Hi New guy here, been lurking on here for a few weeks and finally decided to join.

A little back ground on me...

John, 42 years old, been building cars for over 20 years 2007 MCS automatic. Built several turbo Focus's, and one Turbo Mustang, diesels, VW's you name it. Have done all my own engine building, and up until now I've done all my own tuning and I'm very comfortable using DiabloSport, F.A.S.T., Harley Screaming Eagle and SCT tuning software... so I'm no stranger to tuning.

I bought the Mini back in mid December, the next day I was modding it (made a CAI for it) Since then I've done a 2.5" cat back and the Hot side Baffle delete.

The car ran perfect until last week when one day I went to pass a car and I had NO boost.... at all. I could hear the noise maker slightly functioning but there just wasnt and ***** to back it up..... and of course there were no codes.

Now this is an intermittent issue, last night on the way to work there was nothing but very low boost.... this morning on the way home it was as if it never happened... ran perfectly.

I did have the infamous P2188 code pending but other than that... nothing obvious.

I've cleaned the MAF, checked all the connections for the intercooler and associated piping, wiring, ect and found nothing off normal.I datalogged it the other day and of course I couldnt replicate the problem... figures.

The last thing I did to the car prior to this was changed out the tires and wheels but that "shouldn't" have anything to do with it.

I am on the same tank of gas that was in it when this started happening so I'm wondering if I could have got "bad gas"... even though I got it from a station I dont usually use they are extremely busy and turnover should be good..... but who knows.

 

So... no one have any ideas??

I've wore out the search button and google on this and all I can find is people guessing at what it is (like what I'm doing)

The P2188 code to me shouldnt be triggered by the low boost issue considering the p2188 is an at Idle code not one thats more relatated to steady state driving.

Yesterday I had zero issues... full boost all day. I did put some Lucas in it and topped off the tank from a station I go to on a regular basis..... just trying to cover the "bad gas" theory. Of course this was after driving several times without making the problem reoccure.

I sorta thought it may be boost cut, be seeing as I dont have a tune I shouldnt be hitting the magical 22psi mark that triggers it.....

Well the search continues......


and sorry about the double thread post

 

When was the last time you cleaned your intake? The oil from the filter can foul the maf and cause a limp. other than that it could be a gas issue, but you should have a half power light on.

 

I clean it when I put the filter on, then again as soon as the issue started, of course it did it after I cleaned it.

Whats gets me is I dont get any cels or lights, this isnt the first turbo car I've had (or built from scratch either) but it is an odd issue that this happens without any cels.

I was thinking it was the gas.... but there never was any signs of detonation (audible) I checked the turbo and it had no shaft play and spun freely.

When I had my piping off I checked inside of it and it was surprisingly clean so I dont think theres any excessive blow by or anything.......

this is getting aggrevating.

I did some datalogging with my Actron and didnt see anything that would cause me to go 'wait a minute' I wish I had something better to datalog with........

 

Check the connection to your Diverter Valve. When i installed the ALTA I blew the resistor they sent with it. Which resulted in no boost and no check engine light. Once I plugged the Forge solinoid in I was back in Buisness.

 

I checked it a couple of days ago but I'll recheck it later today, but if it was off then I wouldn't have no boost on one trip and full boost on the next.... it would be consistant.

 

I was thinking more bad/loose connection than off.

 

I'm not sure what you meant here but it sounded like you said it started after you cleaned the filter. If thats the case id be willing to be the farm it's just a bit of excessive oil on the maf. typically you want to avoid using oil filters on the maf. try swaping out your filter. BTW how close did you make the filter in relation to the maf

An extremely free flowing filter next to a maf can cause excessive turbulance.

Also if your still stuck and the problem persists. take it to the dealer. if the car is pulling power as hard as your saying there are codes. you just can't seem them becuase BMW keeps them off the obd2 bus. you need to access the factory D can. that has the codes your looking for stored on it.

 

About 8-10 inches away from the maf, the CAI I made puts the filter in the same place as the factory.

What I meant earlier is I cleaned the MAF, not the filter.

 

That could also have done it, are you still experiencing the problem? The MAF's don't take to well to maf cleaner, (assuming thats what you used)

 

Gee great.... I just recleaned it...LOL

I havent driven it since, but I'll be out in it tomorrow so I guess I'll find out then.

I'm also gonna change out the fuel filter, its got 66k on it so its problely due.

 

* MINI DTC P2188 - System too rich at idle ‐ bank 1
Have you checked to see if the valve cover is cracked or leaking?
It's been becoming more of an issue as of late that affects drivability.

- Erik

 

Theres no visible leaks or cracks, its bone dry around it.....

 

It's the maf don't clean it and you should be ok. still happening?

 

Update....

After cleaning the MAF, topping off the gas tank and putting in some injector cleaner/gas conditioner it ran perfect for about a week. No loss of boost, no codes, nothing (as it should be)

Now TODAY I head out to my favorite Harley dealer I go to merge onto the highway.... no boost, and its like that for the next 60 miles. After sitting at the Harley shop for an hour I start it back up and still no boost.... at all. I get a couple miles from the house and its business as usual... full boost....

Now what gets me is I never shut the car off on the way home, made no changes to the car, didnt add fuel, nothing..... so why did it start running normal??

 

well its been a week and its still running like a top...... beats the hell out of me......lol

 

Well.... ****.

Cars been running fine, even this morning on the way to work ...... normal as can be.

Tonight on the way home after merging onto the highway I pull out to pass a slower car and no boost what so ever... and no CELs, nothing out of the ordinary other than no boost.

This **** is definetly getting old.

 

Grab hold of a Bavarian Technic scanner, and see what the ECU tell you.
You need to data-log the vehicle when in motion to determine the crisis.
Just because there's not a CEL does not mean there is no active faults.

You need to go back and re-look at the entire powertrain with fresh eyes and reverify everything.
Believe me, there is something that has been missed / overlooked.

- Erik

 

The problem is getting a chance to datalog it when its acting up, its such an intermittent issue.

The only things I've changed on the car is.....

hot side baffle delete (shouldnt have any effect on car)
custom cat back exhaust... kept the 2nd cat as well... should have no effect
custom CAI.... no different than any other one I've seen.... possible cause but everything it fit together very well, and MAF is plugged in and was cleaned a couple weeks ago.

I've read other posts on here where the boost would fall off after 4k... but most of them never did figure it out or find a cure.........

 

I almost forgot I also have changed tires and wheels on the car, and the issue started after I put the new wheels on....... but surely changing wheels wouldnt cause this stupid issue???

 

+1 on taking it to a dealer or a shop with Manufacture diagnosis equipment to check for specific faults. Also, it's possible that a reprogram and a reset of adaptations might cure the problems, or at least help with a fresh datalog.

 

Not going to the dealer... I have my own equipment and I've built and tuned several turbo cars.

This is going to be something either simple, stupid or both.

 

You haven't shown any ECU data or logging values, which is hindering your diagnosis.
I understand your experience with building in the past, but the ECU holds all of the controlling power and it's seeing a condition is does not like.
You still need to determine what the source is of your occurring Limp Mode.

Not much we as a community can do when you don't have hard information to assist.

- Erik

 

There's where one problem occurs .... I can never get it to replicate the problem when I have my data logger hooked to the car. Luckily I put it in the car this morning so I'll data log it on the way home..... but with my luck it'll run normal on the way home.

Monday (when I'm finally on a day off) I'm gonna pull the recirc valve out and inspect it..... it acts like its sticking open.

 

Well as fate would have it, after getting into the car, starting it up, getting the datalogger set up...... it decides it wants to run perfectly.

I did log it and didnt see anything out of the norm..... figures....lol

One thing I did notice is the MAF managed a little over 19 #/min of flow and the MAP saw 54.6"hg..... are those normal on a stock motor.

Here in a couple of weeks I'm going to order my access port and hopefully that'll give me a little better datalogging capabilities.