2003 cooper s, 6-speed

Ok, my car won't start anymore. It had been starting only randomly for the last several times anyways, but seems to of completely given up now. If I push the clutch in and try to start it I get a whirring sound that comes from the engine bay, it will continue until I turn the car off. I don't get this whirring/humming sound if I try to start it without pressing the clutch.

New battery, and have tried to verify the clutch switch module(reseated it, used a magnet, none of which seemed to help).

Any ideas?

 

For anybody else who has a similar problem, I replaced the starter and it didn't help.

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Here's a link to a video. You can hear the fuel relay, then at about 0:15 you can hear me try to start the car. There is a new noise or at least something I wasn't hearing before, at about :30. The noise to me sounds to me like the starter motor is starting but not actually engaging the flywheel, which would point to the solenoid, but it sort of sounds like that little clicking noise after I've turned the car off and the starter whirring has stopped is the solenoid backing the gear out.

I have checked all fuses I can find twice, grounds, the clutch position switch, battery and replaced the starter... any chance this is just a bad starter out of the box?

I am completely at a loss. Any ideas?

 

I am shooting in the dark, but if the teeth of the flywheel are missing, there is nothing you can do to the starter to fix it.

You can try turning over the engine a bit, with a push start or wrench on the crank and see if you get past a place where teeth are missing. This assumes that you didn't visually inspect it (if possible) while the starter was being replaced.

 

When I had the starter off I removed the guard and again when the first starter wouldn't fit I did a visual check of the teeth. They were there, so unless the ring gear separated from the flywheel and is spinning freely over it(seems unlikely to me), I don't think it's the flywheel.

 

So I took the starter to have it tested... it tested bad. They ordered me another one, and before I left to install it I had them check the new one. It also showed as bad. I was refunded my money, and picked one up from Advanced Auto parts, had them test it there and it showed as fine. Put it in... and still have the exact same issue.

I am going nuts here, any suggestions?

 

Did you ever get this fixed? I'm also having a starting issue and here's a video of mine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KRoeM4DNK0

But mines would start after 2 or 3 times. If it's REALLY cold, then it starts after 5 or 6 times.

 

MrCooperS has classic symptoms of a bad starter bendix. The teeth of the bendix are usually made of a softer material than the flywheel so as to not chew it up. As the bendix teeth wear it becomes harder for them to engage the flywheel teeth and thus freewheel.
As for rackets problem, if the teeth of the flywheel appear to be in good shape and the starter bench tests ok that leaves an installation problem. The starter must sit flush to the housing and bolt up with factory fasteners to get it properly centered.

 

Exactly what is happening to my 2008 Clubman S
Did you find a fix?

 

I would start simple and free. Loosen and clean battery terminals in the boot and engine bay(positive and negative), then make sure they are tightened properly.

 

Still sounding like the solenoid isn't engaging. you could always try this method to test it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLZkB...eature=related

 

A little late, but I wanted to update everyone on this thread. It turns out it was a bad starter. A new starter fixed the issue. However, I am getting a slight grinding noise occasionally in 1st gear during the clutch to transmission engagement. I wonder if this is due to wear and tear on the flywheel. Note to others: Get that starter swapped right away before it eats away your flywheel!