Got to love the r53’s. I have a total love hate relationship with mine. Love it when it’s working. When it needs fixing I hate the thing. No room to work at all! I had to replace the rocker cover gasket as mine was leaking badly. During the job a bloody bolt snapped on one of the intercooler support brackets! The one on the drivers side so I couldn’t get the dam rocker cover off until I had drilled the old bolt out. Thought I was going to need a new head but by a pure stroke of luck I got it freed and out so in the end i got away with a new bracket only. The air was blue that day!!
That could have been so much worse haha! I always find the more simple and menial the task is the longer and more complicated the job will become! R53s are a gift and a curse!! Thanks for watching and commenting, Miriam xx
I envy this lady , I'm about to do the oil filter housing and oil pan and gasket 😬 , fixed the power steering leak and fan along with lower control arm bushings and motor mounts , wish me luck with oil leak repair. Thank you for a great video 👏
The crushed oil filter would have been causing your intermittent oil pressure light! had the same thing on the father in laws car. turns out the cheaper oil filters seem to not last up to the pressure. Due to this I always go for a MANN filter! Great video guys!
Thats really good to know! was worrying us as we had test driven and no lights whatsoever only came on when halfway home, anyway everything we replaced in this video seems to have cured it! so hoping it stays off! been over for over 2k miles now so think its cured :) thanks for watching!
I loved this video. I’ve done all these gaskets on my previous mini that I wish I had not sold. 😔 But now I’m ready to do all these on my new R53 again that I just purchased before I get it out on the road. 😁
Minis are fantastic so glad you are another! The gaskets are a mission but so worth it to be leak free :) Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment ❤️ Miriam xx
I recently did all the same things to my Mini. It would have been a lot easier to just remove the radiator completely. Otherwise good video, nice to see people putting in the time to keep these vehicles in good shape.
it does have a proper feel good factor to know we have saved another car from being broken! and real pride every time I walk over to her in a car park knowing she's all mine haha!
Best how to video I've watched on RU-vid! My cooper s seems to have a leak absolutely everywhere so was great to get an idea of what I need to be changing. Thanks for the video 👍
Your most welcome :) if you have any other questions let me know if I can help :) thank you so so much for warthog and taking the time to comment, Miriam xx
Boom that's great to know we tried that on the supercharger but was taking ages, didn't even think of it on the samp though! Thanks so much for watching! Miriam xx
This is an awesome video thank you so much for making the effort! I will be referencing this when I get my R53 JCW in a few days; I know there is work to be done. Thank you!
The JCWs are awesome my father in law has a red one with 33k on the clock! It's like brand new! Tag us in pics of your car we'd love to see it :) Thank you so much for watching & taking the time to comment ❤️ Miriam xx
Great work. Need to change the sump gasket on mine, it's been sat on my shelf for 6 years!!! That missing thermostat gasket, don't you just love previous owners!!!!!
They are a terror! Our RU-vid car is a wreck but we only paid £600 for it and spent ££££s fixing it hahahaha halfway home the oil pressure light started glowing lol... Was fine though :) thanks again for watching and also commenting :) Miriam xx
Hi All, Where have you guys gone lately.? Great vids and am sorting out my S using a lot of your info here. Good to see you share the same obstacles we all have and how to get over them... Supercharger service for me next... Cheeeeers
I'm so glad you find these useful! I wish we could do more but the time required is crazy... recording a 1 hour job takes 3 then it takes the same again to edit it etc. It's just so much when we already have so much on! Really want to do more just need to make some time for it :) I hope very soon we will be sorted!! Thanks so much for watching :) Miriam xx
Great video! That engine looks as grot as mine. I am about to order one of these kits from yourself. I have the gearbox off for doing the clutch, given it's a couple of hoses & electrical connectors and the A/C pump then the engine can be yoinked out I am seriously tempted to do this. Also need to do the CV boots like yours! Don't think my rocker cover has ever been off as the bolts have disintegrated on the front so that will be fun!
Sounds like you are having just as much fun as we did! For anything you buy off our website make sure you use code 5offonus for a small discount :) Thank you so much for watching! Miriam xx
@@ModAMiniGarage Thank you, very much appreciated :) Yeah am having fun, so much fun I want to crack on with another already :D and I've not finished this one yet
Perfect thanks for that! Wasn't sure as it didn't look like it would fit properly but this comment will be handy for anyone looking to use the Crosland! thanks for your help! Mim xx
i like my mini cooper but for every work on the front of the motor (changing alternator, changing oil sump gasket (mini with AC), you always have to drain the coolant to move the radiator
Ahh, yea, Front end servoce mode... some bits you can get away with not draining, but yea, that is an annoying messy and adds up cost wise! It's definitely worth tackling all jobs in one go if you can :) Thanks so much for watching! Miriam xx
In case no-one else has mentioned it - the reason the old oil filter looks crushed is because there were 2 versions of the filter housing, and that filter is for the old style.. The 1st version had a plastic cage inside, which the filter slots over and which supports the purely paper filter. The 2nd version (aluminium cover, like yours) doesn't have this inner cage; instead, the plastic cage is contained in the filter medium itself. Stupidly, it is possible to fit the old, pure paper filter into the newer housing. The filtration is badly compromised in that case! Not only does it collapse, but the oil is not directed correctly through the filter...
No way! I did not know this! Nor have I ever seen one of these! Next time I have an old r53 in the garage ima gonna check this out! Thank you so much for the advice and also watching! Miriam xx
Our next video we are taking the music out... I like it as it covers my voice a bit and als fills the silence. Might do it b is for build style and have music when it's quiet and nothing when talking? Thanks so much for watching and commenting :) Miriam xx
As someone who does this for a living these are amusing to say the least. Taking the oil filter housing off is best done and saves much sanity by taking off exhaust manifold. Is it needed? no but it makes the job easier.
Yea I completely agree, so much easier to do but its less work this way that's for sure when you have small hands like me its not to bad to do and saves mucking around under the car. only took us about 20mins to do so not that bad :) Miriam xx
having worked with engine lifts before... i would agree with you... but I really wanted to show that even with basic tools these jobs are easily achievable! once i have got a few more jobs completed on this car i will be starting a RU-vid series taking out our track car engine and working on that outside of the car :)
One thing we have learned is to try and avoid Crossland if you can, stick with Bosch or Mann :) Fram aren't to bad either :) glad it's not just us though! Thanks for watching! Miriam xx
We're still here and still videoing but just find no time to get it done! Literally have 5 in edit as we speak just need finishing :( sorry :( Miriam xx
@@ModAMiniGarage Oh cool! Thinking of getting an R53 very soon - late 2005/2006 and wanted to do most of these jobs! Your videos are great. In your opinion do you think a late R53 is more reliable than a R56 with similar miles a couple of years newer? I’ve heard some real horror stories about timing chain failure and a million other things etc about them!
Dear god, who worked on that oil cooler before you guys did? They had a tube of RTV to spare? :D After changing 2 sump gaskets I did use some RTV on it. It isn't a very good design and the RTV finally sealed it.
At 28:07. You say “ that one came out easy “. What is that sensor. / connection.? I have 3 wires with miniature spade connectors which I have now put heat shrink around. There isn’t a plug with blue shroud , I need to replace that but don’t know what it is or called. Many thanks for sharing. #bingewatching all your videos. On the playlist. I’ll go back later and like👍 everyone of them.
It's a map sensor, there are 2 on the R53 on at the front of the engine, just under the intercooler and this one here above the thermostat, be aware they both have different part numbers, so make sure if you replace one that they match :) thanks so much for watching and commenting, Miriam xx
To change the O-ring's you don't :) as long as you don't remove the coolant lines you don't have to drain it :) might lose a bit of oil for you :) Thanks so much for watching and apologies for the late reply. Miriam xx
Hello, this looks what my 03 JCW problem is. the coolant and oil are mixed~ I changed the head gasket, still mix together, I am thinking it's the oil cooler gasket leaking.
Not so much the gasket but the cooler itself :) 1 side of it has coolant in it and the other has oil, when the internals corrode you can get them mixing and can definately give symptoms of HG failure :) I hope this helps and thanks for watching, Miriam xx
Mim... how much would you charge to do my R53? :-) Please ha ha lol FAB Video and FAB info only bought mine 3wks ago.. I do love it but refuse to push it till oil leaks are fixed...
Hahaha we would love to have your car in! Let me know if there is anything we can do to help, by why not have a go yourself? You never know you might even enjoy it hahahah :) thanks for watching, Miriam
@@ModAMiniGarage only had it 2wks its got a leak but not sure where? From? just depnds how far you are from manchester? and yes I would book it in with you? yr very good 🙂👍🏾
@@ModAMiniGarage Aaww Miriam that is a trek though i was born in Oxford. you are right, there's loads of mini specialist my way but who can you trust these days? If you said all oil gaskets have been changed I would believe you and pay.. its very hard to find a mechanic you can trust these days thats why i wanted to give girl power like yr self a try.. 🙊🙈😘❌❌
@@ModAMiniGarage its a late 04 R53 cooper s facelift model so has the better gbox.. came with 17% pulley done.. so ive stuck a ramair airbox n filter.. now need a airtec intercooler.. exhaust and tyres on the way.. need colder plugs.. ordered bosch 550cc injectors.. want to fully decat it, get oil leaks done.. then I will remap it love it and care it like a Baby.. will have to work something out as i do have family in yr neck of the woods.. 🙊👍🏾❤❌❌
Great video! I'm trying to remove the lower heat shield on my R52 as part of replacing the engine wiring harness. After removing the bolt it still won't budge. Do I need to remove something else to get it free?
Hi raymond, one you undo the bolt it should be free apart from the wire on the right, however it kind of clips into place so be brutal and give it a good tug! it should come free :)
I have oil on spark plug one on the cylinder side. I plan to change the head gasket and rocker cover gasket i hope that will fix it and its not a problem with the piston rings?. If you make the videos even more instructional i would appreciate that im such a noob.
We will keep making the videos for sure! We're a bit behind at the mo :( really hope that fixes your issues if it doesn't get back in touch and we can see if we can help! Make sure you get a rocker gasket that includes the spark plug seals! Also the euro car parts one isn't great :) hope this helps, Miriam xx
Gotcha, let me know how you get on with it... We used this one and the spark plug gaskets we're really loose fitting, the ebay one is cheaper and way better fitting :) please let us know how it goes :) Miriam xx
You don't have to removed the pipes :) the cooler will come away with the pipes still attached, it does make it a touch more fiddly though as the pipes are rigid and don't leave a lot of flexibility :)
Hi matey, yes it should have this but they are know to break! Not a replacement part you can buy it's the whole housing... there's a company in America that does them for around 30... but cheaper to buy a second hand housing than the part :) hope this helps, Miriam xx
@@ModAMiniGarage I managed to buy the old style one with the spring and black cone complete and was only about 2 miles away from me lol, seems to work ut I didn't disconnect the battery as the lower heat shield sparked the starter and it wouldn't start but after bump starting it and trying several times it fired up.
Hahahaha we have a customer with a Ford F250 Harley Davidson Edition it so lovely! Don't have a clue about bike but minis leak like sieves! Mostly :) Thanks so much for watching! Miriam xx
Hi matey, you will need to get it from Mini or on eBay afraid :( genuine part only. You need 2 of part number 11427509261. I hope this helps, Miriam xx
where did you get your cooling unit o rings from? I ordered OEM from mini but they didn't fit snugly like yours, kept falling out whilst trying to bolt back on and i ended up destroying one in the process.
We used one from an O ring kit we had lying around... They were fine for around 4 months then started leaking... We then ordered the proper bmw ones and like you they are a mission to fit and do not fit in properly but if you put some grease or vaseline on the O ring that should hold them in place whilst you tighten the cooler :) hope this helps, Miriam xx
@@ModAMiniGarage Hi, thanks for the tip, used grease to hold in place, but still have leak, did it twice to check they weren't pinched. Don't know whether to replace the whole housing unit and oil cooler, or risk just replacing oil cooler with new one
@@steveg2969 hmmm thats a tought one... its a rubbish design tbh... I would first try reseating it, then i would start with the cheapest option then go from there... Miriam xx
Rear main seal is next on our list as the clutch has started slipping, looks oily around that area and clutch is old now so good opportunity to change to a single mass :) thanks for watching, Miriam xx
Tell me about it! Was literally everywhere! Especially when a new housing and gasket is like £20 or summing! Some people! Hahaha thanks so much for watching, Miriam xx