So, I just got my used 2009 JCW Clubman - and it is awesome. But it has been over a decade since I drove stick and I made a noob error today.

I parked and put the parking brake on, left it in first gear, but before stopping the engine I let out the clutch.

Now, in my previous cars this sucks, but doesn't do any damage. Now I get the service light on start up and the car idles a bit rough. Seems like the reves at idle are bouncing around a bit too.

Help? What have I done? I only picked this car up on Saturday.

That eek should be done in a young girls voice, even though I'm over 40 and male.

 

It has 37,000 miles on it. I tried the check the Service-Info, but it doesn't come up. When I drill in to the check-info it says everything checks ok.

 

Even experienced drivers stall the engine from time to time by 'popping' the clutch. So it's hard to imagine that you damaged anything seriously -- if at all...

I presume you mean the SES light is continuously illuminated after engine start? It should ordinarily come on for a few seconds after start-up, just to confirm that it's functioning during the car's self-check. If you're not getting a continuous SES light, I'm inclined to say you're doing what I have a tendency to sometimes do: applying a little http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias to the concern that you may have damaged something during your momentary lapse -- so any little variation from perfection is perceived as evidence that something is damaged.

 

Just a thought, disconnect the battery for a few minutes to reset the computer. It may be a long shot, but worth a try?

 

Did the exact same thing at MINIS In The Ozark sin our 09 Clubman S Saturday. IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY! Car was still fine, me on the other hand was embarrassed. Don't think anyone saw, as no laughing was heard.

That alone shouldn't have caused any issues.

 

Timfitz63 - there was definitely a change in vehicle idle after I popped the clutch. But it may have been due to something else that happened before. That night I endured some of the worst stop and go traffic ever - in an area that doesn't normally have any issues. I don't know the last time the oil was changed and during the stop and go traffic I fixed the date and time. Turns out in reading afterward that keeping the date and time correct has an impact on maintenance. But I am sure it wouldn't cause a problem. It was off by a year and 12 hours.

At mini dealer - main of Monmouth nj now.

Oh it blinks service in the tach. But yesterday in the middle of the day I got the yellow check engine light.

We shall see. Idle keeps bouncing 900 to 800 to 1100 ( approximately) instead of a steady 1100 it was doing before.

 

Maacodale,
Even if nobody notices it still feels embarrassing. It is as if part of yourself says 'You amateur'.

Or at least for me anyway.

Alex

 

Mib4840 -

Hmm well at the dealer now. Getting the checkup. If I had experience with the carand 'knew' it I might have tried that.

I am unfortunately ignorant and a noon with mini right now.

 

Update:
Dealer says it looks like an air intake hose was loose to the turbo. They are securing it. Doing an oil change and it says it needs spark plugs. Hopefully that is all it is and maybe when I stalled it the intake was loose and it popped out.

 

^ that must be what it is. lol i do this all the time, never had any issue

 

Yeah, that doesn't sound normal... I'd be wondering too...

That could very well be the issue. Hopefully this repair will get you properly motoring again!

 

They are replacing the spark plugs at 37K? Why? I thought the recommended interval was 100K.

 

You did that too?
Mine was at the street entrance on the steep rise out of the parking lot for the Elk run. Total mismanagement of hand brake, clutch and throttle.

To the OP: My old E type would diesel every time the ignition was turned off so the only way to stop that was; disengage clutch, first gear, foot on brake,
ignition off and let out the clutch. Never had a problem.

 

It was exactly what the mechanic said it was!!!!

Drive home was awesome. You know, it was very violent when it popped, not sure why. Must have knocked that air intake loose.

Fly'n Brick
I am so glad it is not the bad old days. It always give me a little adrenalin shock when I pop the clutch in gear and in to brakes.

JAB 67
Dealer said do it for the spark plugs - so I did. I would say this, it only has 37,000 miles, but it is fairly old - 4 years or so. I figure I'll keep track and if they ask me to do them again relatively soon (time or miles) I might have a complaint. I suspect that maybe fixing the clock brought the spark plugs up - and I wonder if the used car dealer or the person that sold them the car set the date back so they didn't have to pay to replace the spark plugs when selling the car....

 

Maybe backpressure from the turbo when you stalled it blew the intake pipe off?

Had something similar on a turbocharged diesel Clubman. Oil contaminated the turbo inlet and the intake pipe kept slipping off - was really annoying and the car kept roaring like a jet engine. The annoying thing was that the tighter I made the hose clamp, the faster the pipe would slip off...

 

Could be - this is my first turbo ever. My wife had a turbo Chrysler Laser, but apparently the turbo broke twice and she had no money so it was just a plain laser.

Much as I like my turbo JCW, a turbo diesel would probably have been a better choice for me with my 100 mile daily commute.

So far, I haven't popped the clutch and stalled again. If I do, next time I'll look in the engine bay before running to the dealer.

 

JCW interval is more frequent. The car eats spark plugs.

 

Ah, that is a feature the salesperson didn't mention...

 

Sounds like 'learn to change my own sparkplugs' is now on your to-do list.

Fortunately, you have the Wonder Twins of YouTube and Google to help! :D