Hey NAM community,

I just bought a 2010 MCS! My first MINI. I love it.

It passed a PPI, and my own amateur inspection. I drove it 3hrs home today with no issues or red flags. I started it up later and heard a noise from the engine that I am terrified is the timing chain. I posted two videos of it to YouTube.

If you have any experience with this would you mind taking a look? I'm taking it to Helix Motorsports near Philly Monday for them to look at.

Video 1: Video 2:
Also, I am 100% confident this has been discussed 8,345 times, but I read dozens of threads and couldn't find a specific definitive answer to: when/if I replace this timing chain, is it a done deal? Is the faulty problem fixed? Or am I definitely going to have to do this again if I keep the car a while?

Thanks for the help,
Isaac

 

How many miles on the car? Do you know if the previous owner did any repairs to it? You could remove the valve cover and do visual inspection. Since the car runs and drives fine, this is a relatively easy to medium dyi.

 

These Direct Injection motors are noisy, and these videos sound the same as my N18 at start up. BUT, it is very difficult to diagnose noises over the interwebs. Good call on having a local specialist take a look at it.

From what I’ve read, you might be ok if you swap out the chain tensioner to the latest design before having any real issues. If the guides are worn down, you might have to replace the whole chain kit. If I were you, I would replace the tensioner and get into a regular oil change habit.

 

Definitely hear the usual direct injection tapping noise as the main noise, but maybe there's another
chugga chugga type sound on and off that could be something else. Maybe not. Hard to tell.

 

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like it's still a good idea to take it to a specialist in person.

Car has 66k miles. The first owner was an older woman that maintained it at the dealer. Carfax shows the water pump was replaced twice early on.

2nd owner replaced the thermostat, clutch, and did some of the usual mods. Did not do anything timing chain related. He said he did 3k oil changes and I believe it. This was one of several hobby cars he had and he handed me a stack of receipts for work and parts done to the car while he owned it. Car is super clean in and out.

As far as I know the timing chain and tensioner haven't been touched.

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Sounds like I should still take it to the specialist.

Started it cold this morning and it didn't sound bad, but maybe a little noisier than I'd like.

Car has 66k miles on it. First owner maintained it at the dealer, Carfax shows a few repairs. Two water pumps and a thermostat.

Second owner did 3k oil changes and handed me a stack of receipts for the services and parts he'd done. He also replaced a thermostat, and did the walnut blasting. He did the usual mods. This was one of several hobby cars, and it looks like he took really good care of it. Car is super clean.

Thanks for the replies.

 

As mentioned above, the sound is close to normal but not crazy off based on my ear. A specialist could definitely listen a bit closer and take the valve cover off and inspect (or your could, it is very easy). Listen to this one, it definitely has more clatter than yours:

 

Update:

Helix mechanics were as confident as you can be without taking the valve cover off that it was not a timing chain issue/sound.

They did however tell me that my throw out bearing is failing...which is a much more expensive repair...Welcome to Mini's, I guess?

 

Sounds like a normal mini engine to me. For peace of mind, put in the latest version of the chain tensioner (check RealOEM website for your part number). It is a 30 minute job. A slightly noisy throwout bearing could last years, not necessarily urgent. Mine has been squeeking and whirring for almost two years on and off.