Currently I'm in a rut. Mini dealer is 2 hours away and my Mini won't make it that far. And majority of the mechanics in this area are very unfamiliar with Mini's.

I've had alternator, starter, and battery tested. Was told alternator and starter are fine and battery is at 100%.

Today my car wouldn't crank. Started out fine, drove 10 miles with no problems. Car sat on for 10 minutes. When I backed out of a parking space my battery gauge dropped from 14volts to 10/11volts. When placed in drive and petal pushed it dropped to 8volts and jerked. After the jerk my mini wouldn't accelerate. So I parked and turned off. After it wouldn't start. Just clicked. Got a jump from someone, put in drive got 2 feet before it dropped back to 8volts and didn't want to go. (I didn't feel a jerk though, I didn't even hit 5 mph.)

Had car towed the 10 miles back home. Sat for an hour in shade. Attempted to crank and started up perfectly. Battery sat at 14 volts until something electrical was turned on. Lights/radio/ac/blinkers/power windows. Then it would drop back to 10/11 volts.

The check engine light and 2 others, a triangle and a 3 letter one, pops up when the car jerks and drops to 8volts - only drops this low when being driven.

Now I've never had this happen and it just started today.

When hood is up close to alternator area a verrrrry faint noise similar to clanking silverware can be heard. All wires are attached and not loose. No corrosion on anything that I could see.

Aside from battery replacement.. could this be my alternator going out?
And if so, is it normal for it to come n go before going kaput?

I drive a 06 S. No special packages that I know of. Regular oil changes. Oil level is good. Coolant is good - just replaced the housing not too long ago.

 

Does the power steering work?

Nik

 

Yep. Didn't go out at any point.

I guess mileage would help a smidge too?
Fairly close to 90,000. If it makes any difference.
And I'm not original owner. Bought in Dec 2010.

 

Could be the battery starting to go. I've seen similar symptoms when the power steering goes, and blows a fuse on the back side of the main fuse panel.

Nik

 

Hmm.
I'll be replacing that today then just to be safe.
I've never changed it and I doubt original owner did.

 

Sounds like an alternator to me. When it was tested was it a no load test?

 

Was tested yesterday around 8pm. The woman had me turn my car on and off a few times. Didn't have me turn anything like lights/radio/ac on though.

 

How us the engine temp....
When the crank damper starts to slip...everything attached to the belt reads low or does not work at speed....but sometimes at idle.
Remember...the water pump...supercharger....alternator...and sc are driven on the same belt.

 

I'm not sure of the number exactly.
Though I believed it to be in a good zone.

Though the radiator fan did kick on just as I was about to put my car in reverse. It shut off after I backed out the parking space. And then hell broke loose and I wasn't even checking. I was too busy going 'oh no please noooooo' and kinda freaking out.

 

With the battery voltage dropping that fast i would suspect a intermittent shorted battery.

 

It sure sounds like an alternator to me. It should be putting out about 13 volts under load. 13.5 - 14 with no load.

 

Hate to quote myself....but look at the pulley....
The rubber on it separates.... And it slips....
Leading to a grinding sound...like you have...
Simple to look at it...much more common than an alternator failure.

 

Would also cause the lack of power...
The codes...aka yellow check engine light....etc...
Makes the VOLTAGE a symptom.....not a cause. That is why the alternator checked out as OK...

 

Typically...it will grab at low/no load...
Then when thevliad on the belt is increased....like the AC IS TURNED ON or the load on the alternator is increased... It will start to slip....gets worse....

 

Would I need to take the tire off to see this?

If so.. makes sense why I couldn't see anything really.

If it turns out to be this.. is this fixable at home with appropriate tools?
Large things like alternator/waterpump/yada I would never attempt at home but this doesn't look too terrible.

 

If the belt is slipping you'll hear a squeal. May get higher pitched when you rev the engine or may go away altogether. When idler or other pulleys start to fail they'll usually make a grinding noise of some type. If its your belt slipping the alternator will charge properly when the belt grabs and won't when it slips. Other systems (cooling, etc) will fail also as the belt slips. Not sure of where stuff is on your car, but on my 04 the AC compressor is below the alternator. When AC clutches go out they will make a noise and cause the belt to slip too. You should not drive your car if you suspect a failing pulley or if the belt is slipping.

 

Simplest way is the yank the front tire....pull the wheel-well liner and look. There are a few pictures around of the crank dampers when they fail...
Driving with s failed crank damper is not really possible....
What happens is (as you have seen) is you suddenly get a low voltage light....at the same time the water pump has stopped...along with the sc....so car will run OK for a couple of minutes...the cast iron block does hold lots of heat....but massive, possible head gasket destroying overheat is coming....with the sc not making boost...a bunch of codes get tossed...yellow light comes on too..

The crank pulley can be diyed...it is heat set..but the right puller can do it...replacements run $300-400 for better aftermarket...then add $25 for a new belt.

 

Alright. I'll take the tire off tomorrow.

I've only driven around my apartment complex and the 1/4 mile to the auto parts store for a alternator test. I was trying to find more pin pointing things like sounds/when **** happens.

So far I only hear the silverware-like clanking noise which is so faint and there is a deeper grinding/vibrating noise that goes away after about 2-3 minutes. No high pitch squeal.

I still need to replace battery. Will definitely do tomorrow. It's 8 years old. So even if that's not the issue.. I feel it needs to be replaced anyway.

I'm still trying to figure out where some things are located on my car too.

 

8 years is too long, start there, good luck! Clean those terminals well, on-off symptoms start on bad connections.

 

Okay I was wrong about the 8 years. It was 6.
Found that out when we pulled the battery out and saw the date.

Either way, it's been replaced. I drove up the road (1/4 mile - no issues at all. No smells/noises/vibrations) so they could change it and ensure the battery would fit. Their website told me a different battery then what their store computer said. So I wanted to be sure.

Fit perfectly. Get home.. turned on electrical things. Dropped to under 12volts, jerked, and then it started to smell a bit like burned rubber. (belt going kaput?)

Checked battery all was well. Lifted hood and the smell was pretty fierce. Smell was coming from between the engine and the coolant reservoir. Which is a little close to a belt.

I know it's been said to not drive it at all. I will not be driving it.
I felt it could make the 1/4 (there n back) and it did. Until I got into my apartment complex and turned on electrical things.

 

Yup...Bet the crank damper finished tearing...

or


the oem looks like this (2 different SIMILAR versions)

the rubber gets old from heat..tears....slips...and fails...
the usual replacement is

http://www.waymotorworks.com/super-d...ulley-r53.html
or slightly cheaper

http://www.waymotorworks.com/fluid-c...ulley-r53.html

 

I had good intentions to check this out today.
I'll be doing this within a few days though.

Thanks for your guys help thus far!
I'm hoping it's just this.

 

Finally was able to start checking to see if it's the belt/pulley.

Took 2 of us to get the tire off my car.
Nuts were on ridiculously tight.
Had no problem getting the panel off. (Well one, one of the screws stripped. But meh no biggie.)

From what we could see.. the belt was fine. Wasn't fraying or anything.

Couldn't check the pulley quite yet. As this is where we hit problem, and I knew we would. Main bar prevents hands or tools from getting anywhere near the tensioner. Though I need to get a few right sized things and I can pull, I don't know what it is, something out of the way to open a bit of space. Enough to be able to at least pull tension off and get the pin in place.

And yes. I'm doing this without that special tool. I know it'll help a ton but for now we're attempting without. If it's mission impossible then I'll cave in and buy the tool.

Quite sad to see my car just sit there. In it's sit it's accumulated some bird friends. Ugh.

Edit: (trying to not make 3 posts in a row~)
Anyone know if it would be worth it to switch from an automatic to a manual when the tranny goes?
I've always wanted a manual but I nabbed the first mini the dealer would finance me for and it's an automatic.
I still owe a good bit on her so I was just wondering if it's worth it to make the switch or just trade.
(I'm afraid of the huge loss I'm going to take on a trade though. I got jipped something serious in interest charges.)