The crankshaft pulley IS the harmonic balancer, no?

 

Mine's fixed! It was the balancer/crankshaft pulley, or damper as my service order calls it. Part # is 11-23-7-514-461. Thanks very much to all of you, especially TomkCooperS. Love ya. Mean it.

 

Bodinski,

That's great news.

I wil pass on the news to me dealer. Sounds like they will be seeing more cars like mine.

Did they offer any details on what is actually failing ? What is the potential long term outcome to someone who doesn't notice the sound ? Anyone ?

 

I didn't get to speak with the tech, so no details. Took about 2 1/2 hours or so for the swap. Just for the record, they had 3 dampers sitting on the parts shelf..

Gmack - keep us posted and luck to you!

Bodinski

 

I have the pronouced knocking at 3000 RPM on my MCS. I finally got a dealer to admit that they have replaced a couple of cylinder heads on some of these Minis with the knocking complaint. When I first heard the noise, I thought that I had run low on oil and I was hearing the last few moments of engine life before seizing up tight--the oil level was fine by the way. I'm planning on taking my MCS in next week for dealer attention to this issue, and the yo-yo problem, and the stumble, and the big clunk that I have in the tranny when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear at lower RPMs...oh, and the crack in my windshield. I still love my car, even with all these annoying little problems.

DS/WHT MCS: Madness sway & intake.

 

My Car makes the clunk when going from 1st to second as well. I assumed they all did, to varying degrees. I know I have read a post or 2 about that.

I had my insurance company replace the OEM windshield, so I am pretty sure the dealer won't be interested in replacing the second since it's obviously from stone strikes. The first one had a definete stress crack, but I didn't feel like waiting. Hope they fix yours under warranty.

As far as the knocking why do you expect it's a problem with the head ? I thought valvetrain noise would be present always, not just while accelerating ? Or is it a leak of some kind caused by stress or pressure ?
If you are doing a steady 4,000 rpm or engine braking, do you still hear "the noise" ? I don't, just wondering if we are hearing different noises ?

Bodinski's issue seems identical to mine, so hopefully that will be it. Thanks for the well wishes bodinski, July 19th it goes back.
Hopefully I can still hook with these guys before then, http://www.detroittuned.com. I can always use a second opinion, and it's probably my turn to buy.

 

When I presented the "knocking" symptoms to the service manager at Assael Mini, he told me that they have replaced a couple of heads on MCS's with the same complaint--I told him while he's there he might as well throw a JCW head on . You have to wonder if they just "shotgun" problems sometimes out of expediency, rather than get into the tough diagnosis of any particular problem. He also told me that they will look at the harmonic balancer. The car was supposed to have gone in today, but I had to delay until next Monday. I'll post again with the results of their investigation. Cheers--D.

DS/WHT MCS: Madness sway and intake.

 

I too have the 1st to 2nd gear clunk . Weird, I wonder what it could be.

Ryan

 

Any word from your dealer ?

 

I'll know more later this afternoon...

D

 

Thanks. I am pulling for you. :smile:

 

Got the "could not duplicate" response from the dealer. I offered to come out on my lunch hour and take the mechanic for a spin because I'm certain that I can duplicate the problem / noise for him everytime. The dealer called back to say that the mechanic had injured himself at work and had to be taken to the hospital. I guess this will all have to wait for a bit longer until I can get with the lead mechanic.

D

 

Sorry, this is long.

Well, I unfortunately have this dreaded knocking noise. I can repete it at will at any time. It is so bad that I have been forced to drive with the passenger window up.
I have had a MINI service nightmare trying to get this taken care of, or even taken seriously by mini service personnel. It has gotten to the point that I am ready to just selling my S as I expect the bottom to fall out at any moment.

I have take my car to the service department 3 times to have this looked into. I have driven 8 different mini personnel in my car, and they all agree that they can clearly hear the noise coming from the engine.

Visit #1: I was just brushed off, and I was told that the noise is a normal noise for an S. They were also unable to reproduce the noise, even thou I had provided them with a complete step by step procedure.

Visit #2: The noise has gotten worse. Took the service forman for a test drive, and he heard the noise, but felt it was an exhaust leak. He told me that he would exchange my aftermarket exhaust for a factory exhaust to determine if it was an exhaust leak. After 4 days I called the service dept to see how my car was doing. After some delay I was told my car was ready to pick-up. The service ticket said noise appears to be exhaust leak.
I found out later that they never exchanged the exhaust, and that my car just basically sat at the dealers.

Visit #3:The exhaust was finally changed and I went to test drive with factory exhaust in place, and the noise was easily heard. It actually seemed louder with the stock exhaust. I was told that an appointment was being set up with the feild service rep (FSR), but that I would have to pick-up my car until the appointment could be arranged. I told the service manager that I was uncomfortable driving my car with this hammering coming from the engine. I picked my car up as ordered, and I again expressed my concern to the service manager. The service manager said he would contact me as soon as the FSR gave him his schedule.

After a week I hadn't heared anything so I contacting the service manager again to see when I could expect the FSR to look into my problem. After a couple of days I finally heared from the service manager, and he said that he had driven a couple of other S's that made the same noise. He said that the noise is normal for an S, and there was nothing more they could do. I told him that this was unacceptable, and I wanted an appointment with the FSR, and he agreed to arrange an appointment with the FSR.

I am now going to wait another week before hopefully getting this problem looked at with any hope of a resolution.

This whole situation has really made me question my continued ownership of a Mini/BMW product.

I really love my car, but these service issues have really tarnished the whole experience.

Again sorry for the long post, but I felt others should be made aware.

03DrkSlvrS

 

I think (hope!) the 1-2 shift "clack" is normal. Lots of people report having it, myself included.

 

Swift,


please keep us filled in on what happens,
i'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation.

PS i hope it's not something life threatening

maybe something will lock up with the FSR in the car and you can say "see, i told you 4 @#%*ing times there was something wrong!!"
Good luck

 

Very Frustrating,



Don't give up. My noise sounds like it could be exhaust as well. Make sure you have them look at the harmonic balancer, as this was Bodisnki's problem. You are absolutely right, no new car should make that kind of sound. The fact that you have it, I have it, Bodinski had it, and your dealer found other cars with it, is kind of encouraging actually. The wider spread it is, the better chance of it becoming a "Known" issue within BMW/MINI service. Someday, we can only hope, a owner will actually be able to take a car with this issue, to his dealership, and actually have it fixed, right, the first time.



Until that wonderful day, I am going to ask everyone to do us a favor. Try this experiment:

1. Find a area that is vacant enough to allow a full acceleration blast in 1st or second gear. (No significance in the gear, just trying to keep the speeds down)
2. Said area, should if possible, be along a wall, a guardrail, or at minimum a curb. ( For sound reflection, a tunnel is actually perfect).
3. With the passenger window down, (or both), while rolling along below 2,200 rpm. Nail it !!! Shortly after 3,000 rpm listen for a distinctly nasty tapping or rattling sound mixed in with the lovely normally sounds of the intake, blower and exhaust. It does sound like a exhaust leak although it has mix of knocking thrown in. Let off the gas, and it goes away quite quickly.


If you here nothing but sweet music, you don't have it, and should be happy. :smile:





If you here it, you'll know it. Please join in the post, and contact your dealer. Be prepared for your dealer to "be unable duplicate it".



I don't know what we are looking at here, and apparently most dealers don't have a clue either. It may be serious, it may be widespread, or maybe not. The only way we are going to know is if we join together to fight the injustice of bad service and poor communication within the MINI service organization.



Hopefully our cars will be fixed as easily as Bodinski's and they all have failed Harmonic Balancers. My dealer hadn't heard of any problems with the Harmonic balancer. So I am sure one won't be in stock to be tested on my car, which will require at least one more visit. Hopefully we can keep someone else from that experience in the future.

 

It's frustrating, but you have to be diligent. I've run into this "turn a blind eye" problem with Ford out in Dearborn. They wouldn't admit they had a transmission problem--the output bushing would seize and twist the whole tail end of the tranny off, which then would drop the drive shaft forward on to the pavement effectively "pogoing" the Econoline350 van and tearing out the rear end. Nice. The way Ford fixed this is to move the warranty period from 60,000 miles on the tranny to 48,000--effectively shifting the financial burden back on the consumer.

With Mini, we just have to speak loudly, often and through as many channels as possible. I do not want to have major engine work to do post warranty expiration.

I wonder if anyone who has made a head change--such as the JCW or Madness mods, has this noise. Can anyone comment??

D

 

Gmack,

That is a great idea to have others try to determine if their cars are making the noise.

It's seems that if they don't have it now they can look forward to experiencing this knocking/hammering noise. Unfortunately this isn't the kind of thing you want to look forward to.

I have a half a dozen friend with Minis and none of their cars make the knocking/hammering noise.

My car will repeat the knocking noise ever time, if I am riding along at 3000 rpm in second gear and just floor it. The knock will start fairly faintly and build until around 4000 rpm were it seems to level out in intensity. The noise will continue until there is enough wind noise to mask it. It makes the same noise in 3rd and 4th gear, but is harder to hear due to the wind noise.

If you lower the passenger window and leave the drivers side window up you will get less wind noise.

It makes this noise all the time, it is just more noticeable when driving next to something. This is one of the most disturbing parts of this problem.

Waiting for a solution, but running out of hope.

03DrkSlvrS

 

94SwiftGT,

We should probably also start gathhering info on our cars. This may be a production issue that's limited to certain build dates. Maybe not, but maybe.

 

HAIGHTD,


Any word from your dealer ?

They had your car since Monday, no?

 

"I really love my car, but these service issues have really tarnished the whole experience."


It's funny you should say that, because I feel exactly the same way. My cousin and her husband were actualy considering one. I gave them a nearly identical comment, and they are now looking elsewhere.

I was told at my first real job, A happy customer might tell one person, a unhappy one, will likely tell ten.

Remember when minidivision would actually read this board and offer to help ??

Good times, good times ....

 

Gmack,

Before I started having this current nightmare I know of at least 3 other people that check out the Mini's based on my recommendation that actually purchased Minis. I have always been enthusiastic about Mini's since I put my deposit down 12-months before they went on sale.

I have two friends that were looking for a small fun to drive car, and they knew that I was always very enthusiastic whenever I spoke of my Mini.

They were thinking about getting a Mini until I started having this problem with my car and the terrible service that I was getting. I have been going thru this for going on a month and a half. This has turned both of them off from even considering a Mini.

One has now bought a Honda, and the other just got a Mercedes compact. They are both very happy with their cars. I wish I could say the same.

So as you noted. (A happy customer might tell one person, a unhappy one, will likely tell ten.)

03DrkSlvrS

 

I know how you feel. I hate to sound like a whiner, I do love this car.
This issue however isn't like the creaks and rattles that occasionally pop up.
This car is a still a blast too drive, with the windows up. The noise however spoils any illusions of a fine tuned automobile for all those I pass. The knocking is only getting worse and if I'm not trippin, it can now be felt through the floorboard and gas pedal.

I also read a thread over the weekend were a owner is scheduled to have his tranny replaced, over the clunking noise. His Service manager heard that and said "you have a syncro problem". I been claiming my car has a syncro issue from day one. The dealer is "unable to replicate". It's very frustrating to know that some dealers are very thorough and knowledgable and willing to actualy fix or replace stuff. While others seem much more interested in saying it's normal.

I feel something very odd while turning at low speeds coming from my front end. I also here intermitent creaking from the steering problem. Both of these symptoms point to a known issue with steering columns requiring the dealer to replace the whole thing. My dealer was of course unable to duplicate it !! They did take the time to try and prove that my NON-MINI approved wheels were the cause however. I asked the dealer if the steering rack problem was limited to a string of VIN's that my car could be checked against ? He replied, "probably". Of course actually checking my car against said list required too much of there time, and was never done.

I have heard great things about the next closest dealer. However having to drive out of state for service is something I am not willing to accept from a 24,000 dollar car.

I may have been miss informed on a few things at my dealer, but I have not been completely wrong on everything. The car sounds like a time bomb, has a issue with the steering,has a passenger window that continues to squeal after sitting in the sun, aquired a wind noise that it never had before it's last service, has a burning smell after accelerating hard to get on the freeway, has the yo-yo and a severely "off" idle when waiting a stop lights while warm.

If any one of these issues can't be resolved successfully by my dealer in the next 2 visits, it's for sale, period. Lifes too short to put up with this stuff, and I shouldn't have too drive out of state for satisfaction.

 

gmack,

I can really identify with you. I have gotten used to the normal Mini squeaks and rattles. These don't bother me that much, but it does give you a feeling of a lack quality.

I have read that people have had transmissions, cylinder heads, superchargers, belt tensioners, idler pulleys, hormonic dampers, and timing chain tensioners replaced. I haven't heard if having these parts changed has taken care of the problem.

1. I had the steering column noise, and had that replaced.
2. I had the steering rack go out. All the fluid drained into the boots. The rack was replaced.
3. I also had the throw-out bearing go bad, causing a rubbing noise. The throw-out bearing was replaced.
4. I've had the coolant tank replaced 3 times.
5. The A/C went out, that was due to the power steering fan seizing up and blowing the fuse. The fan and fuse were replaced.
6. The PCV valve hose was colllapsing, and this caused the rough idle at stop lights. Had the hose replaced.
7. I had the dredded stumble off idle. The ECU was reflashed, and this helped greatly(Version 37).
8. I still have the Yo-Yo, and have just gotten used to it. It is annoying, but is bearable.

That leaves me with the current knocking/hammering problem. The knocking/hammering isn't something that I can just live with. It sound like the engine is going to grenade at any time.

I was supposed to have an appointment with the FSR today, but got a call this morning that the appointment was cancelled. I will now have to wait at least another week before the appointment can be rescheduled.

Maybe something will break so they will fix it. That seems to be my only hope.

I really love my car as well, but this nightmare has me ready to sell it as well. I cannot/will not continue to drive this car with the grenade ticking in the engine compartment.

The knocking/hammering noise makes me question my safety while driving my Mini.

I would advise calling directly to MiniUSA, and make then schedule an appointment with the dealer to take care of all your issues. MiniUSA doesn't seem very helpful, but it may get the dealers attention.

03DrkSlvrS

 

I too have the same tapping noise everyone has described. I normally don't post but this issue has me so frustrated I registered just to get his off my chest. I've taken the car to all three MINI dealerships in North and South Carolina, finally getting an acknowledgment from Century MINI that there is a sound and it is not normal (possibly because I was buying a JCW kit from them). The other two dealers gave me the same excuses; couldn't duplicate, exhaust leak, bad tire, etc., etc.

HAIGHTD - Yes, I had the tapping sound before the JCW kit and have it with the JCW kit so the tapping is not in the valve train. It REALLY sucks to spend 5 G's and still have that horrible noise, noise, noise! Every time I hear it I react like the Grinch.

94SwiftGT - I have also been promised an appointment with a field service rep (FSR), sometime in August! Let me know what to expect.

gmack - My car was produced in December 2002.

After reading about TomKCooperS and budinski's repairs, I have left, or tried to leave, several messages for the mini tech who actually heard the noise to consider the crank shaft pulley/harmonic balancer/damper. You guessed it, no one will return my call. I'm really getting aggravated

Thanks for letting me vent!
03BlueMiniS