Hi All -

We bought an '11 Countryman a year or two ago with about 130k. We've had great luck with it, but the engine has always been noisier (rattlier - sounds a bit like a diesel) than I like.

With conventional wisdom saying these engines are just that way, I haven't worried too much - but it DOES seem like it has been getting worse. It sounds roughly like a loud sewing machine clacking. It does it cold or warm, but not noticeable at highway speeds. I'm very careful on changing the oil, etc, and have tried Lucas oil stabilizer without any real change. We're closing in on 200k miles now, I just assumed the rattle was a loose chain. When we shelled off the serpentine belt the other day, I figured this would be a prime time to put the new chain and guides in.

But I was quite surprised when I pulled off the valve cover to find the guides & chain nice and tight with nothing broken or loose. Everything looks great and the tensioner seems to flex just as expected.

SO:

1) how do you tell by examining the timing chain if it needs to be replaced? And/or is there anything I can check while I have it opened up that could be making that rattle on the passenger side of the engine?

2) how do you tell if the friction wheel needs to be replaced? Looks the belt had never been changed, but in my experience a loose pulley often causes a belt to fail. The friction wheel seems to have a very stout spring trying to move the wheel front to back, but the arm does have some play from side to side.

Thanks for any advice!
Howard

 

check if you have the right length tensioner. (82mm vs 78mm)
check the condition of the belt from the inside for there are missing chunks or cuts
remove the belt and let place the friction wheel on service more (pull the cable all the way and there should be an slight opening in to hook onto the housing) then run the car for a little bit and notice the sound.

 

In case it helps anyone else, the rattle must have been from a chunk missing from the belt. The timing chain looked fine, so I just replaced the valve cover seals while I was there and put a new belt on.

It is quiet now! After growing up on a farm working on engines all my life, I never would have thought that mechanical tapping sound could have been made by a belt, but I also have never seen a friction wheel like on the Mini. I didn't realize it pinched the belt like that.

After reading around on the internet about so many timing chain problems, I just got it into my head that had to be our issue, too.

Anyway, if anyone wants a data point of reference - we have 192,000 miles on the car, and looks like we are good for another 190K. ha...

Thanks,
Howard

 

thanks for the update

 

Wow nice. Can I ask if that is a Turbo or normally aspirated engine you have?

As an aside- timing chains are checked for stretch by measuring the length. As a timing chain wears the holes where the pins go through get elongated. The compounded value of a little play at each length add up to a certain amount of stretch in the entire chain. I do not know MINI's value (I am not a MINI tech) of allowed stretch but you generally can have some stretch and still be "in spec" for allowable wear.

 

Yes - it is just a base model. We've had an R53 for a long time prior and it had plenty of zip, so I didn't see a real need for a turbo.

Then we found a great deal on this one a couple of years ago - and it is fine - but you can tell the extra size/weight for about the same size engine has made it not as nimble/zippy as our base R53.

You are right - I didn't do any precision measurement of the chain - but it seemed right in the "normal" range of tension from the tensioner screw and there was no visible wear anywhere on the guides or chain itself. After seeing so many pieces of broken guides from earlier Minis, I just assumed that had to be our problem as well.


Howard