When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Stock Problems/IssuesDiscussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Clubman (R55), Cooper and Cooper S(R56), and Cabrio (R57).
Thank you for the words of encouragement! The peculiar thing is that the same issues existed before and after the timing chain replacement. I’m willing to try anything though. I’ll see if I can rent the timing set and try that this weekend.
On second thought, I’m going to take it back up there and get them to do it since the timing chain was swapped at Mini and I want to make sure I take full advantage of their warranty for the repairs.
If you are taking it to the dealer, have them test the crankcase pressure. They just take your oil fill cap off, and they have one they put on with a gauge. The spec is 38mBar. If it is over that it tells you that the PCV (valve cover) is bad. TSB - SI M11 07 08 if you give it a google search.
has the head ever been off for cleaning (intake tract, valve stems etc)?
it had a walnut blasting done about 10k mi ago but nothing more than that.
Originally Posted by R56devotion
The cam bolts are single use. So even if you have to buy those, everything else can be adjusted. It won’t take them long to do.
They went ahead and replaced the cam bolts and Vanos sprocket even though on the original work order it says they already did that.
Originally Posted by sickcrewcab
If you are taking it to the dealer, have them test the crankcase pressure. They just take your oil fill cap off, and they have one they put on with a gauge. The spec is 38mBar. If it is over that it tells you that the PCV (valve cover) is bad. TSB - SI M11 07 08 if you give it a google search.
To be honest they’re being pretty cool now since it’s my bazillionth visit for the same issue and I haven’t lost it. They’re going to let me swap out my maf with a spare they have to see if that changes anything.
Breaking news: I fear my mini may be on its last leg. Today I was cruising on the highway at about 75mph when power cut all of the sudden and as I slowed down I could tell there was something seriously wrong. By the time I limped it into a bank parking lot about a mile down the highway there was a noticeable misfire and the car was shaking violently so I hooked up my scanner to see what was going on. There was a misfire on 1 and 3 so I pulled the plugs to inspect. #1 and #3 plug were wet with what seemed to be oil or oil and fuel. I cleaned them and swapped them with 2 and 4 to see if there was a change. Still same misfire on 1 and 3. I then swapped the coil packs and the same issue occurred. Upon further inspection looking down through the spark plug hole I can see a few small flakes of metal. Looks like I blew a piston ring or spun a bearing somewhere. Damnit!
Last edited by MiniCooper_S; 10-16-2017 at 10:00 AM.
Reason: Spelling error
Breaking news: I fear my mini may be on its last leg. Today I was cruising on the highway at about 75mph when power cut all of the sudden and as I slowed down I could tell there was something seriously wrong. By the time I limped it into a bank parking lot about a mile down the highway there was a noticeable misfire and the car was shaking violently so I hooked up my scanner to see what was going on. There was a misfire on 1 and 3 so I pulled the plugs to inspect. #1 and #3 plug were wet with what seemed to be oil or oil and fuel. I cleaned them and swapped them with 2 and 4 to see if there was a change. Still same misfire on 1 and 3. I then swapped the coil packs and the same issue occurred. Upon further inspection looking down through the spark plug hole I can see a few small flakes of metal. Looks like I blew a piston ring or spun a bearing somewhere. Damnit!
Well since the dealer just worked on the timing gears I would make sure the cam gears didn't slip causing the valves to run into the pistons. Next step would be perform leak down and compression tests to see how bad the damage is.
timing slip is a known issue.. I would just act as if thats what happened and assume the dealer should take full responsibility for any repairs which need to occur.
Update: It turns out that my maf was reading high and masking the fact that my throttle body was going bad. I’ve replaced the maf and throttle body and reset adaptations. so far so good. As for the wet plugs and metal flakes I found that one of my spark plugs had a manufacturing defect and it ended up shearing off in the head. I determined that the flakes were from the threads of the plug and not the head. I was able to extract it with a bolt extractor and replace it. I also had 3 intermittently weak coil packs that I assume may have been adding to the wet plug issue. Compression and leakdown are good so I’m just going to keep an eye on the cylinders for now.
For anyone who needs to do a throttle body swap don’t be intimidated! You most likely won’t be able to do it with the manifold in car if you’ve got stubby hands like myself but It only took about an hour and a half to do it right. The hardest part was getting out the manifold lower support bolt. Pick up a flexible driver it will save you so much time!
Torque info and tools needed
new throttle body to old manifold 61 inch lbs
manifold studs 15 ft lbs
10mm 1/4 in drive socket
7mm 1/4 in drive socket
13 mm 3/8 drive socket
1/4 in to bit driver adapter
phillips driver bits
t25
t20
long flat screwdriver
1/4 in flexible driver
3/8-1/4 in adapter
3/8 drive torque wrench and socket wrench
6 in extension
Did the TB solve your problem? I have done coils, plugs, media blasting, maf cleaning, new valve cover and still get the reduced power, then CEL (P2188). Sensors seem fine, I’m not one to just throw parts at it though. Are the TB’s a known issue for these?
It has something to do with the electronics in it. They get out of sync and lie to the ecu about throttle position but it doesn’t show a code for that because it thinks the hardware is still working properly. That’s why you get fuel trim codes, o2 codes etc.
If you’ve done all of that and only get the p2188 code it’s probably either a bad throttle body, leaking injectors, bad upstream o2 sensor or worst case scenario valves/timing. Do you have access to a scan tool? If so post a freeze frame of your mini at idle and note the temperature outside
It has something to do with the electronics in it. They get out of sync and lie to the ecu about throttle position but it doesn’t show a code for that because it thinks the hardware is still working properly. That’s why you get fuel trim codes, o2 codes etc.
So, I looked at some live data and noticed my Short term FT is pretty negative at higher RPM (~4k). Im still getting a P2188, and its driving me nuts. did you take apart the old TB? Or compare resistances on the new vs old?
[QUOTTiming set was just done and checked about 500 mies after a valve cover replacement
E=MiniCooper_S;4419923]
If you’ve done all of that and only get the p2188 code it’s probably either a bad throttle body, leaking injectors, bad upstream o2 sensor or worst case scenario valves/timing. Do you have access to a scan tool? If so post a freeze frame of your mini at idle and note the temperature outside
*stuck or blocked fuel injector (either too much fuel, or a blocked injector causing timing retard - will make you run rich)
*fuel pressure regulator issue (high pressure condition creating rich AFR)
*faulty O2 sensor
*faulty MAF sensor
Im betting on the fuel injector myself.. they are prone to carbon buildup on the heads. Injector duty cycles also go up with RPM and boost.
*stuck or blocked fuel injector (either too much fuel, or a blocked injector causing timing retard - will make you run rich)
*fuel pressure regulator issue (high pressure condition creating rich AFR)
*faulty O2 sensor
*faulty MAF sensor
Im betting on the fuel injector myself.. they are prone to carbon buildup on the heads. Injector duty cycles also go up with RPM and boost.
spark is Advanced by 34* at around ~4000, retarded by - 1* @ 830 rpm.
timing seems normal... with your OBDII reader.. can you see levels for MAF and O2 sensor lambda?
As for your Q on the injectors.. you may be able to blast them clean certainly. I would want to have them flow checked before installation again though just to be sure.
**Separate Q - when was the last time spark plugs were pulled/inspected/torqued? You can tell whats going on in the combustion chamber pretty well by looking at the plugs for each cylinder. If you find wet plugs..or if there is buildup, the color of the buildup.. the orientation of the buildup.. these all let you know whats occurring.
10-11-2017, 06:27 PM
