I was down to 8 miles of gas range headed to Costco to fill up when all of a sudden my S lost power.

I stepped on the gas but nothing.

I thought I ran out of gas so I called AAA who filled up my tank with 1/4.

I tried starting the car but it just cranks, no start

AAA thought it might be my battery but it's showing 12.4 with everything off.

I'm currently waiting for a tow trunk so I don't have more details.

Supercharger belt is still in place, I didn't lose a bunch of random fluids. No odd smells

Would appreciate any help as to where to start looking or how to diagnose.

 

Fuel Pump energizing ?

 

So a second tow truck showed up and the guy tried once and it cranked over...super embarrassed!

What the heck could have caused this?

 

Probably had to get the fuel from the tank to the engine, you must have really run it dry. I have found the fuel gauge and the compute are not even close to reality of wha is in the tank. Came close to running out in Wife's Clubbie should one dot below half tank and to 12.2 to file a 13.1 tank and showed 59 miles of fuel left on computer not good it only get about 34mpg by my calculations.

 

Thinking back...
It took about 20 seconds of cranking when I changed my fuel injectors (drained the fuel rail)....
Bet you got air in it when you ran out....needed to crank a bit..purge the system...
As a generally rule, I refill by 1/8 of a tank, or based on miles....
Never trust a fuel guage...
Also remember running a fuel pump very low is not good...it is COOLED by being submerged in fuel.....

 

So the second tow truck operator showed me a trick, he gave the gas tank from underneath a couple of good whacks with his palm and the car fired right up, does this mean fuel pump?


So I go to Costco and topped off with 91 octane and the car lost power and failed again, but I was able to get fired back up by giving the gas tanks a few more whacks.


Fuel Pump going?


Car has 130k miles

 

Sounds like the pump to me...
The wack is a similar trick to wacking a starter with a hammer when you have a dead spot in the windings to get it to crank...can get you a couple more starts...bet a wack on the tank does the same...

 

hmm their anyway to diagnose for certain it's the pump?

 

Seems oddly coincidental the the FP dies at the precise moment you run out of fuel. I'd wonder if there wasn't a few air bubbles.

 

Can you here the fuel pump prime when you put the key in the second click on the ignition?

Im having some fuel pump issues with mine. Wont start atall

 

The end of the fuel rail has a valve (looks like a tire valve) that a fuel psi guage can be screwed on...

 

Pump runs dry...runs hot...windings on it fail, turn into an open/high resistance circuit... Sounds like a dead spot...
Odd...maybe...but the fact the pump failed after it was stressed...kinda makes sense...
Next time it fails to start....I might listen for it...
Maybe check the fuel psi on the rail...Harder to get too..under the ic, but not impossible to check.

 

Hello GPToyz,

I just found, last night, your original post back in Nov 2014 that your R53 had almost or nearly "ran dry" in the fuel department and you - then - began having a "no crank-over" issue.

As of last night, my 2006 R53 now has the same problem as I had 45 miles left on the gas computer and then, suddenly - just lost - ALL power to the engine and went into limp mode.

What did you do to finally get your R53 back to starting again?

I'm considering replacing the fuel pump ($207.09 from ECS Tuning) but - just this morning - I heard it pressurized the fuel line & I'm continuing to check for that sound, today.

I, also, replaced the fuel filter - this morning - as well and the damn thing still won't crank over.

Any suggestions that you or anyone else could provide would be GREAT advice & I thank you for it, in advance!

Thanks,

Russ

 

Bad Crank Sensor ?

 

Hello gRay rAvEn,

Thanks very much for joining this thread and I had the entire vehicle = SO PRIME = and running incredible, yesterday.....and, then - pretty much - ran the tank down to about 45 miles left and was ON MY WAY to the gas station when I had the EXACT same thing happen as OP.

At this point, I've purchased a fuel pressure gauge kit and am going to be checking the fuel pressure at the hookup/end of the fuel rail - probably on Monday morning.

If there's NO pressure or very little, I'm going to assume that my fuel pump shot craps when the fuel got that low and I think that'll be my next step of replacement to track down the problem.

And, regarding a possible bad crank sensor......I do NOT know if the sensor has gone bad (the car is - again - posting NO codes, at all......what fun) but I did just replace the crankshaft sensor O-ring and the sensor (itself) did not look damaged but I realize you can't tell operation by "looks".

So, if you are able to......when a R53 is being cranked over and will NOT start.....what are ALL of the items the car/computer is checking for to allow it to start?

And, I did check the 20-amp fuse that controls the fuel pump and it is = GOOD (no problems).

So, I guess what I'm really needing some help with is whether anyone can provide a decent list of "things to check" that do NOT normalize "throw codes" that I need to look at after checking the fuel pressure on Monday morning.

After I do that, I'll be able to report back to the thread and see what I find and whether I just order a new fuel pump, wait for it to arrive and then, install it - next weekend - to see if that fixes the problem.

I've read on several other posts that the 1) crankshaft position sensor and then, 2) the coolant temperature sensor = IF BAD = could keep the car from starting and would NOT "throw codes" if they've failed......

The one thing that was interesting.....when I lost power in the Mini, thinking back on it....it did kinda feel like the fuel just STOPPED because I felt like I had just hit a brick wall in the way the vehicle "lurched forward" when the problem happened.....

Lastly, lastly, has anyone in an R53 (with over 100k+ miles) had to replace both the fuel pump (driver side) AND the fuel sender (passenger side) to fix a fuel-related issue???

Thanks everybody for any help that can be provided as I'm looking to figuring this out and getting the damn thing to start again!

Russ

 

Hello All,

UPDATE: Earlier than I had originally planned, I was able to remove the intercooler, purchased a $19.99 Harbor Freight fuel pressure tester kit, hooked it up to the Schroeder valve, hooked up the battery, cranked the car and got a = ZERO fuel pressure reading.

Also, as I've read several other posts about banging the bottom of the tank to get it - partially "working again" OR to confirm that it's "on the way out" - what I experienced in doing this TWICE is all it did was make the car finally "re initialize" or prime the pump, on 1st position key turn.

And, yes, I do realize that - in doing so - I was able to pretty much confirm my pump is "completely dead" or "very near dead".....thanks to GPToyz for recommending this diagnostic step.

Also, two (2) other observations that have confirmed for me that it's time to invest in a fuel pump (already sourced one at my local KS CarQuest store/love those guys)......2 x mornings ago, I went ahead & replaced the fuel filter in the passenger side fuel compartment. This was my 2nd time in doing so......when I disconnected the fuel line from the top of the sending unit (which contains the fuel filter) there was about THREE DROPS of fuel that came out and the fuel filter compartment was FULL TO THE BRIM with fuel......overflowing-style.

Furthermore, after doing the fuel pressure test at the Schroeder valve & disconnecting the pressure-tester from the valve/fitting, I gently pushed on the inside of the valve knowing that IF any fuel pressure was in there....fuel would come out....there was absolutely NONE.....dry, as a bone.

So, new fuel pump will be purchased - in the morning - and install will begin, immediately upon returning back to the Mini Garage.

Another update will follow, tomorrow afternoon, after new pump has been installed!

 

Sounds like you have it figured out!!

 

2ND UPDATE: Well, everyone.....here's what's happened over the last 24 hours....purchased the new fuel pump ($227 + tax) and got it installed with little-to-no problems. It wasn't all that bad and I actually shot video of the entire process so I can post it to YouTube to help anyone else who experiences a bad pump, in the future. After installing the new pump, I removed the intercooler and cranked over the engine - once or twice (for very short intervals). Then, by just pressing on the very small, spring-loaded valve inside the Schroeder valve....I confirmed that I ***DID*** have fuel coming into the fuel rail....so, that was a very good thing. However, bad news....R53 still wouldn't start! So, with that, I began to go thru the standard things to check.....fuel, spark, and mechanics/timing. As stated above, FUEL = CHECK. Then, with regard to spark, I had previously installed the "one-step-colder" NGK plugs recommended for a 17% pulley (BKR7EIX-11/6988) and wanted to confirm that these plugs did NOT need to be gapped and, in fact, they DO. So, my bad....I did not gap them and thought that might be part of the starting problem. At that time, it was already after 9pm and all the auto stores were closed. So, just for the sake of testing whether I could get the car to turn-over, I went ahead and re-installed the plugs I had in the vehicle prior to installation of the 17% pulley - which are the NGK BKR6EQUP. After reinstalling them, making sure to torque them down to the Bentley spec, I also went ahead and reinstalled my OEM distributor thinking that maybe the "Screamin' Demon" distributor I had on the car had "gone bad" for some reason. After switching the distributors out, I went ahead and reinstalled the intercooler & bellows, and hit the rack. Then, this morning, went out to the vehicle, unhooked the trickle-charger I had on the battery (battery is 100% solid), hooked the battery back up, reset the ECU and then tried to start her up. Well, unfortunately, still NO change. The vehicle will still crank but will NOT start. So, at this point of beginning to get seriously frustrated, I decided to call a local Euro/MINI shop to ask a technician's "next step" word of advice and - pretty much knew - that the next thing to replace would be the crankshaft position sensor. The tech agreed and that's the next thing I'm going to replace but won't be able to do so until mid-next week (leaving town on business). So, that's where the process is - at this stage - and, when I get the front of the vehicle torn down again.....I'm going to remove the belt, as well, and make sure all the pulleys are good - including the vibration damper (I have an ATI on mine and replaced the crapola OEM-one and installed it at 70k miles). And, the weird thing is on the crankshaft sensor....is I had JUST replaced the o-ring on it and wouldn't it be so crazy that the dang sensor fails after you replace the dang o-ring! Anyhow, thanks to everyone who's helping on this thread and I'm hopeful that what I learn from all this will help someone else in the future with a "no-start" situation where the vehicle is NOT "throwing codes"!!! Back next week with UPDATE #3 and everyone be well, until then!

 

Good luck with the trouble-shooting. One thing I'd suggest is to only change ONE thing at a time though - when you start swapping out three or four things at once, you can get down into some deep/dark rabbit holes. You want to return the car to its last running configuration and then only change ONE thing.

- Mark

 

Hey Mark,

Great to meet you & thanks for joining the thread. And, crazy thing is....I installed the Alta 17% pulley, removed the supercharger and drain/filled the oil in both chambers, replaced the water pump with a brand new one plus installed a brand new alternator....and after doing ALL that.....changed the oil and put in Royal Purple, turned the key and the car started = IMMEDIATELY = with NO problems.


It was at that time that I test-drove the vehicle - gently but "pushing it" slightly - for about 30-40 miles with 3-4 gallons in the tank.....and it drove = PERFECTLY.


I = DO = understand your suggestion of "do things one-at-a-time" but I'm now a little deeper into the mods I wanted to do so now I'm paying-the-piper but it's ALL GOOD.


I spoke to 2 x local MINI techs today who both agreed that I need to now replace the crankshaft position sensor and that's what I'm gonna do BEFORE I decide to tow it into a pro shop.


The primary benefit of "where I'm at" is ALL of the "mod labor" is now DONE and with the diagnostic tools the pro shops have....I'm confident they'll be able to determine why the 'no-start' is occurring....whether it's "fuel (doubtful now with new fuel pump), spark or mechanical timing".


When I put the vehicle back into front-end service-mode to install the crank sensor, I'm going to remove the belt to check the vibration damper, all remaining pulleys and I may even put back-on my OLD alternator (still good....just had 103k on it) on to see if the new alternator I got was "bad" out of the damn box!


So, yes, it'll be a slight "rats nest" but I did ALL the work - SLOWLY - over a 30-day period (over Xmas holiday) and I'm confident I can "retrace my steps" to find the problem = OR = greatly narrow them down for a pro mechanic to take over & "finish the job".


I'll continue to update the thread ALL THE WAY TO CONCLUSION = to let everyone know what the final problem was that kept the vehicle from starting!


Keep The Faith as I Always Say, Until Next Update...Keep Motoring,


Russ

 

Well Everyone, here's the ***Conclusion*** of everything that happened after the last 2 x weeks on my "no-start" R53 issue and how it got resolved, yesterday.....VERY good news & a GREAT learning experience on the Mini DIY front!

It all came down to a = BAD GROUND (on the ECU; not the main ground strap....that was "good to go").

As I had stated in my last post, I was at a point of having to put the Mini back into front-end service mode to replace the crankshaft sensor - and, I had actually talked to two (2) Mini repair shop technicians to confirm that that was what THEY recommended I do next, in my "process of elimination" to see if I could get the vehicle to finally turn over.

Well, I had to travel over the last week but before I left - I went ahead and ordered the crankshaft sensor and also the standard JCW plugs (not the one-step-colder; I did install a 17% pulley on the car as part of my recent MOD/maintenance work).

Before I left, I pulled the one-step-colder NGK plugs I had already installed in the vehicle and checked their gap and yep....sure enough they were NOT correctly gapped "out of the box" and I've read several posts that they were supposed to be.

The gap on the plugs (BKR7EIX-11/6988) - out of the box - were to .040" and I've read on multiple NAM posts that they are supposed to be at .032". I've also read several other posts where people have been trying out different gap settings but I went ahead and had the plugs gapped to .032" to be safe and as a "starting point".

Upon my return from being out-of-town, I went ahead and re-installed the BKR7EIX-11/6988 plugs, torqued them down and then went ahead & put my OEM coil back on the car as I had the Screamin' Demon from Way, on there.....wanted to change it back to OEM so I knew that coil was "still good" so I could then move on to check for = Spark.

So, then, I went out & got a spark tester at NAPA and also purchased one of their new batteries on sale while I was there (I saw the post where they are on sale until end of January)....the OEM battery I had was still good but was made in Feb 2010 - so, it was "time" for replacement.

Got back to the garage, hooked up the new battery (I also did that to make sure I had enough cold cranking amps & to eliminate that as a cause for the "no-start" situation) and then - hooked up the spark tester.

Well....what did I find = NO SPARK. I tried using the tester on Plug #1....nothing. Then, on Plug #2 - Nothing.....Hmmmm, for sure - but I ***definitely*** learned something!

So, then - after confirming that I had NO SPARK.....I went ahead and decided the next step (before ripping off the front of the vehicle, again.....I had it ALL back together already & it was lookin' good!) was to either rent or purchase a "pro" version SCANTOOL (the one I had was an el-cheapo Actron that only read codes) and see if I could LEARN & CONFIRM = if = the crank sensor was, in fact, the problem.

I wanted to make SURE that it was before tearing apart the front end again after getting it all put back together......

So, went to Harbor Freight and bought their $119 scan tool (Autel AL519; that's exactly what HF sells....it's just re-branded by them from Autel AL519 product), got back to the garage and checked to make sure the scanner had the latest update software....yep, it did - so, now - "let's try it".

Went back out to the garage, hooked up the scanner to the OBDII port and guess what?

"NO LINK ERROR" message = Again & Again (I tried like 4 x times to make it "link" to the Cooper).

Again, Hmmmm........interesting, right?

So, what I did I try next?......well, I decided to try hooking up my el-cheapo Actron code scanner again as I had already hooked it up to the car - after getting it put all back together - to erase a "Temperature Sensor" Pcode when I started the vehicle up for 1st time but hadn't hooked everything back up to the front bumper and I remembered it had "Linked Up" with NO problems to the ECU.

And, prior to connecting it....I went ahead and reset the ECU again just to make sure it was "completely clear" and that I could confirm the ECU would respond to the "reset".

Did the reset, the car & ECU = DID = respond to it and then, I'm like...."ok, let's go ahead and hook up the el-cheapo Actron scanner and we'll see if it will = Link."

Hooked it up and = NO LINK, still !!!

So, at that point - with BOTH scanners not linking.....I ***learned*** something VERY, VERY valuable.......I asked myself - "well, either the damn ECU got fried (already started to panic but began to BREATHE DEEPLY) or it has a = BAD GROUND".

Got out of the car.....walked over & looked right next to the driver's side corner of the engine compartment where the ECU has a SEPARATE harness ground cable that connects to chassis and guess what?

And, yeah - everyone can now start calling me an idiot (I'll JOIN in!).....the ground nut - that screws onto the chassis ground screw/post - I had NOT tightened ALL the way down....I tightened it to the point where it was "on there" but wasn't SUPER tight and that was creating a "no ground" situation when the car was trying to fire up....it's also why the car had NO SPARK.

As soon as I tightened that nut down = TIGHT = got back in the car......turned the key to 2nd position.....the brand new fuel pump made a VERY LOUD re-initialization "I'm working" noise, pushed down the clutch, turned the key over......the vehicle sputtered and sputtered after about 10-12 seconds and TRIED to start but didn't (died).

Turned the key off......turned it back on to crank/start for another 10-15 seconds and sure enough = She Fired Up, baby!

Felt like a damn NASA scientist who just made their 1st rocket engine go to the damn MOON!

Anyhow, I'm posting all this to this thread so someone does NOT make the same mistakes I did and yeah....I'm willing to GLADLY take any "ribbing" for them but you know what - I ***learned*** SO MUCH about my vehicle over this last month or more of working on it and getting that thing to START (after the initial "no-start" situation) is going to go down in my own personal list of VICTORIES, that I'll NEVER forget!

Thanks to everyone on this kick-*** forum who HELPS OTHERS with their car problems and I've got a bunch of pictures & A LOT of video of the MOD's & maintenance I did over the last 30-45 days that I'll be releasing here on NAM & on YouTube over the next several months.

So, CHEERS to Each of You & Keep Motoring, baby!

Russ