09/17/2026
Driving a 2nd Gen Mini (R55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)? These models use the N12, N14, N16 & N18 engines.
* This also applies to the BMW N20 turbocharged 4-cyl engines.
Here's your warning:
The timing chain system on all of these engines (turbocharged or naturally aspirated) is basically garbage. Run it long enough and you WILL have a failure. This can happen as low as +/- 50,000 miles (way to the low side of the curve) or as high as +/-150,000 miles (way to the high side of the curve). The average is in the 80,000 to 100,000 range.
If you have a timing chain system failure, this will almost always cause engine damage requiring the cylinder head to be removed and rebuilt ... at a minimum. This is a $2500 job, just as a start. This is the low side of the likely repairs and is easily double the cost of a pre-failure replacement.
HOW TO AVOID TIMING CHAIN FAILURE:
1) Perform oil changes at 3000 to 5000 miles ... assuming a quality synthetic oil is being used.
2) Replace the timing chain and guides at regular intervals. Assuming #1 is followed, 80,000 miles should suffice. Of course, going 60k miles is pretty secure insurance.
This one shown in photos:
2013 Mini Countryman All4 S
N18 engine
90,000 miles
Of the dozens of failures that I have dealt with, this one is the worst failure I have personally seen.
The guides are broken and out of place, the tensioner was blown apart and the guts sitting in the timing cavity, the chain is actually broken and wrapped up around the crankshaft gear, the inner areas of the timing cavity around the crank gear are all chewed up from the chain and, of course, multiple bent valves. Head has not been removed to determine if there is more damage.
The cost of this repair has turned an otherwise nice low mileage car into a parts car.
Otto At Werke
Www.OttoAtWerke.com
[email protected]
603-969-5941
