My guess was clutch/flywheel related, I had a few beers last night, so I wanted to re-read this straight. Loss of power could be the clutch slipping, but obviously not enough to notice when engaging/dis-engaging gears. As you said, when you put it in neutral, it goes away. Could also be an input/output issue with the trans, I don't know these transmissions well enough to really go into detail. I wouldn't isolate a specific gear because you said it happens at all speeds.

Start with checking your transmission fluid level and health. Your recent long road trip could have exacerbated a slow leak or low fluid situation. Then you can move on to something else, which my guess would be a clutch on it's way out or a glazed flywheel.

 

I took my other MINI on the trip, this guy sat home. I see where you're coming from on the clutch and transmission, but would either of those create engine noise in the cabin? The power loss isn't anything like a slipping clutch. If you were to get in this thing today, you'd say, "that's definitely an exhaust leak". The problem is, three inspections say no. Perhaps I'm putting too much trust in monroe and midas.

 

You probably are. I'm sure some are great, but they're still just making $15-20/hour at Midas. And it can get pretty cramped up near the engine bay. Toss some seafoam in it and have a look underneath. You'll find out in a hurry.

 

Ahh, wrong mini! I'd be surprised you would lose a noticeable amount of power as a result of an exhaust leak.

Transmission input (clutch and flywheel) spin as engine speed, trans output spins as varying speeds depending on what gear you are in. So if it's on the input side, it could be disguised/blend in with the engine varying engine speed.

*Very gently drizzle in a very small amount of seafoam after watching a few videos on how to do it.


Internet positing is fun, but without having the car in front of us, it's still shooting into a dense fog.

 

I'm no stranger to seafoam.........if I have time this weekend I'll give it a shot.

 

UPDATE: I didn't have time to screw around with this my self, so I brought it into the shop today. It turns out it was the upper motor mount. I didn't consider this since there was no leakage from it and I had just installed it, and the lower, about 6mo./5,000mi ago. So, there you have it.

 

Noise and vibration make sense for an engine mount.


How does an engine mount cause a seat-of-the-pants power loss?

Without that statement, I wouldn't have focused on the power train.

 

Agreed. Maybe just the vibration was a cue that things weren't right which was mistaken as power loss? Oh well.

 

Well, like I said, it was a slight power loss, probably not noticeable to anyone else. A bad mount can certainly rob some power, but I never would have thought a new mount would have been shot so soon.

 

How?

 

Well, the motor won't exactly be producing less power, but the free movement of the motor from the bad mount will result in some loss of that power being sent to the wheels.

 

Not a loss of power, but a parasitic drivetrain loss from the engine to the wheels.

I'm still not sure that it actually was noticeable, but I know when something is wrong with my car I "feel" like it's down on power just because I know something isn't right.

 

How? The engine and transmission shifting around (together) slightly is not going to cause binding on the driveshaft's u-joints. It would be less of a change in angle than just the suspension movement.

 

It's physics man. It's drivetrain loss. The more solid everything is bolted tight the less is lost from the motor to the wheels. That's what drivetrain loss is. I'm sure it's noticeable in big power race cars but I doubt it on our cars.

 

The mount was still there. I would imagine any movement would be negligible. I don't doubt that it was mental and he knew something was wrong which just translated as a slight power loss. Same way that when changing your oil can occasionally make your car feel like it's running stronger/smoother/faster.

 

"The mount still being there" is a bit of a faulty argument. When a tire is flat, it's still there. When a headlight bulb is blown, it's still there. When the brake pads are warn down to nothing, they're still there. Yet, the function of those parts is severely retarded. The loss of power translated to the wheels wasn't "mental" by any stretch of the imagination.

 

School me, because I'd like to know.

The engine mount is not in the line of transfer for energy from the crank to the road, a flat tire or stuck brake caliper would be.

 

ok

 

Anything between the engine and the wheel is in line. How do you figure it's not?

Here's some education for you.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/new-mo...e-response.htm

Any movement comes at the expense of some energy. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The amount of energy used to make the motor rock on the mounts is directly taken from the energy being sent to the wheels.

The energy exerted in that movement is lost from acceleration.


Just in case you need to brush up on some physics as well.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/clas...on-s-Third-Law


Why else would race cars have incredibly stiff or solid mounts.

If they made no difference there would be no reason for anyone to offer and "street" versus "race" mount. Racers wouldn't spend the extra.

 

Mathematically you are correct, thank you. I have brushed up on my physics.



Having driven with a completely blown and crushed top engine mount for a couple months, I have trouble believing this was noticeable from a butt dyno. However, you are correct, there could be an increase in the loss of energy to the ground as a result of extra engine movement.

 

Well the butt dyno has been known to be way off lol. My top mount was broke in 2 and while I felt more vibration I don't recall feeling a loss of power per say. But the smoothness from the new mount felt like I had more power. So potentially having replaced a bad mount not so long ago and this mount going out again maybe he did feel something different that we may not necessarily notice since it was drastically different so fast versus going bad slowly over the course of years.

 

That is the truth. I still maintain that led us down the wrong road.

I replaced the blown top mount and the engine still feels like it wants out of the engine bay. I can't say I noticed an increase in power or response nor do I think the factory engine mounts do a satisfactory job. I inspected the others and they are OK. R53 stock mounts might as well be blown from the factory, they are awful. When this one goes, and I don't anticipate it taking too long, I will be going to one of the expensive mounts.

I ran poly mounts in my old Miata after the factory mounts tore and they were great. I probably should have realized that I would not be satisfied with the factory R53 mount, but it was $50 instead of $300.

 

yes, its probably just a vacuum leak. When an R53 has a vac leak at the intercooler the exhaust note becomes loud/deeper like a truck and will obviously experience boost / power loss. Could be either a compromised intercooler, rubber coupler boot is cracked or just a loose connection to the intercooler one from blow by oil getting to those couplers allowing the rubber part to slide off intercooler...sometimes it will throw a code, sometimes not....

Purchase some CRC Brand DECLORINATED brake cleaner...comes in a green can.

Remove the intercooler cover, and coupler clamps while keeping them in order as you remove them so they go back on same as when they came off.

Removed intercooler, spray out the innerds with the DECLORINATED brake cleaner. While that is drying.....( stand on end over rag to drain )

Inspect the rubber intercooler couplers for cracks by pressing the rubber. If cracked replace ( May want to order set ahead of time if this is a DD, can always be returned ) If not, then clean inside and out with the DECLORINATED brake cleaner, wipe dry.

Put it back together. The clamps can be a PITA to align though the horns. Be patient. Make SURE the bottom of the rubber couplers where it attaches to the intercooler have not slipped or been pinched back. Seen many times where folks had tightened everything down only to find one side was not fully on.

 

Turned out to be the upper motor mount. I never suspected it because I just replaced it 5 months ago. It looked fine, no leaking. New motor mount and I feel like I'm driving a brand new car!

 

Sorry to drag up an old thread- this just sounded very familiar as I have been pouring through posts.
Have been having a not dissimilar situation- Less of a loud exhaust, more a buzzy, tinniness in the footwell. Also comes and goes and seems worse in the cold. I was sure it was in the belt system as that was changed along with the friction wheel, but dealer "doesn't notice it" at this point after doing the wheel. Symptom feels like an exhaust shield vibration. 2013 MCS with 38K miles. I realize this is the first gen forum, but after reading the OP's experience, I may want to check the mounts, though it would surprise me at these miles. I'll also post in Gen 2 as I continue to investigate. Could a vacuum leak cause such a vibration? not tires as it also disappears with clutch in. Power at times feels affected, but may just be in my head. Subtle, but it was not doing this 6 months ago when I purchased the car.