R55 mini cooper vanes issue?

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Been working on my 2008 base clubman with 68,000 miles for the past 4 weeks now with no luck so I’m gonna try out my luck here

It all started when my valve cover started leaking. So like anybody with the tools and skills I dove right in. Parts I replaced

Valve cover gasket
Exhaust/intake cam sensors
Air filter
Spark plugs
And did an oil change

Everything seemed great and went smoothly. So took it out for a drive around the block and when I got to the second stop sign the rpms dropped to 600 then jumped to 900 and then jumped to 1500! I then drove it back to my house and took it all apart and put back together just to make sure everything was fine. Got dark so I left it alone until the morning.
Started back on it in the morning which gave me worse results. I cleaned the maf sensor thinking it was moved around I might have got something on it. Hooked it back up and then it would start up normally but as some as the rpms dropped it completely died and got code p0300 and the individual misfire codes for each cylinder. So I unplugged the maf sensor and like magic it started to run perfect no bouncing idle and no jump in rpms.
So I bought a new Bosch maf sensor and hooked it up. Everything was fine drove to a local gas station to fill it up with 91 and on the way back in was at a stop light. Sitting there for a minute it was fine, go to accurate and it was hesitant. Gave it enough gas to get up to over 2000rpm and it went with a puff a smoke out the tailpipe. Drove the rest of the way fine. Get home and I got a bank 1 lean code but no more misfire codes.
Anyone have any input on what it might be? cause I haven’t found a thingreat online that would point me in a direction that’s right. I’ve seen the same issues but with the S not the base. And everyone has a different solution to the same problem.
So far the only thing I hadn’t checked was checked was the vanos parts wHicham I’ve heard the mesh screens get clogged and cause the issues in having. So tonight I was going to take it out and clean it and see if that gets me anywhere.

Thanks in advance for any information!

2

The car was running fine, other than the oil leak, before right?

If so I’d be suspicious of the parts you replaced, specifically the exhaust/intake cam sensors.

I’d also double and triple check that you didn’t accidentally create a big air leak on the intake on the wrong side of the MAF while putting it back together. If it starts sucking air downstream of the MAF the computer will mess up the mixture big time.

3

Definitely sounds like something to do with those sensors. You sure they don’t need to be calibrated or aligned properly?

Either that or you put the wrong plugs/gap in.

4

Air leak post maf (between engine and maf) and or vaccuum leak/pcv system leak. I’d guess it might be an easy fix.

5

It ended up being the valve cover gasket wasn’t seated right on the right side. So my hope is when I but the cover back on the gasket got pinched and the cover itself didn’t Crack cause they are made of plastic.

Thanks again for the information. I’ll update tomorrow night