Question on Turbocharged Engine Timing Chain Guides Replacement

Regarding the need for special tool 11 9 280: I looked in my tool kit and found that I just don't carry one of those. So rather than delay finishing for a few days while waiting for one and paying $75 to$85 plus shipping for a tool useful every 50,000 miles, I made do this way:
1. Put the crankshaft pulley back on. Tightened it down mildly tight.
1a. Notice that there are three slots in the pulley through which the engine is visible.
2. Wedged the tip of my biggest screwdriver into the slot at the rear and then into a little jog in the body of the engine behind it. There are two such jogs, or whatever they're called. One allows you to wedge in the screwdriver to prevent clockwise motion bottom one; the upper one allows the screwdriver to prevent counterclockwise motion. Use the top one.

The screwdriver handle will be sticking out at you, next to the strut.
3. Since you need 2 hands and the right position to turn the bolt unless you are immensely strong, I held the screwdriver in place by wrapping a bungee around it and the strut, tightly.

4. From the front of the car, used 2 hands on the breaker bar to loosen the bolt. But wait...
5. Don't take the bolt out or remove the screwdriver yet. You need to loosen the 3 bolts holding the pulley in. Loosen those, take them out, remove the screwdriver, and take out the center bolt.
It appears to me that those little indentations/jogs were made for this precise purpose, in case the Mini mechanic lost his special tool.



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This post was auto-generated based upon a question asked on our tech article page here: MINI Cooper R56 Turbocharged Engine Timing Chain Guides Replacement (2007-2011) | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

[Nick at Pelican Parts]

Risky move, but glad it worked out for you.

- Nick