If anyone wants to know I'll tell you once I get my Mini back!

 

I just started an article on the Cold Start Issue. I kind of whipped it together but I will be adding/changing information as we go. Its a work in progress but feel free to check it out.

Mini Cooper Cold Start Issue

 

Of course after getting my car back my clutch pedal makes a horrible creeking noise. Like a haunted house door opening

 

Just posted to your page, Skippy, looks like I'm the first. Let's get it rolling folks!

 

Sounds good. I have been busy making the petition. I will add a link to the site as soon as its complete. If anyone has great english skills and wishes to write up the petition I would happily hand off the torch for that part . I figured why not just do it. If we have enough users great. If not ohh well its only time right .

 

Simple fix. zip ties behind the OBD port were rubbing against the sprint/petal. Moved them and we are all set.

 

Petition is up. If anyone has any wording or suggestion let me know. Or facts that need to be changed or update.


Petition can be accessed via either link below.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/m...persbadtiming/
http://www.minicooperspeed.com/mini-...se-issue-2007/

 

not to be a cynic but when is the last time an internet petition worked?

 

This somewhat sums it up. They bring attention towards and issue. They are not as effective as a written sig. However as a community being proactive in getting this noticed outside of our small community will only help the situation. If your a blogger post about it. Send the links to other blogger/news sources. Be active and it will help. Maybe not resolve but it at least shows that we all have deep concerns with the issue and possibly with the company in general.

I posted it also on digg.com/facebook and emailed a few news providers. If you have an account click the digg button. The more diggs it has the faster it gets to the front page. Submit the info to other sites. You guys essentially need to become active in this to see any changes. The more buzz you create the more attention it will get.

http://digg.com/business_finance/Is_...7_Mini_Coopers
http://digg.com/motorsport/Petition_...oper_S_and_JCW

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1900445

 

There was an issue with some chevy vehicles a year or so ago, and that was exactly how the eventual factory recall got started. That's straight from a former exec who is a friend of mine. It will work, it just takes time and persistence.

 

 

Considering the run-around I got a Momentum Mini in Houston today, I'm willing to try signing a petition. I got the "they all do that" and "bring it back if it gets worse" lalalalalalala.

Wish me luck.

 

Take it to another MINI dealer if there's another one around your area. Service advisors who blow off customer concerns like that don't deserve your patronage. And no, they don't all sound like that. If it's sounding like a diesel engine on that first start of the day for about a minute or two, you definitly do have a failed chain tensioner. It's a $45 part, and much in BMW's financial interst to replace it sooner than the entire timing chain system later ($$$$). When you're listening to that gawd-awful rattle, the chain is busy ripping up the guides, sprockets, and rails ...

Near the back of the owner's manual, there's a complaint telephone number/ mailing address to the national MINI HQ in New Jersey. Send them a polite, but documented letter, and request their assistance. I got a prompt and polite response, and quick repairs for my failed tensioner (after three shop visits).

Good luck with it! If nothing else, fire up a couple of cars in the dealer lot and compare for what's normal for this engine. The vacuum pump is indeed quite noisy (chuffing), but the failed tensioner sounds like a bicycle chain dragged across a metal pipe and goes away after a minute or two. The vacuum pump is always chuffing away.

 

My car has been starting up so much more smoothly the past week since i had the fix done. Not rough idle at start, no diesel sound. Sounds purrrrrfect

 

My 09. MCa has this issue, but it really doesn't bother me and goes away on its own after driving, but seems to come back while idling in the cold.

 

I would get it fixed. Mine didn't really bother me, but more than anything I wanted to make sure it was documented.

 

the slaps on the valvetrain from this problem will stretch the timing chain and cause other problems. Even if it doesn't bother you, it is bothering the car.

Don't just let it go. If you don't document and don't repair, you WILL have issues later in your ownership experience.

Matt

 

Even if you don't have the timing chain issue, the Prince is a noisy beast of a engine.

 

2007 MCS
Rattled for a week
Timing chain snapped @ 35000miles and engine stopped
Dealer is not covering it under warranty
Dealer saying that chain breakage is due to over-revving

 

Wow that is sad.

Lets see, there is a rev limiter so the engine can't be hurt, yet yours was. I'm wondering if a broken rev limiter caused your engines demise. Very strange stuff.

 

I got the chatter the other day and today on my way home got a cel. Taking it to the dealer tomorrow. They better fix this. The car runs but the power has been cut down. 09 jcw with 34000 miles . All highway miles at that.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, as my knowledge of this engine is very limited but here is what I was thinking:

When the chain snaps, the load applied on the shaft by the chain that it was attached to would be immediately released and will be left to spin freely.

Assuming that the friction opposing the spinning shaft is small and as torque applied right before chain breakage accelerated the shaft, the freely spinning shaft would be left to accelerate until it reached the limit set by the rev counter.

The techs are saying that the chain broke because the engine was over-revved something around 6700rpm right before engine shut down. [Data from DME]

Why is it not that the chain broke, resulting in over-revving of whatever shaft that the electronic sensor is monitoring???


My car had excessive noise as describe as 'cold start chatter' as seen on a lot of the videos, and I guess sometimes the chain may break.

 

This may answer your question. The timing chain connects the valve train to the crankshaft, which is connected to the pistons. Essentially, the timing chain makes the valves open and close in the proper sequence and timing to allow fuel into the cylinders, and allow exhaust gases out. When that chain broke, the valves and cylinders were then not synchronized, so they worked against each other, which usually bends the valves, maybe blows out an oil ring or two, along with all sorts of other horrible things. The over rev excuse is garbage because when an engine fails like yours did, it stops within a second. I was driving a car one time when it happened, I know (not my MINI thank God). To damage an engine from over-rev, you have to run it over the redline speed repeatedly, and obviously, it has to be RUNNING to do it. Once again, it sounds like a less than helpful dealership trying to blame whatever they can to weasel out of paying for the repair. If they insist on the rev excuse, they make them explain IN WRITING why the rev limiter didn't work.

 

^ 1

Interference engine. The chain breaks then expensive things happen. Valves & pistons become one.

Why engineers design interference engines is beyond me.

 

the spring in the hydraulic valve tensioner has failled allowing pressure to bleed off prematurlel, the pressure takes a while to build back, in most cases the upper chain guide rail has snapped off and the chain has stretched. can be remied by replacing the chain, guide rails, crack sprocket, upper guide rail and the hydraulic tensioner itself.