So, were you at or over redline when the engine died? Had you just downshifted, or at WOT?

Since the timing chain problem is well known, unless you really were abusing the car, MINI should cover this.

Did you not know about the issue when you drove it for a week with the noise?

 

I took mine in for the csc and a cel. I called today and they told me it's the wastegate. Hum ? I know what the cold start chatter sounds like , my 07 mcs had it. I'm not liking this.

 

You ain't kidding!
I thought I was getting the rattle, but it lasted too long and wasn't as harsh. It turned out to be noise made by the vacuum pump. I disconnected the vacuum hose and the noise disappeared, put the hose back on, and the noise is back. After the car warms up, it's still there, but not as bad.
Gotta turn up the stereo and get a louder exhaust

 

6700 RPM and they're dodging the repair? That's total BS. BTW, if the valves won't run correctly, then the motor will slow. Over revving is possible if you downshift at too high a speed.

Matt

 

That is the only way I can think of over-revving causing catastrophic failure. Miss shift & downshift from sixth to first at speed, BANG!

 

but wouldnt the rev limiter prevent that from happening??

 

The sixth to first shift is an extreme example. The engine speed would go though the roof & the limiter would do nothing to help the engine live.

Watch those mismatched downshifts.

 

I called today and the sa told me I need a whole new turbo. Said the wastegate was making noise. I might be able to get my car next week.

 

I installed my ALTA CAI and Hot side boost tube. Started the car and my wife told me something was rattling. I asked her to wait. I drove the car around the block for a few, came back and she couldn't hear it anymore. The rattle makes teh car sound like junk until it's warm.

 

Has anyone filed lemon law on there cars. If you have can you tell us about what you went through.

 

well, the rev-to-3K at shutdown ain't working no more...

3 days ago I go out and start my S, and while it idled fine with no noise, when I put my foot on the gas to about 2K it sounded like a diesel with that knocking sound coming from the passenger side area. no codes, no cel, smooth idle otherwise. lasted a couple minutes then all's well.

then this AM, same thing. got on the phone to my SA and he asked if I'd ever had my tensioner spec'd and chain inspected, I said no, and I described the sound to the tech that Ive known for years, and he's dead-sure it's the tensioner and possibly the chain being too long (?)

I also mentioned I know someone whose car was bulit the same week as mine, and he just had the tensioner work done (and all's well).

so long story short it's going in this friday while Im out of town for a week to get fixed. my dealer tech has dealt with quite a few problems like this, so Im confident all will be well.

 

Sequence, I'd be really interested to hear your dealer's thoughts on how things will be handled once warranty expires. There've been some (few) reported cases of reoccurances. For others, like me, who've had the (full) fix, maybe we haven't had enough time and milage yet to know if its a permanent fix or not.

 

Glad you didn't put any time and $$ into that patent application...

Seriously though, hope you are back up and rattle free soon.

 

thanks, guys. I knew it would happen soon, just when....

I do know this tho-- if the rattle redevelops and gets fixed right before the 4/50 expires, the work would still be covered under the dealer's 2 year parts and labor warranty that'd extend beyond the 4/50.

 

Is the SIM-11-02-07 still the same service bulletin being used today? I'm wondering with the new tensioner whether the service bulliten has changed and/or whether any other parts in the service bulletin has changed.

I had the complete fix done based on SIM-11-02-07 but had the older chain tensioner. Now I'm wondering in the long run, if that's going to be a problem?

 

and why do I get the feeling that the impending introduction of an all-Valvetronic turbo Prince engine is in response to all of this "morning sickness" nonsense that's been going what almost 3 years?

I also wonder if, down the road, for all of us who have half-Valvetronic S motors (or "half-breeds") can get a retrofit to the new engine, in case all of these other SIM fixes fail??

And WHY o WHY did PSA-BMW just not make the turbo Prince with all-Valvetronic systems to begin with?? Is anyone thinking over there across the pond??

 

the hardware adds cost. I don't think it would have happened if it weren't for demand for lower fleet mileage ratings, and all these things do up engine efficiency...

While I do think that the fact that BMW/MINI never really figured out the cold start clatter made the decision a bit easier to make to switch, I'm more curious as to why they spent so much time rolling out symptom fix after symptom fix, instead of just doing the HLAs from the start.... It would have cost a bit more up front, but the number of "fixed more than once" would have been near zero...

Matt

 

I checked work order from June 09 and sure enough the new timing chain tensioner 11-31-7-597-895 was installed. I feel betta. Woohoo

 

thanks for that info Rix. I'll inquire when I drop off Syd on friday.

Perfectly quiet this cold (15 degree) AM...

 

For those interested, I took mine in on 2/11/10 and had SI 11 02 07 performed on my car. They changed the timing chain and the chain tensioner.

Timing Chain: 11-31-7-534-784
Chain Tensioner: 11-31-7-597-895 and 11-31-7-534-833. I'm not sure why the chain tensioner is listed twice with two different part numbers. Maybe two components of it?

 

I think if you look at the original 'fix', the '11-31-7-534-833' was the chain tensioner that was required. Now its being automatically substituted by MINI for the 11-31-7-597-895 part, hence the reason the part is quoted twice. Doesn't make sense why they do that but I believe that's the rationale.

http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/05/...d-start-issue/

 

Both those parts are components of chain tensioner mechanism, not the timing chain. The 11-31-7-534-833 part has not changed since, it's the other one that is different.

 

Oops you're right. Post editied

 

BTW, I don't know if you noticed, but the timing chain itself (part # 11-31-7-534-784) has not changed since that post on Motoring file last year. there's a newer post on Motoring file saying they lengthened it, but I haven't seen a new part number for that.

 

man I moved my car from one parking space to another, very short period of time, and when I returned about 2 hours later bambambam super loud rattling diesel sound. took nearly 3 minutes to subside.