Hey everyone, so I've experience what seems like a lack of power when its cold out. This morning when I was driving I let the car warm up for ten mins approximatoy and when i went to go drive it felt like I couldn't move. No check engine light and no cold start noise. Any experience with this?? Btw 07 mcs

Thanks

 

I noticed the same thing, and I think it's normal. Must be some protection for the engine. The colder it gets outside, the more it's noticable.

I started to realize it when it was around 5 or 10 degres celsuis outside.

I don't think you have to worry abbout anything

 

Well I'm glad the problem can be duplicated with another mini, at the same time I believe that's a huge safety issue...but that's just me

 

It's a safety issue of that the end user doesn't harm the turbocharger by inducing a rapid heat cycle by full boosting when on a cold engine.
Many vehicles run a power limitation of sort until the engine is above "cold" temps (usually coolant temp dependent); where that threshold is varies on the manufacturer.

- Erik

 

The following is copied from the 2007 Mini S owner's manual: "Do not let the engine warm up with the vehicle at a standstill. Move off immediately at a moderate engine speed."

I've never experience what you have described. However, it almost sounds like you're fouling the plugs, something I've experienced with my snowmobile. Try the above and see how it works for you.

 

Well the harm to the engine sounds like a good ideal. And as to the owners manual saying to start up and go..mini seems like it loves doing things backwards haha thanks tho

 

Does it go away when you drive it?

If you can, hold your gears a little longer when you first drive it to bring the overall engine temp up to normal operating parameters.

 

In my case, it's only on the first few shift. After something like 30 sec., everything is back to normal. And it really feels like when the traction control comes in. Like if the turbo was turned of for 2 or 3 seconds.

When it first happened, I thought to myself ''great, it looks like something is turnig off the power when the engine is cold''. It never looked abnormal

 

it does go away when i drive it, although this morningi tried what Greg said before about just getting in, starting it up and going and it was fine. Didnt even see the slightest problem of having no power or lagging.

Desiletspo- Try that and see how that works for you. Worked for me so might as well. only down fall is cold leather seats and a foggy windshield :(

 

I have NEVER let my mini "warm up", and NEVER had the problems you are having. In fact the car can boost easily when cold although not to the levels it can when warm.

I also find that it is warm enough to clear the windshield in about 1-2 minutes even on the coldest (0 F or -30 C) of days. And the seat warmers that come with the cold weather package are great. will never own a car with out them again.

 

My car runs rough when cold.....

 

...... interesting but still doesn't sound right.

I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just saying

 

Actually, it's spot on. And, MINI isn't the only one that suggests such.
VW's / Audi's state the same thing in the owners manual, along with not allowing the engine to idle for longer periods.

- Erik

 

Welcome to 21st century cars, Ron. No warm-up; just drive off moderately. Wait until engine reaches normal temp range to use full throttle.

 

I think it has less to do with the engine and more to do with government emissions stuff and fuel economy ratings.

Do you really think they would encourage you to sit there and burn fuel? The EPA would have an aneurism.

 

I really didnt know this? I believe you guys too.

 

It is an emissions thing, if you sit there at idle to warm up it takes longer for the catalytic converter in the exhaust to get hot enough to start working since its getting minimal exhaust flow. No cat = no emission treatment. Ever notice your exhaust smells like fuel whenever you are scraping the frost off? At least driving forces your EGTs a bit higher, which helps speed cat light off.

The car should be down on power when cold, think about it from a thermo perspective. If the surrounding engine block isn't up to temperature, more of the heat from combustion goes into heating the block up and less into transferring energy to the piston face and subsequently to the turbo. In addition to that, it is running richer during warm up because the cold injectors, manifold, etc do not do a good job of atomizing fuel, which makes it more difficult to ignite, which means you need more of it to keep the car running.

 

This all makes sense now. Ive been starting the car up and going for the past two days. No probpems at all. Thanks!

 

BMW (even my 2003), Mercedes and now Nissan have these statements as well.

 

Same issue here. I just posted in another tread. In cold starts it feels like it hasn't got power. But not that I think about it more. My M3 had lights on the rev, which turned off once it reach it warm temp. N I read it in the Manuel and it said not to pass the light otherwise damage would cause to the engine and it also felt like it didn't have power on cool starts.