Hi guys,

Just bought a 2009 JCW from Craigslist, and I was sitting in the car during the test drive at idle and noticed vibration coming through the steering column and the seat. I ask the owner about it and she (2nd owner) had no idea. I thought, maybe it needs new plugs or something simple like that. Anyway, I bought it and I hope with y'all's expertise here that it will be a straightforward solution (as straightforward as MINIs get anyhow!). I wanted to get your opinion before I started throwing parts at it. There's oil around the valve cover, so I have new gaskets to install when I get back from SoCal on Friday.

Watch the video and help me in the right direction! It vibrates at idle all the time (cold or hot), and from cold start, RPM fluctuates 200-300.

What should I check for next? If vacuum leaks, where exactly?

Here's the video of the shaking engine. Ignore the knocking sound - that's the throw out bearing (the sound emanates from the bell housing when I checked under the car, and the sound goes away when I press the clutch).

Background: Timing chain full service was done Dec 2017, turbo replaced and walnut blasted last year as well. HPFP not yet done. Also don't know if this could cause a vacuum leak, but the AMS to turbo intake hose has a crack (more like a melted tear) on the turbo side under the hose clamp (pic here). It's over the lip on the turbo side, so should be fine?

Thanks in advance!

 

Shake does not look to be out of the ordinary. Its not severe. With all of that work that had been done to the car before your ownership you might as well complete the circle of service and install the HPFP. My JCW had a stumble while idling and it turned out to be the valve cover's integrated PCV

 

Thanks for replying. I don't know, man... The vibration is enough to shake my man ***** in the driver's seat. And the thing is, I don't have man *****.
I'll be doing plugs when they arrive and checking the coils. Or it could even be the valve cover PCV, like yours.

 

Well if its shaking you that much then there is something going on there. Just gonna have to tackle one area at a time to find the fault, You should try scanning the the vehicle to find out if there are any pending codes. Perhaps this might give you a direction to pursue.