My 07 Mini Cooper S is having issues starting! I'm thinking it is the high pressure fuel regulator but not sure. Has anyone had an issue with their mini? It worked fine on Sunday, but when I went to start it Tues all it does is crank and not turn over. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

 

Well, if it cranks, you can safely eliminate the battery or starter as the issue.

That means that you're either not getting fuel, not getting a spark, or not getting air. All three are required for combustion.

You can remove the cover from the air box and check inside there to be sure there isn't an obstruction. Also check the engine air filter while you're in there. With the engine air filter removed, you can probably try cranking it once or twice while holding your hand inside the air box to feel if there is air being drawn into the engine; it likely won't be much more than a gentle breeze, but you should probably feel something. Obviously, you need to be careful to keep body parts and clothing clear of any moving parts in the engine while working in and around the engine compartment. I'm betting air supply is not your problem, though.

To check if you're getting fuel, you might need to get a bit more involved mechanically by removing the air duct leading from the air box to the intake manifold -- or at least the end that joins at the intake manifold. Spray a little starting fluid directly into the intake manifold while someone else initiates a crank. If the engine catches and runs momentarily, your problem is fuel supply -- and probably the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) that you are suspecting. This is where I'll put my money, too... The good news there is it should be fixed under warranty for you, even if your general vehicle warranty has expired (MINI extended the warranty on the HPFP to 10 years/120k miles).

If the engine does not catch and run momentarily when fed a bit of staring fluid, your problem is likely spark. You'll need someone else to diagnose the problem a little deeper in that case.

Oh, and try not to initiate too many engine cranks while you're progressing through this 'debugging' exercise; eventually, that will draw down the battery to the point where it won't crank the engine...

Good luck!

 

It sounds like the high pressure fuel pump. A known problem and MINI should replace it. I think they extended the warranty on that part to 100k miles.