Two weeks ago, my clubbie developed a whistling noise when I accelarates between 2000 to 3500 RPM. I took my car to the dealer this morning to have it check.

I got a phone call from my SA and gave me the news. The whistling noise was coming from the turbocharger and needs to be replace. I was surpise! My car only has 9,100 miles, and I don't track or even drive it hard. I pretty much babied my car since I took delivery.

For those of you who drives a MINI with turbo, do you have any tips to prevent the turbocharger from being damage or to help prolong the life of the turbo?

I'm not sure if this is still an old school practice. When the car is cold, I usually let the engine to warm-up for 5 mins before driving it, and let the engine running for 3 mins before shutting it off to cool-off the turbo.

 

Idling is actually hard on any engine - and the environment....

 

Your MINI uses a water cooled turbo, so you don't need to warm it up or let it cool down, especially since you don't track your car. Even if you did, it still isn't necessary as there's a water pump that continues to circulate coolant thru the turbo after the engine's off, if it's hot enough.

Bottom line, there's probably nothing you can do other than regular oil changes (have you had your's changed in the 9100 miles you've driven?) to prolong your turbo's life - trucks routinely get 300,000 to a million miles on theirs so it's not just that the car has a turbo on it, and there's no reason to baby it. You use the turbo constantly, even tho you don't floor it - it makes boost any time there's load on the engine - starting from a stop, going up even a slight incline, any time you're on the hiway and so on.

I change my oil (using a factory filter and Mobil1) every 7500 or so, just for insurance.....

 

So what you are saying don't bother warming-up the engine. Basically, drive the car and go even it is still cold.

Why idling is actually hard on any engine?

 

30 secounds and head out easy even in freezing temps. That's what I do, even with my diesel truck - actually especially with a diesel - A diesel is such an air pump it loses heat at idle.

Here's an web site about it - don't agree with shutting a warm engine off at drive-thru's etc like they recommend really, seems like too much wear and tear on the starter and battery.


http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html

 

MiniDave - I changed the oil @ 1.5k and 5k using factory filter and Mobil1 (5w/30).

 

Thanks MCS Fever. This is really useful information.

 

I use to idle my diesel all the time in the winter at rest stops, couldn't figure out why the engine was colder than when we stopped. Fuel consumption wise though, a diesel uses very little fuel at idle compared to a gasser.

Not a huge deal with such short oil change intervals, but the only Mobil 1 rated for MINI to use is 0W/40. I think you will see an MPG increase with it to boot. Great oil, I run the 0W advanced fuel economy oils in all my gas engines.

http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/...l_1_0w-40.aspx

 

Did they say why the turbo failed? A blown seal, broken vane, bad bearings? I'm sure it wasn't anything you did or didn't do, it just failed...

 

According to my SA, the turbo did not failed. It just developed a whistling noise which could mean some particular part inside the turbo went bad.

 

At least your dealer is fixing the problem by replacing the entire turbo under warranty instead of trying to "nitpick" the problem! Who's the dealer?

 

I my book if it's doing something it's not suppose to then it failed. Glad it's getting replaced.

 

Did they ask you what oil you used? I don't think that would have effected the life of the turbo but just keep that in mind for the next change, get it back to spec.

 

East Bay MINI, Located in Pleasanton, CA.

 

No, they did not ask any question regarding the type of oil I use. Even though they ask, I use Mobil 1 5w-30 Syn.

 

Well, lets hear it for a proactive dealer!

Instead of waiting for it to fail completely, they decided to change it out now while it's just making a noise - good for them!

Chances are it's just a bad bearing, that's all.

 

My Turbo failed at 28,000 miles on my 2008. They said sludge was the problem. After investigation they determined it was not my fault. It cost something in the range of $3,500. Makes me wonder about the reliability in the future especially after the warranty expires.

 

I was waiting for the time-honored dealership line "you used bad gas" lol. I love that one. If you hear it head straight for another dealer.

 

like they said... at least dealership is handling it..

 

It's also very bad for your muffler. Tip: kill the engine if you're stopped at a railroad crossing and you know you'll be stuck there six minutes. I seriously wonder, how much fuel does a Ford Expedition V8 slurp when idling that long?

 

There is no need to idle the car to cool the turbo down. A thermostatically controlled pump continues to pump coolant through the turbo until it is cooled down. You can hear the pump running after the ignition is shut off.

 

I had 2 K04 Turbos go out on me in my old VW GTI and both times they whistled before dying a very smokey death...

The cause of my failures was the oil bearing getting too hot which in turn led to the turbo shaft bending and the turbo vanes hitting the housing. Once they started to whistle it was a very short time before the shafts broke which then dumped all of the oil under pressure from the oil bearing straight into the exhaust manifold. The ensuing smokescreen would have made 007 proud!

 

Funny you mentioned your GTI. Mine was whistling for a while until recently.
Just had to add a little more oil.