Hi all so for the past couple months on my car it rattles on cold start. Already replaced the timing chain tensioner and when I did a valve cover gasket inspected the chain and guides and all seems fine, as well I did a oil pan gasket and there were no plastic chunks in the pan. I have looked into it being one of the hydraulic rocker arms but the noise does go away after a few seconds so I'm not sure if that could be a culprit. It is also seemingly sort of random, like sometimes its worse than others and sometimes it does not happen at all. Very confused any input is appreciated. Thanks!

 

Had that issue on a 2000 Accord @150k and infrequently on our 06 R53@60k. Spoke to our more than trustworthy MINI tech/guru at German Motor Works in Wichita and he recommended using BGMOA. So I did the research and added a can to the Accord at an oil change to see if there was any improvement. After about a 500 miles I noticed the rattle on start up disappeared and the engine had a smoother idle and was much quieter. So having had that experience, I added a can to the R53 and the infrequent start up rattle disappeared and the engine was quieter at idle and cruise. Also after a recent 2500 mile road trip, I noticed the average mpg was up about 10%. So now a can of BGMOA is on the oil change menu for both cars. I have always been a skeptic about oil additives, but this worked as advertised. FWIW.

 

Interesting I will have to try that do you know what was rattling though don't know much about accords but do those have a similar rocker set up. Thanks for the input.

 

I don’t know what caused the rattle but it’s gone now after adding BGMOA.

 

​​​​​​Hm alright appreciate the help will try that next oil change and see what happens.

 

Hmm I would suspect either the guides or chain itself, but you already checked that...

 

When I checked it it felt tight but maybe that was a time when it was tensioned properly but I have no clue because sometimes it does sound like that timing chain rattle you.get when you replace the tensioner at first but sometimes it sounds like a rocker arm bouncing around. I have no idea.

 

Are you certain it's coming from in the engine and does the rattle get quicker when you increase revs? Can you get someone else to start the car when it's cold so you can listen to the engine with the hood up?. Try to determine if the rattle is coming from the top or bottom of the engine, in other words, cylinder head or block. Coming from SC/WP side or belt tensioner side? What I'm getting at is that before we think the worst, let's eliminate the obvious.

 

I did recently do a supercharger service and there was no noise but the car runs absolutely wonderfully after it rattles for a couple seconds I was thinking a bad rocker arm that loses it's oil pressure overtime. I also did a valve covers gasket and saw that the chain was fully tensioned and I replaced the tensioner twice to double check a faulty part. It sounds like it is coming from the top back of the engine on the passenger side, near the timing chain but it also sometimes from sitting inside the car sounds like the drivers side top of the engine.

 

So just posting to this fourm again to see if i can fix this dreaded thing. I did do the bg moa oil additive and have had it for around 1000 miles, and granted the engine itself does run better I am honestly surprised. however the rattle is still present on cold start. I have linked below a video to see if anyone recognized the sound. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

So new update I took the valve cover off again and checked the chain and rocker arms. The chain was super tight no issues but i noticed that only some of the rocker arms had side to side movement. Just a tad but enough for me to be concerned. Is this normal at all and if not what should I do. Is the cam eating itself due to this?

 

Just a update in case anyone has a similar issue. Have replaced rocker arms and timing chain and it still rattles on cold start. I have now run completely out of ideas of what is going on. If anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hello Mbt.

My heavily maintained 2005 r53 has been making that same rattle sound for 2-3 seconds upon cold start-up.... since 2005. I thought that this was normal. 85,000 miles on the clock.....


Best,

Monkey Juice

 

That is quite odd i guess it is a possibility that it is normal.

 

Greetings.

I carefully listened to my cold start rattle yesterday morning and also today. The clatter lasts about 1 full second.... not 2 - 3 seconds as I posted above. Again, I thought that all MINI's had this issue.

Best,

Monkey Juice

 

Greets.

My last 2 cold starts did NOT have a rattle coming from the motor zone. Odd.

Cheerio.

 

Sometimes you'll hear the valvetrain upon 1st startup EXP if you have a higher lift cam..

 

What brand of timing chain tensioner did you install? Some seem to take longer to fill with oil than others. On start up if the tensioner is not full of oil, the chain will rattle until it moves timing chain guides.
Not saying this is the problem, just trying to cover all the bases.

Jeff

 

Hi.

I've been paying close attention to the half second long-cold start rattle on my car. During the last 4 cold attempts...2 were rattle free.

So I waxed the paint and used protectant on the interior..and poured a vodka cranberry.

Hi.

 

Ok so its killing me, honestly I am not looking to fix it I just want to know what's rattling. Just did a oil change and I did a engine flush with some BG EPR to see if it helps, and nothing. Also the past two oil changes there have been very small metal flakes and glitter stuck to my magnetic drain plug Just in case anyone has any ideas here what has been replaced so far:
Timing chain
Timing chain guides
Timing chain tensioner
Crank pulley
idler pulley
Belt tensioner with belt
Intake and exhaust rocker arms
Oil filter housing check valve
Valeo Clutch kit
Also have run BG MOA through it twice with no change
Supercharger has been serviced
Oil changed always with high quality oil and OEM filter

Sorry I keep pushing it I am just a bit OCD about this thing.
Thank you !!!!!!!!

 

I am NO expert, so listen to others before me.

That said, I had serious timing chain rattle, including a broken guide. I dropped my oil pan to make sure there wasn't any pieces of timing chain guide in the pan, and discovered my #1 rod bearing was GONE.

In watching Mod Mini videos where he was rebuilding a motor, he said his customer thought it was chain rattle, then discovered #1 rod bearing gone. So it wasn't JUST me.

Dropping the pan isn't thst bad, and it will give you an opportunity to inspe t your bottom end. Sorry if I ramped up your OCD.

 

Hm I guess that would be a option and would explain the glitter. Have already dropped the pan when I did the clutch and checked the rods. That was a while ago before the glittery but I guess it could be a option. Appreciate the input!

 

I'm hoping I am wrong!

 

So I was thinking about the glitter and well its all silver no gold or copper flakes it appears, now i am very familiar with the BMW S85 and S65 engine rod bearing issues and from what I have seen if it were bearings it would be of that gold and copper and silver flake. Are Mini bearings different to where its all silver if one were to spin or is it most likely not a bearing. Also coming back to the rattle, would a failed oil filter housing cause this issue? Thanks!

 

Here's what was in my oil pan.

Not much/any gold color to it.


Rod bearing remnants