Let me start by saying this is a great place to find out info. I usually get some knowledge from the forums.


I have my 2007 MCS. The check engine light came on so I brought it to the dealer because I noticed on the cold days when I started the car about a minute in the car idle would drop to almost stalling point. I had this similar issue in Feb and they replaced the high pressure fuel pump. Yesterday they called me saying they thought it was a vacuum leak and they are trying to find it. Today they call me telling me there is condensation under the valve cover because the engine is not hitting its heating point. I drive the car to the train station everyday which is less than 10 minutes away. I don't usually drive it on the weekend because being a family of 4 there is just not enough room. So they called the warranty company and they will not cover this. I ask them how much and they tell me its going to cost $3000. They need to replace the valve cover and some hoses (throttle, sound generator hose etc). I called the warranty company and the claim is for a pcv valve which is not covered because it falls under emissions. Fine. What about the rest of the parts? I asked for a list and this is what I get. I am not really sure what any of this is.


HOT FILM AIR MASS $474.81
RUBBER BOOT $131.41
CHARGE AIR COOLER $331.93
INTAKE MANIFOLD $121.07
INTAKE MANIFOLD $121.07
INTAKE MANIFOLD $98.99
INTAKE MANIFOLD $98.99
AIR HOSE $66.17
SOUND GENERATOR $119.50
AIR CHANNEL $42.43
GASKET $6.28
INTAKE MANIFOLD $497.26
THROTTLE $324.60
2461.51
TAX 209.98
TOTAL 2671.49
WITH 7 HOURS OF LABOR

Please let me know your thoughts.[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

Sounds like they're trying to take you to the cleaners on this. That being said, the type of driving you're describing is exacerbating the problem, because the oil never gets up to operating temperature. A catch can could possibly help, but unless the oil is brought up to temp and held there for a period of time the impurities/moisture never evaporate fully and just keep collecting in your oil. This is just my opinion, of course.

 

Wow, looks like they want to replace the whole air intake system (including sound generator - which a lot of people remove, lol).

What exactly is wrong with the car, did they say. Honestly it seems to me that they are just replacing parts.

 

I think I'd go elsewhere. You may need a valve cover, perhaps a walnut shell blast but I'd question the rest.... Short trips are killers. There are lots of unknowns here but just remember that the dealer will throw parts at it until its fixed, at your expense and they will go over board. I mean just because there may be condensation inside a hose, doesn't mean it needs to be replaced.

 

Thanks. Does it matter of the weather? Like now in the winter I am warming to car for 10-15 before driving as I always have.

 

The computer came back with a crankcase ventilation code they said. I don't know what the means and said it is because of the condensation

 

They did say valve cover but yet it was not in the parts list. This is also covered by the warranty company per the documentation I have. They also mentioned a walnut blasting but that is not in the quote either. They are not fixing anything until I understand what the problem is. We had it out with them. I got a manager he called me back. They moved the car to the bmw garage because they use separate buildings here. Every time I got there it is over $2000. Back in June they charged me like 600 for all this stuff I did not tell them to do as I can do myself. I walked out paying nothing but I hate dealerships. I love the mini but I am honestly thinking about selling it.

 

Here's a link to the diagrams and lists of parts that you have listed.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...12&hg=13&fg=20

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...06&hg=13&fg=20

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...98&hg=13&fg=15

A lot of that stuff probably can be cleaned off.

 

Thanks. Yeah I figured they could clean most of it off as well. Just looking to make more money for the month. They are trying to get it put thru warranty per the manager. We will see.

 

PCV means Positive Crankcase Ventilation. It's basically how the air and oil vapors that are inside the engine get dealt with. In theory, the oil vapor gets separated out of them, and the air gets plumbed into the intake so that any hydrocarbons left can be burned and won't get out and contaminate the air.

A code will be thrown if the engine management detects some sort of problem in the system. I'm not sure what the detection involves; it may be something like a pressure monitor where they expect to see some specific air pressure during a specific set of circumstances, or there may be something else.

But yeah, it looks a lot like they just want to throw a lot of parts at the problem and hope that it goes away. I wouldn't be paying them to do that.

 

Truthfully I'd say to replace the valve cover since the PCV system is integrated into the valve cover, and go from there. If that solves your code, then just take the intact tract apart from the fresh air intake to the air box and clean the insides and the filter.

 

Thanks all. I had to get the managers involved. Now they are looking the car over again. Right now its pcv valve and gasket. We will see what update I get tomorrow.

 

That sound more like it.

 

How many miles on your little hummer?

Many here on the forum write of a "crushed walnut shell intake valve plemum" cleaning needed/required sometime after 20k. Your symptoms sound similiar to these other owners. The walnut shells are not harmful to aluminum parts. This technique has been in use in the aircraft industry for many years on piston engined aircraft.

Here is another thread on the carbon build up problem-ugh!

If you read these threads I gave you tonight, You'll have a terrific background of the problem that plagues these GDI (Gas Direct Injection) engines. Newer model engines, don't have as many of these problems as Mini has changed to a modfified (improved) cam timing program. Your dealer will be amazed at your "new knowledge" of your (very probable) problem tomorrow.

Keep us posted--- Good luck,

 

Thanks I will take a look. I have 33,000 or so on the car

 

Do you drive your car in sport mode at all? If so, do you notice when the pop/burble starts happening? This seems to happen, according to my JCW water temp gauge, at a little under 90 degrees C. Of course we all know water boils at 100C so that should be the minimum temperature you run the car at for stuff to boil off. Oil temperature should be higher than water temperature so you know you're good when you start to pop/burble.

Just to give you some idea. It is currently 80 degrees. I drive for 15 minutes in city traffic (30 mph, mostly flat) and I'm somewhere between 90-95C on my gauge. If I start to hit the turbo after it starts popping I can get it to the normal operating temperature of 105C on the gauge pretty quickly, but otherwise it doesn't get much higher in that time.

Since you live in a colder climate I'm guessing it takes a lot longer than 15 minutes to get your engine to 90C. The 10-15 min warmup period might help but I'd be curious to see what your temps are after that since it's only idling and driving the car builds a lot more heat than idling. Be sure to not use the heater if possible until you are up to temp, I think from your sig you have heated seats?

Also, just thought of something, do you have auto or manual? The auto uses engine coolant to cool itself but with the thermostat closed it also helps warm the engine up as well. Not sure if the manual would have a similar effect.

 

Thanks Yesti. I don't use sport normally, actually come to think of it, its been a while. How can I figure out what the temperature is after the car warming up for 10-15 mins? I do have heated seats and the car is a manual.

 

Pretty sure emissions stuff is covered for 10 years or something like that because it's federally mandated. Not 100% sure by I think that's right. Check it out to make sure I'm not wrong.

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

I just looked it up, and the federal mandate is 8 years/80000 miles on "major emissions controls" not 100% sure what that means but it's worth a shot to see if you can find out more about that. I hope that helps some.

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

AFAIK, the only way to view temperature is with a scangauge or similar device.

 

Is it water vapor creating a mocha looking sludge buildup in the upper cylinder head/valve cover ? Oil changes are based upon mileage OR time. If most of your driving is very short trips of 10 miles a day for last 33K miles, moisture is not evaporating from the engine oil since it never reaches optimum running temps for any length of time. Moisture also degrades the ability of the oil filter to maintain proper flow and can reek havoc on the PCV parts. You should be changing your oil every 5-6 months just due to your driving habits posted here.


That said, any components in that system may need to be replaced. I would start with a fresh oil change. Then the valve cover since the PCV's are encased inside it, then move from there to checking the vac pump for proper function. Poorly working vac pump ( about $480.00) will kill these engines pretty quickly.

 

Yup- Get a scangauge and just plug it in- below the dash and next to the steering column. Put some velcro on to it and mount it on the dash (left side). You'll probably get more info than you'll ever need. My Mini runs at 225 f degrees. You'll get alternator voltage and transmission temp among other things.

Order it over the phone and it will come with Mini programming. I ordered mine via the internet and I had to send it back because it did not have the Mini stuff- and I did exactly what the Scan Gauge folks told me to do over the phone, it just didn't work out-

Don't the "Service Writers" at the dealers work on a commission basis?

 

Checked this out and seems good. What is the mini prgramming? Amazon has it cheaper then them directly.

 

Thanks Chili

 

The MINI programming is stuff that allows you to see extra information that the SG can read from the MINI, but does not normally read. If the MINI programming is done, then you have more options for what quantities you can read out on the gauge.

Some MINI-specific places will sell the SG with the MINI programming already done.