So I just took my 2005 MCS in for it's first service with 7000 miles on the clock...and recently I noticed strange noise @ idle + grinding from 1st to 2nd.

I got a call and they told me they replaced the Flywheel and my clutch......has others gotten the same type of replacement done from the dealer for transmission issues?

Yep, I was having the same issues with my '04. They replaced the same items 1 day before my warranty ran out.

I saw you have some after market parts installed.
They still warranty still there??
That's great!!!!

Jason C - Thanks for the input. I guess this is a known problem.

mcs1984 - Yes..My local dealer gives me FULL warranty despite the mods but with limits. My concern was the pulley but they said 15% is okay..anything bigger, they might have problems providing warranty.

they really cant void a warranty because of mods. you can have a 19% on it. and unless they can prove that your pulley caused your clutch to go they would still have to replace it under warranty

i had a similar issue. No grinding between gears but loud idle. The dealer swap flywheels it went away, for a few days. I guess it will be another flywheel for me soon.

I recently had the same operation. Car went in and got the flywheels and clutch replaced. The noise used to go away after depressing the clutch. Now I seem to have a noise that doesn't go away after depressing the clutch....strange. I'll have them look at it next time I take it in.

Wrong. dealers can do whatever they wish with a modded MINI, it all depends on the dealer.

OP yes the flywheel and clutch issues are common not only among R53s but R56s as well. My 2005 S had its F and C replaced at 25K due to "glazing" on the flywheel. $2,600 if NOT under warranty.

Welcome to the crappy OEM Luk MINI clutch club.

As much as I love and enjoy the 6-speed Getrag manual in the MINI, unless they drastically improve the quality an durability of the clutch components, my next MINI will be automatic.

+1 on that, and I might include improving the DM flywheel too. And since R56 is also plagued with clutch and DMF issues, the outlook is not good.

Hence why I got a Clubman S with the AISIN automatic.

Any threads on replacing the clutch and flywheel yourself? I hear it is a tough job, but what's it involve?

it's the flywheel that has issues. The clutch on many a beaten car has held up really well. I track my car and had over 90k on it. It still had life left as well. Ask some of the turbo crowd, while you have to be careful on launch, it can take more than you'd expect. While there have been more failures than you would like to see, grinding isn't a sypmtom of a bad friction disc. It's a symptom of a bad throw-out bearing or pressure plate. Rattles were from the dual mass flywheel.

I wonder what's different for the 07+ cars....

Matt

R50 200k miles 5 speed Midland

Replaced clutch and turned the flywheel as well as replaced the bushing on the linkage that faces down with an aftermarket hard plastic piece.

With the car off it goes into all the gears fine. But with the car on and clutch pedal down putting the car into any gear is difficult and when it goes into gear the wheels spin intermiintermittently.

The slave cylinder seemed fine, but I didn't try to slide back the boot because I thought that would damage it.

The shift cable with the aftermarket bushing looks very rusted near where is clips into the cable bracket.

The flywheel was resurfaced but only the inside. There machinist said he didn't take enough off to warrant turning the outside. .008


I think I'll just replace the shift cables and hope that takes care of that.