So I was driving home yester day and I was going about 25 mph when my car stalled and all the lights on the dahs came on, I was still cruising in neutral and tried to restart but no luck. I pushed the car to the side of the road and got a tow home. The car still won't start.


Here is some info that might be of some use; Prior to the car breaking down, when I would run the car hard and I would come to a stop I would hear a thumping sound, "thump........thump.......thump....." every 5 seconds or so, like a large piece of metal cooling down, or [possibly a very bad detonation (but it was fairy loud for a detonation, just not ruling anything out), but it would slow down and go away of a few minutes. The car has a coolant leak, I top it off every 2 or 3 days but have not run it dry (I think it is the expansion tank and just got one from ECS yesterday, thank you ECS). It was lumping very slightly during idle, most people would not even notice it but I have a very tuned sense for cars, 2 or 3 times in the last month it lumped very obviously but went away when I revved the engine. I unhooked the fuel line from the fuel filter and it is spitting out gas so I don't believe it is the fuel pump or a dirt filter (lots of gas coming out). Before the break down there was a slight squeaking/chirping, it sounded like it was coming form the serpentine belt area but more like a bearing was lose and less like the belt was worn, (I might just replace the belt anyway).



Here is the oddest of them all, when I crank the engine after about 5 seconds the temperature gauge peaks and then calms back down to where the temperature was before after 15 seconds or so. I would think if it was really the engine heating up it would stay hot for a lot longer. It may be an electrical short or it could be the area where the temperature gauge sensor is heats up for some reason. It is possibly something to do with the leak. It did not do this before the car broke down possibly because the car would start, function normally and cool the sensor down.


Here are what the repair manual says it could in order that would make sense to me.....


Crank or Cam sensor - this is a high probability. need to figure out how to trouble shoot this, I think I need a code reader (not an ODB but a full code reader like the shops have). If anyone know a way to troubleshoot without a reader I am all ears.


Defective fuel pump relay or harness at relay, Faulty fuel pressure regulator, etc - hmm, could be.


Broken Timing chain - this is a possibility but I would think there would be a loud racket and more noise when cranking.


Fouled spark plugs - a possibility, I need to check.


Fuel pump - If it is the pump it is just under pressured but I don't think that is it.


There are also a few other things the book says but I have already ruled them out, I will add them anyway;


Fuel tank empty (I know there is fuel, I saw it gushing from the fuel filter), battery discharger (the started turns over normally), battery terminal connection lose or corroded (not the case), broken timing belt (I did a visual inspection and it looks fine).




I think I am in need of a full code reader and am not sure if I should get the "Peake Fault Code Reader & Reset" tool or the "Bavarian Technic" tool. If both will work for trouble shooting I would like to go with the least expensive item but if the other has a huge benefit I would spend the extra money. Anyone have used either or both? If anyone know of a better or more cost efficient tool I am open ears.


(FYI; I have been working on my own cars for ever and would like to fix this myself. The only tasks I am not capable of doing would be an engine or transmission rebuild. Here is a list of some of what I have done; socks, struts, springs, rack and pinion, ball joints, control arms, power steering pump, radiator, throttle body, CAI, brakes, rotors, calipers, alternator, rear window, window motor, window regulator, door lock mechanism, radio, and much more. I have a lot of mechanic tools and car specific tools and will buy any tools needed since I plan on having the car for a long time. Not trying to brag, I just want people to know even though I am not certified I am very much a mechanic. I took classes in high school and a few in college and I think I mentioned I have done lot of work on my own cars. I am very much a DYI life stylist. I have always preferred to learn a skill as opposed to paying someone else to do it. I like to refer to myself as the Jack of all trades and Master of some. OOps, sorry for rambling.)


If anyone has had the same issue or some insight I appreciate the help, thanks.


-Gunner

 

Oh ya, I have a 2004 Cooper S, MC40, R53...etc. No mods. (that I know of. The only possibility is an racing cam.)

 

Look at the crank damper....
The rubber tears...then starts to slip...pretty common....

 

So you have a cel then? I would run an obd scanner or do a test through the odometer display. It does sound like a bad crank pulley though. Pull the passenger wheel and plastics then inspect the area for anything loose.

 

No CEL. I had the cam sensor go out on my old Dodge Dakota and it did not show a CEL, but the Mechanic said his computer register it as bad. Replaced it and issue was fixed.


I will look at the crank damper when I get a chance.

 

I feel for you brother MC40...
What is the mileage and maintenance history?

 

Man, you really have been having some teething problems with your '40 haven't you.

I don't have anything to add, but a +1 to what Zippy said above.

Good luck

 

JABowders - the car has 103,880 or so, to me that is high mileage regardless of how long the car will go for (I plan on seeing the gauge go well over 200K). I bought it in fair condition (fair being bad) knowing it needed lots of TLC. It was well cared for by the first owner for 4 or 5 years and then nothing on the car fax by the second owner, then last year someone bought it and looks like they put some work into it. Who knows what happened to it during the 2nd owners rule.


james - Yes, quite a bit of trouble this little rascal is. I think the car is pissed off from previous owners not taking car of it. I just found tons of dog hair under the back seat so I am surprised the seats are in good condition. I still really like the car and just need to show it some love.


More trouble shooting tomorrow, I couldn't get to it today.

 

Hmm, Little Rascal. I might have just named my car. I thought I was going to name it Road Runner but that day it decided to break down on me.


Also, there was a gigantic rat that jumped out of the engine bay Monday morning (scared the **** out of me), that must have been a bad omen. He could also have been chewing on wires :(

 

Yup....rodents LOVE the insulation on the wiring....
Time to look closely at every wire you can see....and time to put some rat poison around....they seem to think your mini is a warm, dry spot to hang out...with yummy wires to chew...
Hopefully it was a onetime thing, and your issue is mechanical.... Wiring issues are hell....

 

Glad we could help on the expansion tank .


Yes, they chew on the spark plug wires and boots, check those first. They also chew on the hood insulation and the wire connections to the oil filter housing and the coil pack. Also the cable going to from the alt to the starter. Seen it many times.


+1 The crank dampener looks like this new. See what shape you are in.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11237525135/



thanks

 

Update; all the pulleys, including the crank, looked beautiful as did the belt. I can tell they have been replaced recently (I think in 2012 when the car popped back up on carfax) so it is not the Crank damper. When the starter was turning the engine all the pulleys moved as they should.


I pulled the spark plugs and they were fried. They looked very used and had lots of soot on them. There were 3 different types of plugs in there, 2 were BMW and the other 2 were different types of NKGs, WTF. I replaced them and the car still would not start.


Also, now, when I turn the key to on without turning over the car there is a thumping, knocking sound, like... dum dum dum dum (hard to explain), coming from the dash behind the steering wheel. It does it a few times for a few seconds and then stops.


The battery is only 2 years old and I know it is good, I tried jumping the car just to make sure and it still wouldn't start.


I have a questions I am hoping someone can help with.


-Is there a way to trouble shoot the cam and crank sensor without a diagnostic tool, like without a code reader or a computer interface? I really think (and hope) one of these is the culprit.


-If it was something more catastrophic like a blown head gasket how could I tell?


-If it was the timing chain would it make more noise then usual?


Thanks.


-Gunner

 

103K miles isn't bad, mine is running in the 140K range. I do a lot of my own maintenance, but since I have not pulled the trigger on the BMW software package I lack the ability to do anything that requires communicating with the ECM. I have a fantastic MINI tech for that work.

But for the most part if you have a remote start switch, a test light, and a multimeter you should be able to check the basics,

From what you have posted it looks as if you have fuel, spark and the engine turns over... Next test is is the fuel getting through the injectors? You can use a little starting fluid sprayed into the air intake, if the car fires on this your injectors may not be delivering fuel, and requires you to trace the wiring, inspecting for damage.

The last thing I would want to do is swapping parts out hoping to luck into finding the ones at fault. (Plus the expense of replacing parts that are fully serviceable). I don't know of any way of testing the sensors with basic tools. Maybe someone else that does can chime in...

Best of luck with Lil' Rascal

 

Good new, I bought a code reader, U-Scan blutooth one, and tada, code P0335 - crankshaft position sensor A circuit malfunction. Need to put it in service mode and take a look at the wiring to make sure the rat didn't chew on anything, then I will most likely be getting a new CKP.

 

Good to hear, good idea to change that anyway since the oil likes to leak. Mine leaks pretty good so I gotta do it soon enough.

 

Ok guys, I have a new one for ya'll. I think I may have a bad engine gasket. The last few weeks when I start the car it has been blowing out white smoke, but it would just be one big puff and it would clear up. I opened up the oil cap and this is what I saw.






I'm pretty sure that is a blown head gasket. The only other thing I could think of is, if on the MINI, there is a common seal between the water pump and the oil pan I think I need to pull the head and see what's going on.


If someone has seen this before and knows what it is let me know.


I really miss my Dakota right now.

 

Water pump doesn't actually touch the engine. It's bolted to the blower. Most likely head gasket.

 

Ohhhh nooooo...

 

That sucks man, really sorry to hear. I haven't seen a ton of blown HG's with our cars but, then again, I've only really been watching for the past year, since I became interested. No idea how much a HG job would cost but I've seen some pretty reasonably priced used engines out there.

Normally head gaskets go from the engine overheating. I really wish there was a feature on every car's ECU which stored an event every time the engine went above a pre-designated temperature with date and high temp. That would be hugely beneficial to people buying used cars. You never know how badly a car has been neglected and what, exactly, has been done to them.

 

Oil cooler is a common failure that can mix coolant and water....right (passenger) wheel well area, you can see it not too far from the filter housing....common to have the seals in it fail on cars that have been neglected.....the coolant corrodes the cooler...oil mixes...similar to the head...
Do a compression check...try to determine if the head gasket is leaking...or elsewhere........
Yeah....that poouff of white smoke when you start the car was an important part of the story.....
You said the car was neglected....guess the coolant was not changed/flushed every 36-48 months......

 

So you think it could be the oil cooler or do I need to do a compression test to be sure? Or is the Puff of smoke a dead give away for a head gasket?

 

Has anyone used a remote start switch? I'm wondering how hard they are to install on a MINI.

 

I would also guess the oil cooler heat exchanger.
A compression test is never a bad thing but sometimes it does not identify a head gasket leak or cylinder head cracks if the problem is small and the amount of leakage can also change with temperature/pressure.

 

I think that's the least of your worries.

 

I'm asking about the one you attach so you can turn the car over while you are working under the hood, not the remote start so you can turn your car on form insider your house. That way you don't need 2 people to test things like spark, compression, fuel, etc.


This...
http://www.pepboys.com/product/detai...vacuum_testers
or similar, not sure if this one works on a MINI.