2009 MINI Cooper S Head Repair
A 2009 MINI Cooper S suffered timing chain tensioner failure that caused valve damage, requiring extensive cylinder head repairs. We outline the common timing system issues found in R55-powered MINI Coopers built from 2007 to 2014.
- The timing tensioner can back out or fail hydraulically, and plastic and metal guides can also fail - with the most problems seen in cars low on oil or with infrequent oil changes. An updated tensioner is available to reduce failure risk.
- We removed the cylinder head, replaced several bent valves, cleaned the intake and exhaust ports, replaced all timing components, and reinstalled the head.
- A rattle from the engine at startup is a warning sign of timing component failure. Catching it early and towing the car to a specialist can save thousands of dollars by avoiding full cylinder head removal.
The 2009 MINI Cooper S is prone to timing chain issues where the tensioner can back out or fail hydraulically, and plastic or metal guides can fail. These problems are most common in cars with infrequent oil changes or low oil levels. Regular 5,000-mile oil changes and keeping oil topped off help prevent costly repairs.
This 2009 Mini Cooper S had the timing chain tensioner back out of the engine causing valve damage. There are various problems with the timing system on these R55 powered Mini Coopers made from 2007-2014. The tensioners can back out or fail hydraulically (there is an updated tensioner designed to reduce the chances of this happening) or the plastic and metal guides can fail. We have seen the most problems with cars that are low on oil and or have had infrequent oil changes. The best insurance seems to be 5,000-mile oil changes and making sure your Mini does not get low on oil. In this case, we had to remove the cylinder head, replace several bent valves, clean the intake and exhaust ports, replace all the timing components and reinstall the head. A telltale sign of pending timing component failure is a rattle from the engine at startup. If you hear such a thing we recommend you tow the car to a qualified Mini specialist such as DART auto for diagnosis and repair. Thousands of dollars can be saved if the car is still running and the timing components can be replaced without having to remove the cylinder head.
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- Back on the road
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- Top of cylinder head
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- View of cylinder head from the bottom
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- Cylinder head removed from 2009 Mini cooper S with R55 engine
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- Valve cover removed from 2009 Mini Cooper S
