Took my 07 MCS with 22k on it into service last night for the cold-start rattle, only has happened a couple times, but anyway, wanted to get it addressed. They were able to replicate it and are replacing the timing chain tensioner and also the timing chain itself. Is this normal procedure? Timing chain seems excessive and why would it also need replaced with such low miles on the car? Should I feel anything different when I get the car back? Kind of worries me a little bit...

 

It means that the chain showed damage. I had the rattle fixed, but my chain was not replaced. They said it was fine.

 

I think you should be worried if they didn't replace the chain at 22K.....

Your car will be fine once they've done this...........I think.

I had just the tensioner replaced on my '09 Clubman S at about 3K miles, and so far so good at almost 10K.

 

I could tell a difference (for the better) after having cold start chatter work (SIM 11-07-02) done. Call it my imagination if you want but the car is smoother from take off (less lag/jerk). Whether directly or indirectly a result of the timing chain work, it was certainly appreciated.

 

Since they replaced the timing chain, you may. If there was much wear in the chain, it could have affected the valve timing.

 

got it back tonight, haven't driven it enough to see/tell a difference other than they didn't reset my time and other stuff on my car.

 

I think I get that on my car almost every time I start the car up. I have all of 2700 miles on my car...I noticed when engaging the clutch the noise goes away. When i release the clutch and i'm idling in neutral I hear some clatter underhood. Is this what you're hearing too? usually goes away permanently in the drive after a few minutes of driving.

 

If it comes and goes with the clutch being pressed it's probably related to the flywheel- my dealer says a certain amount is normal but it could be a problem. (I'm supposedly in the normal group) I'd say it's worth complaining about.

For what it's worth I had a '92 Ford Probe that did this same noise when I bought it at 85K, and it went another 120K before finally giving up the ghost.

 

What does it sound like? Any videos demonstrating the sound. Mini's engine typically sounds chattery, like mini diesel.

Curious to hear what a bad chain tensioner/chain sounds like.

Vince

 

Yeah I would say it does sound similiar to a diesel, maybe a little harsher...just as loud or louder. You will know it if it happens. On a cold morning mine would last between 2 and 3 minutes...which seems like a long time while its happening. Bottom line it sounds like you have a bad engine problem.

 

I've never heard it myself, but I've been reliably told it's a louder version of the diesel engine sound that goes away when the engine gets warm. Which would explain some of the early confusion about what it was and why MINI took some time before coming up with a fix. I'm sure there was more than one normal engine noise that was reported as cold start rattle.

From what I understand, the timing chain gets replaced because of excess slack. That would be consistent with the chain being stretched from it thrashing back and forth before the tensioner starts working.

 

take a ball-peen hammer and strike a piece of metal repeatedly in sync for 30 sec-2 minutes and y'll have a good idea. It will be louder on the passenger side. If U wish to record the noise, do it inside, glovebox down, and not outside (too much ambient noise from the DI.) Also, engine should be idling smooth otherwise, no cels, codes, or funny exhaust events.

 

It sounds like a chain being dragged over metal at high speed, because that is exactly what is happening.

There are videos in the Stock Problems/Issues forum.

 

Just took the MINI with me on my cross-country move, and it was feeling pretty beat up after the trip. Having had the cold-start issue off and on for the past number of months, I noticed it worse than ever after the trip and finally brought the car in for service. My adviser instantly diagnosed what was going on; when replacing the tensioner they could significant wear in the chain (at 33K miles) and replaced it along with a whole host of ancillary parts. I've had the car back for just about a week now and the difference has been pretty powerful- car feels much smoother at part-throttle and just off idle...I can only imagine that the timing chain issue had been screwing with valve-timing something fierce.

Happy to have it all fixed now; especially happy that MINI came through with a fix for this before it became a real problem. Good luck to all who are still pre-fix!