R56 Cold Weather Starts
#1
#2
I'm wondering the same thing. First cold weather start last night and I actually freaked out when the car bucked a bit and sounded as if it was able to stall.
#5
#7
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#9
It was only 31 here this morning and mine started fine. Although, I have it in the garage where it was probably a few degrees warmer. As soon I headed off down the road, I got my little snowflake warning. Too bad it wouldn't automatically turn on the heated seats for me once it detects the temp. Now that would be the ultimate in laziness.
#10
Funny, I put Shell in it on Friday and was wondering if I did the right thing after seeing the "10% ethanol" sign at the pump. The owner's manual said 10% would not void the warranty, but I read it more as "it's sorta OK if you put this stuff in" not as "we recommend it".
But when I started the car in the garage this morning in 30 degree temp, it started fine. just to be safe I let it run for a few minutes while I grabbed my bag, etc. I also had the snowflake warning, which sent me in a panicky scramble for the owners manual.
But when I started the car in the garage this morning in 30 degree temp, it started fine. just to be safe I let it run for a few minutes while I grabbed my bag, etc. I also had the snowflake warning, which sent me in a panicky scramble for the owners manual.
#12
Do those engine block heaters help? How about those fuel additives I see all the time for cold starts/weather?
I don't have a mini yet, but I plan on buying one soon. Unfortunately, it will be left in my driveway because my garage is full with other cars
Oh, and I'm in Canada...yea it gets cold
I don't have a mini yet, but I plan on buying one soon. Unfortunately, it will be left in my driveway because my garage is full with other cars
Oh, and I'm in Canada...yea it gets cold
#13
Check the faults and fixes forum. Lots of noisey cold start reports there. Same trhing on MINI2.
I had my cam chain tensioner replaced at 9000 miles. Piston wasn't getting enough oil and was allowing the cam chain to rattle around and make a bunch of noise for the first few minutes on start-up. BAD!
There's some debate whether parking nose-up or nose down makes a difference, too. Informal polls at MINI2 seem to suggest more people ecperience the problem whan parking nose down. Who knows.
My advice... if it rattles badly for more than a minute before quiting down, get it checked out ASAP. There's some expectation of rattling for a few seconds... until oil pressure builds up in the tensioner... but once it does, it should quiet down & you should just hear the normal sounds of fuel injecter solonoids clicking away. Continued rattling (2-3 minutes before going away) is a sign to get it checked ASAP.
I had my cam chain tensioner replaced at 9000 miles. Piston wasn't getting enough oil and was allowing the cam chain to rattle around and make a bunch of noise for the first few minutes on start-up. BAD!
There's some debate whether parking nose-up or nose down makes a difference, too. Informal polls at MINI2 seem to suggest more people ecperience the problem whan parking nose down. Who knows.
My advice... if it rattles badly for more than a minute before quiting down, get it checked out ASAP. There's some expectation of rattling for a few seconds... until oil pressure builds up in the tensioner... but once it does, it should quiet down & you should just hear the normal sounds of fuel injecter solonoids clicking away. Continued rattling (2-3 minutes before going away) is a sign to get it checked ASAP.
#15
Break in?
To all the people that are having ruff cold starts.
Are you still in break in period?
I just finished before it got cold in the morning and mine sounds fine. I still let it run for a few mins though.
edit: I also park nose up. so that could be it.
Are you still in break in period?
I just finished before it got cold in the morning and mine sounds fine. I still let it run for a few mins though.
edit: I also park nose up. so that could be it.
Last edited by rlnewby; 10-30-2007 at 04:40 AM.
#16
This summer I was on the northern California coast parked nose down on a steep incline 40 F morning ,it sounded like there was no oil in it when I started it .Mine had over 4000 miles on it when it did this .Now that winter is coming we'll here more of this like last year .http://www.mini2.com/forum/2nd-gen-f...when-cold.html A scary read just in time for Halloween !
Last edited by korby; 10-30-2007 at 05:02 AM.
#17
Oh, and I've got 7,800 miles on mine, so there goes the break-in theory
#19
I don't think this is specific to MINIs
My BMW 328I has a similar problem. On cold mornings, the car starts fine but rattles a bit (as if it felt the cold through its spine ) if I sit in idle for more than a minute (usually while waiting for signal).
But, that doesn't happen at any other time other than mornigns. My dealer recommended switching to 89 gas instead of 91 gas and I think that really helped. So, I usually put in 89 during winter.
-Jetta
But, that doesn't happen at any other time other than mornigns. My dealer recommended switching to 89 gas instead of 91 gas and I think that really helped. So, I usually put in 89 during winter.
-Jetta
#21
#22
This summer I was on the northern California coast parked nose down on a steep incline 40 F morning ,it sounded like there was no oil in it when I started it .Mine had over 4000 miles on it when it did this .Now that winter is coming we'll here more of this like last year .http://www.mini2.com/forum/2nd-gen-f...when-cold.html A scary read just in time for Halloween !
#25
I heard this same sound from my July build MCS. Sounds like a horrible diesel! The video on the other forum is exactly what I heard. Disappeared after the engine warmed up.
The turbo theory in the other thread was an interesting one... Anybody had this problem with an MC?