It was really cold this morning in Wisconsin - like 12 below zero without wind chill. My 2009 JCW was in an unheated garage and upon start-up the check engine light was half filled and there was an exclamation symbol in the speedo. Meanwhile, the engine was surging up and down between 1000 and 1200 RPM.

This is the car's first real winter as it came from Alabama. We decided to drive another car today out of caution but I'm wondering if this is a common symptom from a MINI this cold. BTW, we always fill the tank with 91 octane no-ethanol fuel.

The car was just given a thorough check-up two weeks ago at the dealer with its latest oil change.

Ideas?

 

Bueller?.... Bueller?...

 

Not normal. How old is the battery? Have the valves ever been cleaned (scraped - not Seafoam or something)?

 

Carbon in intake ports and/or failing HPFP seems likely.

 

The year of your vehicle and this being its first time in the cold reminds me a lot of this issue with the intake/throttle body:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...available.html

I'm not sure I had heard of it on a JCW before, though. I had this issue with an 08 R55S.

 

There is a cold weather intake manifold for cold weather climate cars. This may be the issue you're having. If we get ECS involved in this thread they might be able to link us to the intake manifold. I'll try and find it myself first though. But my car required this intake. I believe the issue is moisture in the PCV design freezes and causes issues like the one youre describing. However, before just buying an intake manifold I would have the codes read and see what they pertain to. It may be happening for a completely different reason. So get those codes pulled and lets find out what you got!

 

Thanks for the great input. The weather has actually become even colder here but we got it started fine yesterday morning after a day off on the first episode.. It held a CEL indication until this morning when that also went away.

My son is driving this car as he works an internship in Green Bay so I can't be there to observe personally. I'm encouraging him to buy a Bluetooth OBD reader and the Torque app so we can get more data in the future.

Thanks for the cold weather intake info. We may have to look into that.

Todd

 

I found the thread that talks about the Cold Weather Intake Manifold

 

Thanks! Although I'm not positive that will fit the 2009 JCW according to that website's search option... Do you know for sure?

 

It should fit just fine. It's the same N14 engine and do not believe the JCW had any different intake. I just checked and it says it might not fit mine as well, however Its currently installed in my car. I think since this is a specialty part, no matter what model is picked you'll run into that.

 

Thanks again Griz. I did an online "chat" with ECS Tuning asking that question. After some delay they said their "tech person" said no. Still, I think he isn't a MINI specialist and since there wasn't anything specific in the spec sheet for the JCW model he offered that response...

The only reason I might have pause is because I understand the JCW has a bigger turbo and therefore perhaps a bigger intake? Maybe I'll post a specific intake question and see if anyone knows for sure.

 

Do you happen to know what month it was built? And if not, do you happen to have the VIN? Because if you have either, you can use Real OEM to look up your part numbers and compare to a MCS built the same month. If those intake manifold part numbers match then you should be good to go.

 

Perfect Griz!

I looked up my car and a 2007 MINI S (January) and found the same part number for the intake manifold: #1161 7595 078

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...33&hg=11&fg=40

If that ECS manifold works on your car, it should, I think, work on mine...

 

I think its safe to assume you will be perfectly fine.

 

We looked at it again. It will work with the N14 engines, the fitment guide on our site is off a bit.

Intake Manifold Part # 11614584240


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11614584240/




If you have any questions , you can PM me.

 

My '08 justa does that when it's cold out too, minus all the lights, though I do have a CEL light, the code is for a below threshold catalytic converter it seems. Granted, my Lil Spirit has 160,000 miles on the clock.

After a minute mine levels out. I think it might be to assist the car's engine in warming itsself up, just like how the engine revs high on a cold day at first.

Has been happening since I got mine lol.

Have you gotten yours fixed?

 

I have had this problem twice since owning my R56. The first time I had this problem was when piston 4 started to fail at 60k miles. I drove it for a while then I had the dreaded plume of smoke. I rebuilt it with new pistons, rings and gaskets. My second R56 followed suit with High pressure pump and piston 4 failure. Coincidence that my girlfriends car that we got her failed about the same time????

Just replaced gaskets and oil cooler. Now while cold it rattles a bunch until my phone says it reach operating temps. I am curious about this problem as well.

My climate is usually around 75' in California

 

Hello,

Just an update, we finally have this hard to find part as the Genuine MINI part has been NLA since 2018.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bremmen-...614584240~brp/

 

Just an update the Cold Climate versions landed above.