Here is the video from the UK:

http://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=MOV00057.flv



This car is going in for repairs next week.

 

Sounds like its running rough, possibly the oxygen sensor. There has been a problem here with lots of fuel contaminated with silicon causing engine damage. It may well be due to this.

 

Not Too Good

 

I believe MINI will replace his timing chain, but parts have to come from Germany first, so it will be another week or so before the garage gets to it. I remember noticing this idle taping noise when I test drove a R56 MCS a few weeks ago.

 

I haven't heard the supposed diesel-sound at idle the two times I test drove an R56. That said, the whole car is so quiet, any tiny sound might be perceived as "loud" for those that aren't used to hearing anything coming from their cars. My R53 with a lightweight flywheel rattled like a diesel way more than any stock R56.

 

I've noticed the faint characteristic "DI tick" on several occasions but nothing like that video. There is a strong constant noise in the microphone that's not the car and then his idle speed seems very low.

 

That sounds terrible. My engine also has a louder tick upon start but typically quiets down after a few minutes of driving.

 

Ours has a ticking sound at start up. i let it idle for about half an hour and it still ticked. I am going to call service tomarrow and ask if it is normal.

 

Mine sounds like I'd expect it to sound with so little sound-dampening material under the hood. It's not quite ticking, though. And nothing as rough and gurgly as this. I'd be interested to know if this turns out to be due to the silicon contamination.

 

Ticking at idle is normal characteristic of direct injection engines. What's in the video is so poor quality that I can't tell if it's normal or not. However it is normal to hear ticking at idle on the R56 MINIs.

 

I think it varies by car, on the S54 engine in the E46 M3 and the Z M coupes/roadsters the engine ticking sound was often the first sign it was going to blow (spin the bearings and such).

There was also some ticking on the earlier 240 hp "M" engine from the lifters, I think, as people said. I haven't noticed any ticking in the other injection cars we've had though.

 

Just to clarify - Erik Sonntag, the BMW engineer who headed up MINI's engine program was the one who explained what the ticking sound was as we were listening to a R56 idle at the press event. We talked for awhile about it in fact. The car in the engine sounds worse than normal so there may be a one off problem there. Certainly something not unheard of over the last 6 years of MINI production.

 

Oh yeah?

Sorry Gabe, but the R56 MCS engine at idle sounds like a farm tractor Not even the "low tech" TRITEC emits such unpleasant noises. Senor Sonntag needs to either have his hearing checked or spend some quality time listening to the late S/C engine at idle....

I test drove a new MCS and a R56 Cooper auto back to back. The Cooper engine at idle does not exhibit the annoying "Valve clatter" noise characteristic of the Turbo engine.

Mr. Sonntag can claim that this sound is "normal" until the cows come home, but even MINI UK is baffled with the mounting complaints regarding the noise at idle. I will not be surprised if at some point they admit this "characteristic"as a real "fault.

May be Eric Sonntag thinks that valve clatter noise at idle is acceptable on a MINI (Not!). I would like to ask him, how come the new 3 series or even the 5 series do not sound like diesel truck engines during idle?

I wonder how many BMW customers would be able to accept valve clatter as an acceptable operating parameter in their cars?

 

Actually, yeah.

FWIW, his experience goes back to the development of the inline 6.

 

So what? If the guy is lying to you, you just believe him because he is a big shot BMW engineer?

I do not drink from the marketing Koolaid. I guess that makes me Unamerican


Here is an excerpt from a poster in MINI2.com:

Just a quick update. Got a call today to say that they had another reply from BMW about the noise and that there response was to change the Cam Chain Tensioner. Car is now booked in but have to wait 10 days for the part/parts to come from Germany.""

Hmmm, so MINI UK doesn't think this is normal and is already performing surgery on a new engine to troubleshoot the problem.

 

Now that I actually have my R56, I can comment on this topic. Yes the engine sounds like a diesel when idling. It's the sound of the direct injectors from what I understand. The engine also has crazy big torque at low RPM like a diesel, so I'm comfortable with this interesting new sound. It makes me feel better that we can't get the Cooper D in the 'states, LOL.

 

I think I have experienced this deep rumble once on start up. It went away in about two minutes, and I've not heard it again. It was different than the normal idle rattle. It may be something wearing in during break in, I'm not really sure. If your car made that sound every time, all the time, I'd say something is wrong. But otherwise I'd say there is probably nothing wrong. I just read the review in the NY Times - the writer mentioned hearing it once in his test car.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/au...in&oref=slogin

 

now that could get annoying

 

Thank gawd my instincts were correct when I picked up a leftover 06 MCS. I wanted a tried and true design, not something with tons of bugs and glitches. This R56 engine noise problem is pretty disturbing, I'm sure MINI will get to the bottom if this. I do miss my Honda Element, the engine in that thing with 117k still was quiet as a mouse.

 

If your expectation is that we will give more weight to your incessant R56 hate-mongering than to the word of a tenured BMW engineer you are simply delusional.

 

My engine makes a ticking noise but it doesn't sound like that video.

 

Wow buddy cool down your jets, would ya

A high tech engine on a $25K+ car that sounds like a farm tractor is not normal or acceptable. The BMW engineer has to cover his butt during a high profile product launch press conference. You think Sonntag would have admitted right then and there that the valve clatter noise was indeed not normal? Of course not!

MINI UK's acknowledgement of this being a problem clearly contradicts Sonntag's claims of this being a normal operational parameter

You are the one being delusional by ignoring the issues the R56 is having, but Hey that is your problem. If you want to drink the marketing Koolaid and see the world through rosy colored glasses, be my guest But that does not change the fact that the R56 is a half baked effort in terms of quality control, pretty much it follows the same pattern of 1st year BMW products.

For your info, I am on the waiting list of a new R55 Clubman, so here I am ready to plunk my hard earned cash on a car that I clearly "hate" according to your 'expert" psychoanalysis

Some of the recalcitrant and defensive R56 owners in these boards are giving the R56 a bad name.

 

It will at some point. Wait until it drives you nuts.

 

Thanks for your intelligent and well thought out reply.

 

You are very welcome!