replaced the top engine cover and gasket on my 2010 R57 (I had replaced the gasket previously but it did not stop my oil leak). The original cover was leaking right by the turbo. Hopefully this will take care of it for a while and prevent my engine from catching fire.

This is perhaps one of the greatest mechanical video tutorials I have ever seen!! Congrats!!! Thumbs up and subbed!!!

Thanks for the video, gives a good insight into about how much labor is needed.

Thanks. This is exactly what I need to do. Update. I did mine and my valve cover itself was damaged. The plastic was in terrible shape, looks like it got to hot. Looked like cooked plastic. I replaced the gasket as planned, I was doing a catch can and pcv delete so I was to far along. Long story short gasket didn’t hold. I ordered from eBay for $138 new cover and gasket works great and a direct fit. Just wanted to let everyone know, there is something out there that works instead of the mini $ 300 unit.

Thanks for posting this Bimmer Dude, it was really helpful. I just replaced the valve cover gasket on our 2010 JCW Clubman. My Mini mechanic wanted $250 to do this job.

Very useful video, thanks for this. Although it seems more complicated than it looks I might try it.

Thanks man! My Haynes manual wanted me to remove the intercooler to replace the valve cover. WHAAAAT? Obviously not necessary. Your video worked like a champ and I was done in under an hour. Keep it up!

calling you from South Africa your videos are very helpful and I appreciate it. PLEASE DO A VIDEO ON HOW TO CHANGE OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET

Great video, helped me do mine last night after my R56 developed a misfire. Thanks!

Great video. I like the way you present things. I wish you spent more time on the RTF tho...I am not sure what you did and how much, but perhaps when I pull the cover off today, it will be obvious. Anyway, well done and thanks.

Thanks for this video guy, I'm in France and have just bought an R55s (Clubman) which is needeed this valve replacement ;)

Just wanted to make a note here, first yes this was a great video and I might come back to see about that air intake later on cause that looks good and I might be getting one to up my power. Ok, onto the note, when you noticed that spark plug gaskets were in just the loops and not connected, that wasn't a replacement part update but merely a generic branding issue. Other minis, I think the newer ones, and other BMW engines use separated rings whereas the valve cover for the R56 does use the connected ones in it's original design. It all still works the same just you have those slots in the valve cover itself that now just have nothing there but are blocked off from the ring gaskets. It's more something to note if you end up in the opposite side of the situation where you order the gasket set and find the connected rings where you need the non-connected ones, which means getting out the exacto knife and hoping your cut is perfect when taking out the connections.

Thanks for good video editing, showing me the clips, bolts, which parts you bought etc. instead of the back of your head like other people's videos. Good audio and lighting too. I have a non S Mini, but mine is very similar. Great job!

Great video , my car is a pug RCZ and I believe it’s the same or very similar engine and my valve cover is leaking down the side of the block and needs changing , respect for clear , good documentation, Shane uk 🇬🇧

Sorry for the inconvenience but can you tell me if you only put silicone gasket maker on the corners or all the way around the valve cover

Great video, also works for the Peugeot 508 THP 156 Petrol

Great video Sir. The gaskets on this PSA engine seem to be an achilles heel and go brittle after about 50K. The turbo cooler gaskets are the same setup but took me a whole weekend to strip and replace.

My upper guide rail from the timing chain was broken. And my car was leaking due to gasket but it never reached the floor so it probably burned before it got to the bottom. Anyhow thanks so much for the video I just watched to take the hose on the valve off lol.

Where did you learn to do all types of work on the Mini Cooper?

Thank you for this video i really enjoyed it, now i will do the same thing on my jcw r56

Thanks man I have the n18 but this helped me out.

THANK you so much for sharing..will be doing this very shortly and was dreading it but not anymore, thank you. One more thing I'm have misfires and I've already replaced the spark plugs last weekend along with new coils so now I'm being told to replace the spark plug seals since my new ones are covered in oil.do ya think it could be the spark plug seals doing this.car is at the point engine misfires and light blinks.any help would greatly be appreciated.just don't wanna keep throwing money at it and DONT WANT THE DEALER GOING ANYWHERE NEAR IT..LOL

Excellent presentation. I have the Citroen C4 2010 and it seems exactly the same. Your suggestion to do this before diving deeper into other possible oil leak causes as it's quite simple and from the brittle nature of the seals, also a preventative maintenance task.

Didn't understand where that paste went. Was it all the way around the block where the gasket makes contact?

Bimmer Dude advice needed. Daughter's 2009 r57 N14 has @ 90k miles; threw p1497 and has the vacuum fail noise from pcv exit hose. Going to replace valve cover and gasket but wondering if I should go ahead and do timing chain (no death rattle yet) while have everything out. Also, is it better to add the catch can and pcv delete caps. Might as well upgrade stuff while doing everything. any suggestions.

Very useful video! Was curious where exactly you put the instant gasket sealant .. looks like I have to replace the whole darn cover. $300 sheesh!

Hi Bimmer Dude, I am a new subscriber to your channel. Thank you for your videos. I recently bought an '08 Mini S JCW R56 N14. It has an AEM air filter and BSH oil catch can. If you would be so kind I have a question that you might be able to clarify for me. Regarding the valve cover, why would they have capped the left valve outlet?

Old video but if you're having an oil consumption issue you should probably replace the whole valve cover. I just did mine because I was losing 1 qt every 1000 miles do to the bad egr system. If you're losing oil replace the whole valve cover with a newer model.

Good video but one thing I noticed was that you didn't specify the order in which to tighten the bolts of the valve cover. There's a certain order in which you tighten down the bolts so that the gasket can seal properly. Just something to consider for next time.

Dude the pcv is shot that causing oil leak. You will have replace the valve cover itself, or you can try aftermarket aluminum valve cover, but I'm not sure if that's better compared to the plastic one

Great video keep them coming definitely working on my this weekend

This is like 1400 dls at the dealership, thanks 🙏! I see u have a clamp on the intake small hose that goes to the top of the Valve cover on the driver side, that’s where my leak is coming from, is oil supposed to be there?

Any videos on changing the PCV valve on that engine ??? Any info would be great ! Thanks man

Bimmerdude great tutorial. Question fo you. I inadvertently broke off the ground when trying to get the 8mm bolt off. Do you know what gauge terminal connector I need to splice onto my ground wire?

Nice video! What kind of air intake is this? Do they have them for none S Minis? Thanks!

The N12,13,14,18,... series engines are actually developed by BMW and PSA (so Peugeot/Citroen) in cooperation since 2005 or so. Pretty much every Peugeot or Citroen gasoline car with 1.6l has that same engine in different variants in it. For PSA vehicles if it says 1.6 THP (Turbo High Pressure) it's that engine.

Love you're vids man, keep it up. Was wondering if you could post about a drop pipe install?

Isn't there an order to tighten down the rocket cover gasket, and you didn't mention torque specs either.

Thanks for the input! Helpful asf! The clutch is giving up on my mini R55 . Is it a difficult task to change a clutch? Great Job on the other videos.

For the screws can you buy any that are the correct size or do they have to be a specific material?

I need to do this. Thanks for the great video

Hello Bimmer Dude, I see you have the left side blocked off how long have you had this done?

Im arrive here looking for pcv valve. What a surprise when i have take a look to an empty valve cover. Where is this valve if already exists.

Thank you brother

Did you post two of the almost same videos?

Hey Bimmer Dude! Thank you very much for this really informative video! It's damn helpful! Anyway I have one question: @4:29min there is a "thing" you are pulling out. Do you know how to call that "thing"? Or is there any MINI Part Number for that? I am asking because I have no such "thing" on my R56, N14, Cooper S :D. Thanks in advance! Greetings and blessings from Germany! You are awesome!

Bimmer dude I have a problem of a leak on the same spot you show in this video. I began the procedure to replace the valve cover gasket but the ignition coils seems to have seized with the spark plugs. I am afraid to pull too hard and break them before I order replacements. My first time changing them I purchased my MIni used 2 years ago. Any idea how to solve the problem. was thinking about adding some wd40 to try to salvage some of the coils. also dont want junk to fall on the engine if the ignition coils break. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Is a broken/damaged pcv in the rocker cover part of the excessive oil consumption?

I just saved hundreds of dollars by subscribing 🦎

can you believe... I took a break after putting the valve cover on and closed the hood. when I came back the bonnet cable failed and I cannot get the hood open? I m looking to find how to open the hood now. Did you ever cross that issue?

My Mini is a 2012 R58 JCW with 30,000kms (N14 engine) and its starting to leak already..disappointing but this looks something im very willing to try.

Can someone tell me if changing the cover gasket could lead to having less oil in the oil-catch-can or is there another gasket at the hole on top of the cover?

Can you send me the link to purchase this valve cover?

where can I buy that RTF? I can only see RTV in amazon.

Nice work

What exhaust are you planning on running my friend?

Torque settings? Plastic cover, if someone goes nuts with the tightening they may crack the cover or strip a bolt into the head...not good.

What's that alta performance circular shaped that's in the back of your valve cover that looks like it's running to turbo or intake?

You never said why you have to replace the entire head. Why not just a new gasket or two?

How come your value cover doesn't have a Value Crankcase Membrane Ventilation? I have a 2012 Mini Cooper S that needs a new cover. Does it matter if I order the same cover you have or should I order a valve cover that has the Value Crankcase Membrane Ventilation? Thank you!

thanks bro

thx you

Hey boss, how do I find the EVAP. I need to change it on my 2008 R55.

Does this bolts has torque specs?

Link for valve cover? Didn't see it.

the gasket in your video was part number was 11127567877, while the gasket in descriptions says 11127572851.

Why is the cover plastic

"The rubber seal is petrified...??" I think you mean PERISHED lol

Do you realise that your mini engine is actually a Peugeot engine. It’s the most unreliable engine in the world. So many problems even bmw are embarrassed.

Good tutorial.