• ZERO- WHERE DID MY AD GO?
    • It has likely been deleted for running egregiously afoul of the rules below. Feel Free to try again

    1- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SELL THE FOLLOWING ON BARF:
    • animals, though free re-homing is ok.
    • anything illegal.
    • drugs, legal or not.

    2- Sellers, for best results... please read and follow these instructions:

    • Asking price [MANDATORY] in the BODY ONLY. DO NOT PUT PRICE IN THE TITLE
      • motorcycle or other vehicle:
        - make [MANDATORY]
        - model [MANDATORY]
        - year [MANDATORY]
        - Pictures [FIRST THING THAT WILL BE ASKED FOR IF YOU DON'T, BUT NOT MANDATORY]
        - mileage
        - title info
        - current condition
        - maintenance history
        - accident history
        - location
      • If selling riding gear, include:
        - size in the title of the thread. [MANDATORY]
        - in your post, include: intended gender/body weight/height/inseam/waist range that best fits the item.

    • Do not include the price in the title. You won't be able to edit it later. Put the price in the body of your post.
    • DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO 3RD PARTY SALES SITES Copy/paste your ad to BARF and make sure it includes the info above.
    • Edit your original post and change the price there... many buyers will not look beyond that point if you change the price later on further into the thread. Also, remember to add SOLD to first line of the first post when the item has been sold.
    • Please use the "Report this post to a moderator" (
      ) option at the lower left portion of the post if item is sold or to report erroneous posts or threads, and it will be taken care of.
    • With any indication that an item is sold, the thread will be locked by moderators. It is not fair to other valid ads to be pushed down the list when side discussions bump a sold ad to the top of the list. Moderators will do their best in changing the title and adding a 'sold' to the beginning of the title to save a few clicks for others.


    3- Buyers, BEWARE!!!

    • Pricing - Know the current market value of the bike. Check Kelly Blue book, NADA, CycleTrader, Ebay, Craigslist (even though some people on Craigslist are asking non-realistically high prices and will never be able to sell the bike at their asking price), and know what the current market value of a similar bike is before considering a purchase. Consider the maintenance work or fixes that YOU need to do to the bike, and factor that into the price. It is ok to pay more for a bike that has had all of the maintenance work done to it recently, or pay less and get a bike that needs some work, but you must know this in advance and be ok with it.
    • Inspecting the bike: if you are not experienced yourself, have a mechanic or an experienced friend check the bike before making a purchase. Crashed bikes:This is even more important if you are buying a bike that is being sold at a cheaper price with damages that the buyer is required to fix. In these cases, doing a frame check that will show any frame/fork/geometry damages is HIGHLY recommended. Do NOT simply rely on the information that the seller is providing, even he/she may not be aware of all the problems. Have the crashed bike checked and know what you are getting into.
    • Clean title, Salvage title A clean title doesn't mean the bike is free of serious issues. A Salvaged title doesn't mean the bike may have any problems. Every case is different. Some bikes are seriously damaged in a crash, but an insurance claim is never made on them, so they still have a clean title. Some bikes have had mostly cosmetic damages in a crash, but the insurance company decided to pay off the bike and salvage the title rather than spending the money to fix it. Know what you are getting into and don't make any assumptions based on what the seller is telling you.
    • Registration: Know about the current registration status of the bike. Check with DMV if you have any questions about any possible back fees and other title/registration questions (out of state title, no title with bill of sales only, etc.) before purchasing the bike.
    • Some additional tips: You can find some more useful info here: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216958

    4- DO NOT make your opinion known in the seller's ad

    • Comments within a sale thread should be on topic and educational. Aggressive critiques and inside jokes will not be tolerated. Constructive dialogue is a valuable feature of the barf classifieds section and community as a whole. Flame wars and unsubstantiated accusations help neither seller or buyer. Don't fuck it up, because the next step is disabling the "reply" feature entirely.
    • If you disagree with a price, keep it to yourself. The seller has set the price. If you don't like it, don't buy it and move on. If you really feel strongly about it, then PM the seller.
    • If you are interested in an item, feel free to PM, email or contact the seller privately. Feel free to post if you need clarification... however, your post should be in line with above mentioned rules.
    • If you are aware of a serious issue with an ad (SPAM, stolen goods, a frame damaged bike being advertised as a 'never crashed' bike, etc.) please PM a moderator about it.

    5- DO NOT SPAM the classifieds section on BARF

    • Spamming entails using only the classifieds sections of BARF without taking part in other sections of BARF (regardless of whether the ad is for a personal item or a business.) The appeal of BARF classifieds is to enable and connect BARFers with some established history on BARF to one another.

      BARF isn't craigslist, ebay, cycletrader, etc. Buyers who are looking to buy from random strangers do so on one of the above mentioned sites. Those who only post in Classifieds sections and don't take part in other parts of BARF are no different than any other random sellers on Craigslist, etc., and should use channels other than BARF to try and sell their items.
    • If you're affiliated with a store/shop, please contact budman regarding sponsorship options. ALL non-sponsor commercial posts will be deleted. Site sponsors should post using only one account that is assigned a BARF SPONSOR tag.
    • We encourage the use of the classifieds by active contributing members. New members may post in the Classifieds forum after establishing minimal history on BARF (15 days and 15 posts). If you actively attempt to circumvent these minimum requirements only to post in classifieds, your account may be suspended. After reaching these minimums, posting only in the classifieds without taking part in other sections of BARF may result in being banned from BARF.

    6- DO NOT repost funny/strange/not-related-to-you ads from Craigslist or elsewhere on BARF or anywhere else for that matter.
    • No reposting
    • No reposting
    • No reposting. If what you're about to post isn't for sale BY YOU, don't post it.

    7- SELLING FOR A FRIEND:
    • Is not allowed.

    8- Feeler, Testing Waters etc:
    • Is no longer allowed.

      • If you are unsure of the fair price of your item, use the search function to research other similar items, ebay, craigslist, nadaguides, kelly blue book or whatever else is applicable. The classifieds section is not a discussion forum, thus not the place to be asking for opinions on market value that might lead to massive gray areas of conversation that violate preceding rules outlined above.
  • ZERO- WHERE DID MY AD GO?
    • It has likely been deleted for running egregiously afoul of the rules below. Feel Free to try again

    1- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SELL THE FOLLOWING ON BARF:
    • animals, though free re-homing is ok.
    • anything illegal.
    • drugs, legal or not.

    2- Sellers, for best results... please read and follow these instructions:

    • Asking price [MANDATORY] in the BODY ONLY. DO NOT PUT PRICE IN THE TITLE
      • motorcycle or other vehicle:
        - make [MANDATORY]
        - model [MANDATORY]
        - year [MANDATORY]
        - Pictures [FIRST THING THAT WILL BE ASKED FOR IF YOU DON'T, BUT NOT MANDATORY]
        - mileage
        - title info
        - current condition
        - maintenance history
        - accident history
        - location
      • If selling riding gear, include:
        - size in the title of the thread. [MANDATORY]
        - in your post, include: intended gender/body weight/height/inseam/waist range that best fits the item.

    • Do not include the price in the title. You won't be able to edit it later. Put the price in the body of your post.
    • DO NOT INCLUDE LINKS TO 3RD PARTY SALES SITES Copy/paste your ad to BARF and make sure it includes the info above.
    • Edit your original post and change the price there... many buyers will not look beyond that point if you change the price later on further into the thread. Also, remember to add SOLD to first line of the first post when the item has been sold.
    • Please use the "Report this post to a moderator" (
      ) option at the lower left portion of the post if item is sold or to report erroneous posts or threads, and it will be taken care of.
    • With any indication that an item is sold, the thread will be locked by moderators. It is not fair to other valid ads to be pushed down the list when side discussions bump a sold ad to the top of the list. Moderators will do their best in changing the title and adding a 'sold' to the beginning of the title to save a few clicks for others.


    3- Buyers, BEWARE!!!

    • Pricing - Know the current market value of the bike. Check Kelly Blue book, NADA, CycleTrader, Ebay, Craigslist (even though some people on Craigslist are asking non-realistically high prices and will never be able to sell the bike at their asking price), and know what the current market value of a similar bike is before considering a purchase. Consider the maintenance work or fixes that YOU need to do to the bike, and factor that into the price. It is ok to pay more for a bike that has had all of the maintenance work done to it recently, or pay less and get a bike that needs some work, but you must know this in advance and be ok with it.
    • Inspecting the bike: if you are not experienced yourself, have a mechanic or an experienced friend check the bike before making a purchase. Crashed bikes:This is even more important if you are buying a bike that is being sold at a cheaper price with damages that the buyer is required to fix. In these cases, doing a frame check that will show any frame/fork/geometry damages is HIGHLY recommended. Do NOT simply rely on the information that the seller is providing, even he/she may not be aware of all the problems. Have the crashed bike checked and know what you are getting into.
    • Clean title, Salvage title A clean title doesn't mean the bike is free of serious issues. A Salvaged title doesn't mean the bike may have any problems. Every case is different. Some bikes are seriously damaged in a crash, but an insurance claim is never made on them, so they still have a clean title. Some bikes have had mostly cosmetic damages in a crash, but the insurance company decided to pay off the bike and salvage the title rather than spending the money to fix it. Know what you are getting into and don't make any assumptions based on what the seller is telling you.
    • Registration: Know about the current registration status of the bike. Check with DMV if you have any questions about any possible back fees and other title/registration questions (out of state title, no title with bill of sales only, etc.) before purchasing the bike.
    • Some additional tips: You can find some more useful info here: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216958

    4- DO NOT make your opinion known in the seller's ad

    • Comments within a sale thread should be on topic and educational. Aggressive critiques and inside jokes will not be tolerated. Constructive dialogue is a valuable feature of the barf classifieds section and community as a whole. Flame wars and unsubstantiated accusations help neither seller or buyer. Don't fuck it up, because the next step is disabling the "reply" feature entirely.
    • If you disagree with a price, keep it to yourself. The seller has set the price. If you don't like it, don't buy it and move on. If you really feel strongly about it, then PM the seller.
    • If you are interested in an item, feel free to PM, email or contact the seller privately. Feel free to post if you need clarification... however, your post should be in line with above mentioned rules.
    • If you are aware of a serious issue with an ad (SPAM, stolen goods, a frame damaged bike being advertised as a 'never crashed' bike, etc.) please PM a moderator about it.

    5- DO NOT SPAM the classifieds section on BARF

    • Spamming entails using only the classifieds sections of BARF without taking part in other sections of BARF (regardless of whether the ad is for a personal item or a business.) The appeal of BARF classifieds is to enable and connect BARFers with some established history on BARF to one another.

      BARF isn't craigslist, ebay, cycletrader, etc. Buyers who are looking to buy from random strangers do so on one of the above mentioned sites. Those who only post in Classifieds sections and don't take part in other parts of BARF are no different than any other random sellers on Craigslist, etc., and should use channels other than BARF to try and sell their items.
    • If you're affiliated with a store/shop, please contact budman regarding sponsorship options. ALL non-sponsor commercial posts will be deleted. Site sponsors should post using only one account that is assigned a BARF SPONSOR tag.
    • We encourage the use of the classifieds by active contributing members. New members may post in the Classifieds forum after establishing minimal history on BARF (30 days and 30 posts). If you actively attempt to circumvent these minimum requirements only to post in classifieds, your account may be suspended. After reaching these minimums, posting only in the classifieds without taking part in other sections of BARF may result in being banned from BARF.

    6- DO NOT repost funny/strange/not-related-to-you ads from Craigslist or elsewhere on BARF or anywhere else for that matter.
    • No reposting
    • No reposting
    • No reposting. If what you're about to post isn't for sale BY YOU, don't post it.

    7- SELLING FOR A FRIEND:
    • Is not allowed.

    8- Feeler, Testing Waters etc:
    • Is no longer allowed.

      • If you are unsure of the fair price of your item, use the search function to research other similar items, ebay, craigslist, nadaguides, kelly blue book or whatever else is applicable. The classifieds section is not a discussion forum, thus not the place to be asking for opinions on market value that might lead to massive gray areas of conversation that violate preceding rules outlined above.

Mini Cooper Valve Job help?

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Ok BARF family, I have an important one to me at the moment. I drove the wife's car to work yesterday and while on the Freeway she went into limp mode, flashing the engine light. I immediately pulled off, popped the hood, and it was like she was only running on 3 out of 4 cylinders. I was just out of the 24 tunnel so I limped her to the Mini dealer in Concord near work. They hooked her up and figured it was probably a busted exhaust valve. Of course they didn't tear her apart. They quoted me $9,000 for the repair, but of course that is at a dealer. The car running is only worth about $8,000 so it's not worth it unless we are talking about a brand new engine which is more. I called around and other more reasonable garages I have used before either don't work on Mini's, or the cost wasn't worth it either.

Looking for ideas? I can't part her out very easily in front of my house. My wife loves this car, but I can't justify spending that kind of money to repair her. You can't buy heads with valves, a used engine really won't work for the money either. Any other ideas? Anyone do valve work on Mini's?

I could really use some help. We may just need to take money out of savings and buy a 500e or something.
 
viva_brasil

viva_brasil

Well-known member
I wouldn't write off an engine swap. In fact if it were my car that's what I would do (find an eBay or local lower mile motor). Or swap the complete head, not familiar with these or why a used head wouldn't have the valves.
 
M

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
Engine swap would be my suggestion.

Or pull the head and have the head rebuilt, unless you had valve to piston contact, in which case I would go back to the engine swap.

Whichever route you go, I would also swap out all the belts, hoses and water pump. If swapping out the engine and if it is a manual, replace the clutch.
 
jafo

jafo

I act my shoe size
year, mileage, service history?

sometimes if you have a service history at a dealership, ( not just warranty and oil changes ) it might be possible to get part of the repair cost covered under "goodwill"

unless it's just neglect

also check with eason automotive, he's a barf sponsor and can give you some good advice and possibly perform the repairs
 
Last edited:
aminalmutha

aminalmutha

Well-known member
Ebay has a refurb head for $1200. Add gaskets, fasteners, belts, etc, etc, I don’t see how it could be anywhere near $9k.

Question is... how to keep this from happening again. Does the refurb address a weak link?

Because I could not own a commuter type car that could only muster 60k from a motor.
 
Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Found a place in the sunset who is going to do a valve job for just under $3000. Now just to get it there. Finally some "good" news.

Keep in mind, I just need it to make it approximately one more year. Once we move to Oregon we plan to buy a Subie.
 
Last edited:
ReCK1

ReCK1

Well-known member
Mr Pepsi said:
Ok BARF family, I have an important one to me at the moment. I drove the wife's car to work yesterday and while on the Freeway she went into limp mode, flashing the engine light. I immediately pulled off, popped the hood, and it was like she was only running on 3 out of 4 cylinders. I was just out of the 24 tunnel so I limped her to the Mini dealer in Concord near work. They hooked her up and figured it was probably a busted exhaust valve. Of course they didn't tear her apart.
Click to expand...



Is removing the cylinder head and having a machine shop examine it not an option? You could remove the cylinder head yourself and take it in. As long as it it's just one valve and nothing else, you can replace it yourself or have the machine shop do it. Would be a lot cheaper than the engine swap.
 
Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Not for me unfortunately. Just getting to the head is an extensive job. I don't have the time, space or knowledge to do the job.
 
Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Yes I do now.
160 psi in three, and zero in one.
They tore it apart and found TWO dead valves on the same cylinder.
Quoted me 2700 for the complete valve job, and $650 for a timing belt and accessories. Should be completed next Friday (my surgery day, very minor)
 
bunnygoat

bunnygoat

Well-known member
You probably know this, but the Cooper's have numerous issues that cause catastrophoic failures. Walk away from it now.
 
Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi

Mr Pepsi (Brent)
Job complete. $3400 later and she is back in our garage. Runs perfectly. All valves replaced, timing chain and all timing chain support parts replaced. One more year and we can sell her.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top