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Blown head gasket?

Tiny
JAMES ANTHONEY
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 MINI COOPER
  • 1.6L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 128,000 MILES
My girlfriend's car listed above has brown coolant. It had a head gasket replacement in September last year, new radiator, head skim, valves recut, oil flush and coolant flush but it’s still dirty. It also has a P0301 cylinder one engine misfire. I’m unsure if these problems are related. Any guidance on a possible cause would be great. Thanks!
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Monday, April 20th, 2020 AT 11:36 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
At this point I would do a compression test and look into the coolant bottle while you are doing it, for bubbles. I had a Mini that gave me all kinds of trouble and ended up being a cracked head on the timing chain side. The only way that I found it was that the previous owner put head gasket sealant in it and it left a calcified trace where the crack was, before that I replaced the head gasket and even told the machine shop to check the head and they didn't catch it! Luckily before I put it on I saw the tell tale hint of a crack. Here are some guides that may help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolantantifreeze-in-the-engine-oil
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Monday, April 20th, 2020 AT 1:23 PM
Tiny
JAMES ANTHONEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Thanks for the reply. Okay, sounds good, was just unsure as to why it was still brown after having head gasket done not long ago. Thanks
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Monday, April 20th, 2020 AT 3:04 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
No problem! Let us know what you find, and if you need more help!
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Monday, April 20th, 2020 AT 4:11 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Hello,

Is the engine overheating? They may have mixed the blue coolant with green causing the brown color. But if it were me I would pull the #1 plug to see what it looks like. If it is super clean compared to the rest of the plugs you have a coolant leak into the cylinder.

Here are two guides to help us:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-change-spark-plugs

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please run down these guides and report back.
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Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 AT 11:37 AM
Tiny
JAMES ANTHONEY
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
The car is not overheating no, keeps temperature fine, thanks for your reply. If I pull the number 1 coil pack thing out and it’s really clean compared to the others. Does this mean coolant is getting into the spark plug tubes?
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Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 AT 11:46 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Can you please plug the spark plug or is that what you mean with the coil? If you pull the plug and it's clean compared to the rest you have a coolant leak inside the combustion chamber. here is how you can fix it:

https://youtu.be/Xi41RFMP8Ow

If you want to do the gasket here is how. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020 AT 10:32 AM

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