Hey all,
I need some help - it seems our Mini is developing a problem.

In the morning, when the car is cold - everything feels 100% normal. But once it warmed up - when I engage first gear and release the clutch - at the point where it actually engages the engine I feel a very short but very noticeable vibration resonating through the car. The entire car shakes for a fraction of a second and then everything is back to normal - it accelerates and drives OK.

Sometimes (more rare) I can get the same in second gear and even less often in 3d. It always happens when releasing the clutch and the point where engine is starting to engage. Almost feels like if i release the clutch without giving it any gas and the car was starting to struggle before stalling, only i'm giving it enough gas.

It is a 2006 Cabrio with 48K miles and is driving very sparingly by my wife...

Any ideas?

 

No one had a similar experience or seen this before?

I can't be that lucky!

 

i have a similar experience with a CVT in my 03. does your RPM's dip when you let off the clutch?

 

If I engage the clutch way too slowly or stop pedal movement at the wrong point it will vibrate or shudder a bit. It's been doing it for ~18,000KM and nothing else has cropped up, so I haven't worried about it. Engagement is still good, no slipping, etc.

 

Yes, but this is normal for manual - as i let of the clutch and the engine is connected through gears to the wheels - the RPMs will dip. Maybe i misunderstood what you meant to say?

That is interesting...Ours has never done this prior to last week. I'm really concerned about clutch or other parts being worn out and being in need of replacement.

 

Without driving it this is all guesses. But I have seen worn/broken motor mounts cause shutters when releasing the clutch, so I'd check those.

 

When I was taking lessons in my car, my driving instructor had me move the car from a stop on a steep incline without using the throttle at all, just clutch control. It shuddered a bit and he said, "Don't worry about that, it's just the motor mounts." It doesn't seem to do it often, only when I have a feeble start, but I'll take a closer look at the mounts this weekend. Maybe worth replacing.

 

Thank you for suggestions - i will check those out and report back. I know that upper engine mount (passenger side, near the strut mount) was replaced under warranty - it is a hydrolic one and the original leaked, so dealer replaced it for free. I would need to check the others.

 

Do you feel vibrations when you are at full throttle? When you ar gunning it? That happens to my car. My car vibrates only when I put the pedal to the floor. Sounds like its the same thing as Yazon. If anyone can help figure this out it will help me too.

 

Yup! I have the same exact problem.....only on cold startups mine happens in just first gear, the whole car jumps and sometimes a screeching noise as well but only happens 2-3 times then thats it.

I was told my clutch is wearing out, or that there may be "oil on the clutch disk"??? whatever the hell that means........I am leaving it for now...never does it during the day.

 

No, it never vibrates at speed. In fact this car is rarely taken over 5K RPM since my wife is not a very spirited driver and i don't drive it often.





Ours does it when driving around and not as much when starting first time for the day. So far can't put a finger on the exact problem...

 

Yazon, did motor mounts solve your vibration issue when taking off?
Thanks

 

Apart from the possibility of engine mounts...

Clutch engagement, if done incorrectly overtime, can often develop hot spots or deposits on the flywheel surface and or clutch disc. These hot spots are pretty much hardened metal or residue which has protruded out of the surface (to a small degree), but enough to cause your clutch to skip/vibrate whilst engaging to your engine. This is typical at low RPM as there is not enough momentum provided by your engine to overide the effect.

This problem is permanent unless you investigate the option of grinding/surfacing your clutch disc/flywheel OR replacing your clutch system.

This problem is dependent on temperature and RPM, so that is why you don't always experience it.

Cheers.

 

I have a problem, I think, I hope not... ugh

So I replaced an oem upper motor mount today, lifted up the engine slightly to get the placement and alignment correct. Once I got the new mount in and everything put back together, I took it for a drive. This is the noise I am getting when I'm downshifting. Did I screw something up when lifting up the engine? Does it take a while to break the new oem mount in? I only get this noise when downshifting, for the most part.

 

NVM, Kahnfucious helped me with this.

Apparently the heatshield bent slightly when I lifted the engine, causing it to vibrate on the headers, especially during downshifting.

I bent it back, and did a quick check of the whole underneath top of engine.
Went for a quick spin and now car is quieter than ever.

 

Reviving this thread since I've having the same issue. Car stutters a little in first gear when starting from a stop as I'm releasing the clutch. Almost seems like the clutch is grabbing, slipping, grabbing, slipping, very quickly back and forth for a second. Once the car is rolling, shifts are smooth.

If I use higher rpms than I'd prefer, say around 2,000, then its mostly gone.

Did a new passenger side engine mount solve this for anyone? If it's really that simple, I might give it a try.

If it's the clutch, I'm going to live with it until it starts slipping...