ken@minimania should have an answer for you on Monday if no one else replies.

Hi SnowMini - most folks on here are classic owners, so don't really have any input. Don@minimania typically replies to these types of questions - but not during weekends.

Hi all,

I'm looking for maintenance of opportunity suggestions while I have the head off my R56 N14 JCW.  I have a burnt-out exhaust valve that I'm going to repair myself because the local shop here in Hawaii quoted $4,500 as the base price to repair (Yikes!!!!).  That was the same shop that charged me $370 to figure out the problem and all they did was a compression and leak test.  I will invest in compression test gear next time.  I have replaced a head gasket once before on an M3 so I'm not concerned that this will be a bigger job than I can handle.

My problem started when I was getting random miss-fires on cylinder 2 and 4.  I thought it might be injectors going bad because the car has 86,000 miles on it.  I dump in injector cleaner into the tank and all seems to be going well until I'm really working the engine and cylinder 2 exhaust valve blows.  Looking at the intake and exhaust ports show a lot of carbon build-up, so I think that's the root cause of the valve problem.

Right now I'm at the point with the valve cover off and I'm waiting on my locking tools to arrive.  I'll order replacement parts all at once when I'm done figuring out what to repair/replace.  The list below is what I'm correcting while everything is pulled apart.  Please add items to my list that I should consider replacing or looking at while it's all apart.  I don't plan to deviate from the stock build.

- Replace all valves
- Repair a leaking oil pan gasket
- I plan on replacing all gaskets that come with the standard head gasket set (includes valve shaft seals).
- Replace all one-time use bolts and the high pressure fuel line.
- Carbon cleaning everywhere.

I had the timing chain, guides, and tensioner replaced as part of the recall at 30,000 miles.  Everything looks good right now.  Timing appears to be dead on, guide is solid, and chain is tight.

I had the thermostat housing replaced at 50,000 miles.  Current housing looks good.

I had the coolant pump replaced 6,000 miles ago because it was leaking.  Coolant system was not leaking when I started the current work.

A/C system has never been looked at and is still working great.

I replaced the turbo blow-off valve about 6,000 miles ago - right after the coolant pump.

All fuel injectors have been replaced in the last 500 miles.

Plugs and both O2 sensors were replaced 10,000 miles ago.

Is there anything I should replace while I pull off the valves?

What about the serpentine belt?


Thanks for any help/suggestions you provide!