Hey guys. I have an '08 MCS with 15k miles on it. The car has been trouble free but last week it started acting funny under load. It only seams to do it under a heavy load in high gear (not too high a gear though). A good example is flooring it from a 50mph roll in 6th gear. The car will make a few loud snapping (like slapping a ruler on a table) sounds and buck real quick with each noise. The noise is coming from the outside of the vehicle as its drastically louder when the windows are down. I dont know if it happens all the time but i looked in my rearview mirror the second time it did it and it blew a huge cloud of grey smoke out of the tail pipe. The fact that its grey leads me to beleive its loading up with fuel. I dont know if bucking because of the extra fuel, or its dumping fuel through the exhaust because its not being burned....that is of course, if its fuel.

Has anyone had a similair experience?

 

Wonder if it is the fuel pump misbehaving?

 

It sounds like a fuel metering problem of some sort, either too much or too little when the throttle is opened. No idea beyond that theory, I haven't heard of a MINI doing this before.

 

After doing some reading it sounds like 'superknock'. Its time to go in for anual service anyway so i will point it out to the service manager. I feel a little better knowing that i am not the only one.

I will try to keep you updated.

Thanks for the reply's

 

My car did the same thing this weeked. It is not a spark knock it sounds like a solenoid clicking car hesitates with each click. I have had a hesitation issue for a while and my dealer can not figure it out. It might be my probelm getting worse or better yet another problem to add on to my list!

 

thats exactly what it sounds like, only much louder. Do you tend to drive your car relatively 'softly' most of the time?

 

I am relatively easy driver. I do have fun from time to time but mainly a easy driver. When this happened I was lightly accelerating at about 45-50 mph.
My car has a hesitation issue when the engine is not up to operating temp but it has never been like this new issue and I have never heard this click noise before. The noise is very loud.

 

Did your check engine light set? Mine did not and I wish it had!

 

no, it never came (comes) on. I also drive the car relatively easy most of the time but have been known to stuff it to the boards from time to time.

 

Sounds like the same problem that I had. New spark plugs and problem solved.

 

Just got my car back from the dealer. They pulled the codes and it had pending codes for super knock. They found it to be caused by a severely loose timing chain. They replaced the timing chain and tensioner and the problem seams to be fixed. The car runs much better all around (as to be expected).

 

Good to hear. My car has been at the dealer for 2 weeks for a hesitation when cold and the snapping noise problem. They called me today to tell me it is fixed that they replaced the air mass meter for the hesitation but found no problems with the snapping noise. I did have my timing chain tensioner replaced about a week before that happened.

 

well as far as the snapping noise goes...it did it again today. I couldnt make it happen though as i could before. Mine also has the hesitation when cold. It wouldn't be a huge problem...but i live an hour and a half away from my dealer.

 

I also live and hour and a half away from my dealer. They have been nice enough to bring me a loaner and pick my car up since it has been there several times for this problem. They are bringing me my car now. I will let you know if the air mass meter has corrected my problem.

 

please do. im curious.

Im a tech for a living and do this stuff all day long. When its a new car and its free im more than happy to have someone else do it, its just a pain when the dealer is so far away.

 

Me too I am a Saab tech.

 

Interesting. I just got my car back after 2 1/2 weeks and they did the same replacement (SIM 11-02-07) for cold-start clatter. Hesitation problems are gone and car runs smoother. I think they've finally nailed it with this fix. The dealership provided a "loaner" and did everything I asked.

 

Looks like the Air Mass Meter has fixed my car. Runs smooth no more hestiation!