Hi all! I've been a NAM member for a couple of years now but this my first post. Although I'm new here, I have a lot of experience working on cars, particularly with my 2003 MCS, so it isn't without a lot of previous effort and hardship on my end when I post this.

The issue that I'm having is that the engine is running lean, see below for symptoms:

-two fried alternators in two years
-two burned exhaust valves in the past four months (separate repair jobs)
-shifter cables start binding if car is sitting in traffic for even a short amount of time
-tons of radiant heat coming into the cabin in foot wells/base of center console
-"acceptable" engine power between 2,700 and 4,000 rpm. Very low torque availability from a standing start and engine falls flat in the upper rpm range.

Other info:

-never throws any codes, with the exception of when a valve is burned
-MPG's are reasonable at 30, mixed driving
-engine temp will climb to ~232F (as shown on Ultra gage) when sitting in traffic (at which point the fan kicks on), but standard temp gage always stays pinned at "normal". The car never "overheats" in terms of dumping coolant or spiking a real temp.
-120,000 miles

In addition to replacing a load of parts, I've checked fuel pressure and have confirmed that it is correct and that the regulator on the fuel rail is working properly. Without any codes to reference, I'm almost wondering if there is a malfunction in the car's software or firmware.

Any suggestions? My next move is to bring it to a dealership to have them dig into the ECU. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Matt

 

Do you have a reduction pulley? Do you have the proper spark plugs installed for the added heat of a reduction pulley?

The excess heat could be from heatshielding that is missing from underneath the car, but also just normal thermal dynamics, heat rises. My shifter also gets warm after awhile of driving.

The alternators you're installing, are they quality alternators? We've had 2 alternators in a row that were from Oreilleys that didn't have enough windings and wouldn't charge enough at start up causing a loss of powersteering for 15-30 seconds.

There were some cars early on that had problems in the DME, people were getting P2096 codes and burning valves along with horrid buildup on the spark plugs. We actually did a ton of work for a customer who fell victim with that problem that ended up selling the car after all avenues were taken. Back in the early days the dealers were doing a silent replacement on some of the DMEs that were possibly affected, unfortunately there were some that slipped through the cracks.

 

I have yet to modify the car, mainly because of this issue. I've replaced a lot of parts but essentially, everything is stock.

 

Also, the alternators were purchased from ECS Tuning...not the MINI factory versions but something decent, and no situations like the one you've described. I don't recall what brand they were at the moment.

 

know anyone with a wideband?

 

I don't have one or know of anyone that has one, unfortunately.