FYI...this is not another cold start or timing chain thread.

I had my timing chain replaced about a month ago. My car did lose some oil while it was messed up. It was fixed and got a clean bill of health from Mini.

Now a couple times I started my car and it had a very rough idle for a moment or two....then it got worse. I've had a few times now where I start the car and it sounds like it's misfiring and throttle inputs don't do much. If I were to floor it it would only go to around 1,500 before coming back down to the rough idle of 500rpm or so....even while I'm still on the gas.

I recorded what the car sounds like at first from the engine bay....then towards the end of the clip you can hear how it's coming out of the exhaust. My dealer called to tell me it's just the basic noise that everyone's dealing with but I said sorry it's not. I reminded them that I had no throttle input and it was sounding nuts out the exhaust...so clearly not a rattle in the engine.

I've attached a link to the sound clip.

Any ideas my friends?

http://greedaid.com/personal/mini/Memo-1.m4a

Best,
Gene

 

Take it to the dealer and tell them to fix it properly this time. Sounds as if the timing chain has slipped a notch or it smashed a valve.

Mine sounded like that for about 30 seconds before it died completely. would not start or run at all. Dealer found a bent valve.

 

You definitely have a major miss going on there. I'm not sure about this engine, but a lot of modern motors are zero clearance and if a timing chain fails or slips, the pistons will slap a valve. Bang, one head replacement. Sounds like a major timing or vavle issue.

 

Thanks guys. It's currently still at the dealer. We'll see what they come up with. It's a shame as the vehicle is a lease that's due up this November but I had wanted to buy it out. Now I'm not so sure anymore.

 

I would suggest asking the dealer for a compression and leak down test. Make sure they do a dry and wet leak down test. That should pin point any internal issue.

 

Ended up the superknock was from a faulty fuel pump. So far she's running great.

Just makes me more confused if I want to buy this thing out in November.

Thank you everyone.