I'm on my 3rd Timing-Chain Tensioner in two years... W...T...F.
 

Aright, so what's the deal with the timing chain tensioners?

The first time I didn't know that it was what was wrong so it took awhile to diagnose.

Second time I knew the sound all-too-well and replaced it pretty quickly.

The third time... same thing... but this time even after the replacement, the noise was still there intermittently but not as often.

Each time it was replaced by an OEM MINI tensioner.. and each time they were ceased up.

I have plenty of oil... but I'm thinking of replacing the oil-pressure sender as I suspect it's not.. nor has it ever worked properly. A spun-bearing taught me that lesson 50K miles in.

Is anyone else having issues with their Timing Chain tensioners?!

I think they machine them too tight, causes them to bind

Replaced mine once as preventative measure at 150k miles....have almost 250K miles now....no issues.

Was this diagnosed by a tech ?

a tech !?!?!? ROTFL it's painfully obvious when they stick, the startup rattle is impossible to ignore

I am a technician.

And Mega72 is right... the sound is unmistakable. Basically, it sounds like it's a diesel.. a really old... loud... diesel.

It's not that it's what the problem is... it's just WHY does it happen so often, like why does it fail so often. Each time I pull them, they're seized up real well.

The thing is, since I've had this car... it has NEVER warned me about having low oil-pressure; and that's actually what blew the motor the first time, I got crazy low on oil and it spun a bearing. And not once has it ever given me a low oil-pressure warning. So I have a tensioner and an OP Switch on will-call and I'm going to switch it all out this weekend.

I feel like the oil-pressure is definitely an issue because once it extends, there's really nothing that should completely depress the tensioner if it's regularly seeing good oil-pressure. I'm thinking that it's getting starved every now and again and overheating which causes it to seize prematurely.

are you just replacing the tensioner or the whole kit?

Did you install the newest version of the chain tensioner, p/n 11317607551 ?
Or did you just ask for a new chain tensioner and install what they sold you?

Your timing chain may be worn. After the second bought of chain rattling, you should have changed the whole timing chain cassette, not just the tensioner.

that's a 1st gen part? I've never seen that part number before

Second generation part, sorry, I saw timing chain tensioner and assumed the discussion was about second generation cars.

Yea, the tensioner on the R53 is much smaller (and cheaper). I've pulled the nose off before to inspect the rails and they're not damaged. It's just the tensioner itself that seizes up.

I have one on my bench stuck compressed I can not get the stupid thing to open up for inspection

pull the oil filter housing assembly off the car, removed the tensioner, clean the passages from the filter assembly to the tensioner. I had this problem about 3 years ago. 4 tensioners in 6 months (190 miles a day back and forth for work). they have issues of gumming up and pre-mature failure.

Interesting, can you find an illustration or get a picture of the passages that you're speaking of?

i'll be tearing down another engine over the weekend, I'll take better pictures for you. its a galley thats about 5/16 diameter. allows oil to reach tensioner. Sorry!!

If that's the problem this would be coolest DIY fix ever for a problem we may all wind up having.

I'm going to do an oil-change tomorrow and pull the tensioner at the same time. I also have a new Oil Pressure switch too for good measure.

I'll try to see if I can't find out which port he's talking about.

I ask only because after having worked for a high volume MINI dealer in their Parts Dept right next to the service bays, we sold only 3 in over 7 + years I was there from 2010-2017. So infrequent in fact the first one ordred had to come from Germany = No dealers had been selling them.

We sold one to the shop, for a clients car, one to me as preventative measure, and one over the counter to a shade tree mechanic who didn't know the difference between a crescent wrench and a box end....

They "flurry" of sales only happened after folks were posting up issues with their R56's......

That said, in the R53, I believe in most cases the Hydraulic Tensioner not extending fully is a secondary symptom of another problem up stream.