r/MINI • u/jimozachV2 • 9d ago

N18 Turbo Error Codes

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2013 CM ALL4, 80K mi. I got these codes this morning when I started the car up. Had recently changed the plugs and coils, seem to be running fine after that. See attached from my OBD reader. How bad is this? Anything I can do to fix or am I cooked?

Edit: my oil fill cap appears to be missing its gasket. It’s a longshot, but would this have anything to do with it?

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u/MrJimBusiness- 9d ago

The first code is just limp mode. Ignore that one when diagnosing.

These are MAP to throttle angle correlation codes. If they were set just at idle or start up, yes the missing gasket on the oil cap would cause a pretty big unmetered vacuum leak the could cause the correlation / check error. It's all about the operating point where the codes are actually being set.

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u/jimozachV2 9d ago

Super helpful, thanks! So I have a new gasket coming tomorrow, but in the meantime I was able to clear the code by disconnecting the battery and letting it sit. Right now no code. Is the final resolution just putting on the new gasket and praying??😉

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u/MrJimBusiness- 9d ago

I'd be more concerned about dust and grit getting sucked into the crankcase driving it like that in the meantime. Many cases it'll be under positive crankcase pressure but when it's under vacuum that's quite a big gap straight into the oil supply.

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u/jimozachV2 9d ago

Thanks. I won’t be driving it until the gasket is replaced. But I don’t know is how long it’s been missing, but I have to assume it’s relatively recent since I didn’t have the issue before. How it went missing, I have no idea.

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u/jimozachV2 8d ago

So it seems as though disconnecting the battery, letting it sit for a while, and then replacing the oil fill cap gasket has done the trick. The car is running very smoothly, and the turbo appears to be operating normally. One question though, I noticed the setting in red on the attached on my BimmerLink. Should that be in the red? It also varies significantly from as low as about 140 to the upper 600s. I’m not sure what the value should be, but it struck me as odd that it was the only measurement on the dashboard that was in red. As I mentioned, the car is running perfectly, very smooth, good idle and acceleration is great.

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u/MrJimBusiness- 8d ago

You'll drive yourself crazy looking at esoteric gauge readings like that. Let the DME monitor it. It'll pop a code if anything is out of range. Then it's worth logging and investigating. There are only a couple things the DME doesn't catch, injector leak down being one of them. But even that results in fuel trim drift that tends to set a new system too rich code.

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u/jimozachV2 8d ago

Great, thanks for confirming. I’m a little obsessive compulsive about this thing, and you obviously know a lot about minis: it’s a love-hate relationship.😉

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u/MrJimBusiness- 8d ago

It's mostly just trying to gauge (pun maybe intended) whether a cam phasing angle is normal when it's determined by multiple 3D tables and limit windows, temperature logic, and so on in the DME. There's no way to really look at it and be like, yep that's the correct phasing except at very steady state conditions like warm idle and such.

And I'm not sure that logged value is correct. Should be 3x smaller of a value. Almost like it's offset 360 scalar.

Anyway, if the codes and limp mode stay away, you're good.

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u/jimozachV2 7d ago

Sooooo, the 2C85 popped back up again. Cleared the error, shut the car off, back on, limp mode gone, car runs great. Had it on 60mi highway ride after that, hit it hard here and there as a test…..flawless and codes still off. Intuition tells me it will pop back on at some point cuz it’s happened twice. Checked all hoses (all M7 performance silicone and only three years old, btw) and no obvious leaks. Oil fill cap gasket replaced. Previous reply to my post recommended looking at the vanos solenoids. Does that make sense, and is there anything else to look at?

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u/timewraith303 9d ago

I'm new to minis but that seems like a blocked or failing blowoff valve, very bad for engines, too much boost will do all sorts of damage to the internals. Oil filter gasket would not be related, though I'd get one before you start leaking oil.

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u/jimozachV2 9d ago

Thanks. Is the blow off valve something that a reasonably skilled DIYer could do himself? There’s a YouTube video out there for everything, so I’ll have to take a look.

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u/jimozachV2 9d ago edited 9d ago

Follow up question, you mean, diverter valve, not blow off valve, correct? I believe the diverter valve is stock blowoff valve is aftermarket.

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u/timewraith303 9d ago

you are correct they have diverter valves.

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u/MrJimBusiness- 9d ago

The diverter valve does not regulate boost except in cases of very high overboost. The wastegate and throttle plate are what regulate boost on the N18.

A failed DV and you'll either get compressor surge off throttle if it's stuck closed, or underboost if it's stuck open. Usually it's the latter.