well i did a search and found nothing like this, so hear it goes.

28K mileage 04MCS

when driving yesterday i had a real odd clutch issue, i needed to make a hasty lane change and drove it hard and shifted from 2nd to 3rd and when i went to get on the gas, the clutch felt like it disengaged, i pressed the pedal and it had no effect, when i let off on the gas i then felt the clutch catch, it seemed like when the supercharger kicked in it caused the clutch to become free and spinning, once it came down on RPMs it seemed to engage. since, i have been driving it easy with some spirited driving with no issues, but i havent really kicked the supercharger in hard. any ideas?

 

Sounds like your clutch was slipping (not fully locking up the flywheel and pressure plate) which seems unusual for a car with only 28K miles. Maybe you have oil or something leaking onto the clutch.

 

i was feeling the same way, how can this car be having this issue with so few miles on it, im a light foot driver with the occasional spirited run!

 

Do you see any oil on the bottom of engine (rear main seal) or transmission (input shaft) that would indicate a possibility of oil getting onto the clutch disc?
I suggest you perform a few load tests to see if the clutch is really slipping. You could again apply a lot of power during a 1-2 or 2-3 shift to see if the clutch grabs or slips. Or you can slightly apply the brake when letting the clutch out to see how the clutch grabs or slips. I do not suggest trying the clutch on a hill because if the clutch slips you might not be able to get up the hill.

 

This actually isn't unusual to me. When I had my '03 Cooper, the clutch needed replacing at about 18k miles because it was slipping. I wasn't a racer or anything, just a spirited driver. It just happens. Take it in and see what they say. They replaced mine under the factory warranty. If your worried about longevity though, try getting an aftermarket one that is more tolerant of more spirited aggressive driving.

 

i did the 4th gear test today in a lot and the engine stalled out, i rev's it to 2500 and dumped the clutch and it killed it immediately, im not gettign any leaks showing on the engine or on the ground, im wondering if the pressure plate is just loosing its tension and allowing it to come free?

 

I don't know if the 4th gear test works very well cause my car has always died after that type of thing. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

I'm having the exact same problem. When I'm driving on a highway and on 3rd or 4th gear, the clutch seems to slip when I give it max gas. RPM goes up without much acceleration then moments later the car speed catches up...

Did you have it looked at yet? I'm taking mine in to a garage to have it checked. I'll keep you posted.

 

thank you, keep me posted, i have only had mine do it once since this initial time, however im not one for the hammer down all the time either, im interested to see what you come back with.

 

I just got back from the garage today.

So basically, my clutch is slipping bad. He said he could already tell something was wrong with the clutch when he pressed down on the clutch because the friction point was way off.

I'm getting a new clutch kit (clutch disc + pressure plate + bearing) put in this Thursday. Pretty hefty bill ($325+labor which is $789). The mechanic also suggested that I get new wheel bearings as they sound toast. So on top of that another $635. Plus I'm getting Alta 15% pulley and new belt in for $209.

SO ALL IN ALL, I'm looking at spending about $2100.
I guess it's worth it because at the dealers, the clutch alone would cost $1500.

If your car is showing symptoms of clutch slipping, I suggest take it to the mechanic as soon as possible before you blow the entire thing (+ flywheel)

Good luck!

 

I got my clutch put in for $750 parts and labor.

 

$1500 sounds about right, and that's considered a GOOD price. Have MINI dealership do a clutch job and they'll charge you $2000 for just labor alone. I got a aftermarket clutch and flywheel kit for about 800. About another 700-800 for labor.

FastGreenMINI struck gold. So he was lucky.

 

You were charged at least $50/hour for labor. Replacing the clutch and fw in the MINI is a 9-10 hour job. Not bad. My independent charges $70/hour for labor and that is pretty damn good vs the dealer at nearly $130/hour.

 

Yeah, my garage charged me CAD$75/hr.

But wow! What a difference a new clutch and new wheel bearings make!
New wheel bearings made the car so much quieter. I didn't realize how bad my wheel bearings were until I got the new ones haha.

Clutch feels much more springy..

Well, a lot of money well spent I say...

 

What kind of clutch/fw did you get?

 

I just got the OEM clutch. The flywheel didn't need a replacement. THANK GOD!!