At 63000 miles with oil changes at 5000 mile intervals...death rattle has happened to me. No real engine damage yet. Miniusa and dealer offered some sort of "maybe some help" if i hauled it to them andhad them do the work; nothing firm. I don't think i will beg miniusa for relief, just make sure i don't buy another (i have 2005 and 2008 mcs) thing from them ever.


So i bought a kit from proimini online, seems to have everything needed. Except i do not have detailed technical instructions. I have done much harder repairs...but would like some formal instructions. Anybody have a link or source for written instructions for timing chain + tensioner replacement?

 

there was an internal campaign by MINI to replace timing chain. try asking another dealer to run your vin# and see if it qualifies for the campaign.

 

The Bentley manual has detailed instructions. I haven't tried it so don't know how accurate it is, but I did skim over it in mine.

 

Is this a tensioner problem or a chain problem? Mine just started making the rattle the other day. I have 225000 miles on him. My hubby will be doing the work.

 

LNz04, it looks like you have a first gen MCS. If that is correct, you may want to ask over in the first gen forums.

 

Sorry! I just searched and replied and didn't pay attention that I wasn't in the right place.

 

Surely somebody out there in Mini Land has posted how-to instructions for this job...PLEASE?

 

Pro-Mini has a guide. Are you looking for something more detailed?

http://promini.bmpdesign.coresense.c...gine-Noise.pdf

 

Yes, the ProMini guide is very minimalistic. I think Bentley has a chapter on it. I was hoping not to buy the book. Figured somebody has produced a DIY guide on this forum. Or perhaps another. Any ideas?

 

Well, I bought the Haynes manual at Autozone. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

If you intend to DIY on your MINI, you have to buy the Bentley manual.
No way around that. It's a no brainer.

Do DIY the chain swap, you will need the custom MINI camshaft lockdown tool (in addition to the usual assortment of metric tools and torque wrenches). It's not cheap, but still a bargain vs. paying someone to do the job for you (~$2K).

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