Threads merged

 

so you admit that the comment would have been a valid point from anyone except C4?
Because C4 has been honest and at points brutally so that his thoughts no longer matter? That IMO seems ridiculous. Perhaps there was a reason it got locked? so that unnecessary posts would not be added?

 

It sounds like there are quite a few "tickers" based on what folks are saying on this thread... that video doesn't sound like a "normal characteristic of direct injection engines" to me...

My advice is to bring your car into the dealership... if nothing else to document your concerns, in case this leads to something more serious than just engine noise...

 

Its a love hate thing. Just.....cant.......stay.........away.......

 

Assuming were talking about the same video.

One (with the bad music in the background) depicts normal DFI ticking.

There are two others (same car, one at night and one during the day, both VERY low quality) shot with a cell phone that seems to have somthing else going on IN ADDITION to the NORMAL DFI ticking... but it's much harder to descern.

So the bottom line. If somone is worried about the noises made by their car, maybe they should take it in to the dealer and have it checked out...

 

Was commenting on the other video (no background music)... agree with the bottom line: have your dealer check it out if you have a "ticker"...

 

i have a ticker....

and the more I drive java.. my ticker speeds up ~~ She likes driving in Germany....

Thanks for all the info - not so much on the banter...

 

As well it should!

 

Does the 'ticking' problem exist in the base Cooper engine as well, or is it strictly an MCS thing. I recently had a VW Beetle Sport which is a turbo car. The engine was very quiet at all operating temperatures all the time I owned it.

First year cars typically do have problems that will get ironed out over time - even BMW cars. I wonder how wide spread this ticking thing is in the "S" community.

 

100%

It will be evident on all vehicles with a common fuel rail and direct injection. Some more obvious than other depending on where the injector solonoids are positioned in the engine compartment.

To be honest, I haven't paid that much attention to the Cooper, as I'm buying an S (no offense Cooper people). The noise has nothing to do with the turbo itself, so comparing it to your turbo bug is apples & oranges. If the Cooper uses a DFI system like the S, I would imagine you will hear it there, too.

It's unlikly it will be "ironed out", since it's not really a "problem" to begin with only a charactoristic of the design.

 

It's not that his points don't matter. It's that it seems that he clearly has an agenda. Thus, any percieved minor flaw in the R56 is portrayed as a crisis. I do agree, however, that if you look beyond the obvious bias, C4 often presents quite useful information.

 

These are mass produced cars. I would assume everything is in the same place in every car.

 

Uhhh... yeah. I think I meant that I was unaware if the Cooper used a DFI system like the Cooper S. Is that what you're referring too? Because I'm not 100% sure that it does. For instance, the Cooper got a Valvetronic System (variable valve timing) while the S didn't... so it could feasably be a different fuel injection system between the two as well.

 

Okay. That makes sense. But some poeple hear the noise in the S and some don't. So that's where my remark was coming from.

 

The Cooper does use DFI, like the Cooper S. They should be using the same fuel pump pressure as well. Although the 'S' might/could have a slightly higher fuel pump pressure.

 

I have a 2007 Cooper and I have the ticking too.

 

There was one vid (posted at MINI2 and re-posted here, somewhere) that depicted a rattle in addition to the normal DFI ticking. It was very difficult to hear and was out of synch with the engine RPM. Turned out to be a faulty cam chain tentioner.

I'm guessing that many seeing that video (or others depicting the normal sounds of the Price engine) and not necessarily hearing the rattle the owner was describing are now worried, or even convinced that somthing is wrong with their new car since the DFI ticking is present in every video out there.

I would imagine that many don't hear the ticking because they are either aware of the natural DFI ticking sound or they don't stand over the engine compartment with the hood open listening for errant noises.

Just my guess.

 

My '07 Cooper S clacks loudly for maybe 15 seconds on cold start, especially after not being driven for a few days. It sounds like of like one of those vids.

This isn't the normal fuel injector ticking -- it's louder and more like a woodblock knocking kind of sound. It sounds like it's from the top of the engine.

I'll probably take it in for service at some point to see if the dealership thinks it's anything to worry about.

--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net

 

Let us know what you find out Dan. Mine rattles pretty good when cold, and quits once it's warmed up. I think it sounds like piston slap, but what's strange is that it's louder on deceleration, and practically non existant on mild acceleration, which is not consistent with piston slap... idunno.

Lots of BMW sites attribute it to the Vanos/Valvetronic cup gear without enough oil pressure on startup, which is apparently inherent in the design. "Rattles like a box of marbles" is the way I've seen it described. As noted here (and on mini2), there seems to be some correlation with the cam chain tensioner (which is hydraulically adjusted) letting the cam chain slap a little until pressure builds in the tensioner.

Making matters worse is that the transmission rattles and knocks, so you really have to have someone holding the clutch pedal down to be able to eliminate that noise when trying to diagnose.

 

I am going to have to make an effort to listen to the noises my engine is making, as I really have not noticed any ticking sounds at all when I am outside the car. I only have 600 miles on mine though.

My Lexus has a DFI system as well and it is quiet too.

 

It seems that the S is much more prone to noises.

 

My 07 MC purrs like a kitten on startup. No problems at all.! ( Again maybe its because Im in south Florida, temperature wise)

 

I dropped mine off at the dealer for a minor light problem yesterday(rear fog light display is on and my car has no rear fog lights ). My car has made the louder-then-normal noise only twice in the 500 miles I have driven it. I was able to start another 2007 MC S at the dealership to see if it sounded the same as mine last night. It sounded almost exactly the same, and like mine, quieted down after 20-25 seconds. Service manager told me his new BMW does the same thing , especially on colder, damp days. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out in the next few months. I am sure if there is something wrong,BMW will take care of the problem. I am certainly not worried about it , and really just enjoying this car.

 

You have described classic piston slap...

 

Nevermind