Hey guys, been battling with this 2009 Mini R56, N12 (non-turbo) for some time now…

The car has been very well maintained; but it did jump time due to a failed tensioner. It started and ran, but inconsistently and mostly rough; although the engine did not make any odd noises.

So… I have replaced the timing chain, guides, tensioner and crank sprocket.
The tensioner is the 5th generation revision. Part: 11317607551
The chain kit is by: Febi Bilstein.

Runs and drives great now, no codes…
But, it has what seems to be “The Death Rattle” at cold startup.

Here is a video of a complete cold start; as you can hear, the rattle goes away.

If it didn’t have all the new parts in there I’d know exactly what to look into, but given it’s got a new chain and all that… Any suggestions what to do? I don’t want to keep changing the chain just to have it keep rattling when cold. It is full of fresh 5w30 mobil 1 oil. I even added a little extra just to see if that’d help.
Has anyone else had a rattle after doing all the same new parts ?

 

Sounds like the noise I have been having, see here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-idea-why.html

Only thing is mine doesn't stop after it warms up. Also, don't get worried about the title too much, I am much more optimistic it isn't rod knock at this point. I cannot tell you what it is specifically, but other things to check for, if you haven't already, based on my research are the crankshaft pulley possibly being loose, friction wheel. It doesn't sound to me like the death rattle. Not "rattle-y" enough, but the at cold it does it and stops when warms up does seem to indicate a guide possibly?

And 5th revision really illustrates the problem with the engineering here doesn't it! Hopefully you figure it out soon.

 

Mike, Thanks for the feedback. Regarding your car... If you have the original tensioner in there still... I would not fire that car up again until you swap it out. When I did my timing chain the tensioner was falling apart once I pulled it out.
Easy to do. Remove air-box and ducting... and then the throttle body (3 screws) use a 1/4" drive wrench and torx screw gun bit. After that you have all the room you need to get a wrench in there.

I think our cars have similar sounds as well; timing chain slapping around; possibly... ugh.
I have read about the water pump pulley failing, but I wouldn't think that would go away when warm.

 

Yeah, I am getting that is, at the very least, a fairly cheap part to throw in there, even if that isn't the problem, it isn't going to hurt. Cheap being relative considering MINIs cost for most everything. I have been needing to change my thermostat as well. I have had it, but haven't had time to change it. Well, actually more or less it has actually more to do with the weather. I am unfortunately without a garage and have to do my work outside. Don't even have a shade tree! On one hand, would probably make sense to change that at the same time; however, on the other hand, it would require all of the coolant draining and refilling (I have the Pentofrost to do it) and i'm not sure I want to throw that much time in there until I figure out definitively what the knock actually is.

One thing I thought of related to the water pump being the noisemaker and it going away when it warms up. That friction wheel that engages the water pump with the crankshaft pulley doesn't engage until it is warm. Doesn't mean that is the cause here, but worth checking anything out at this point. Good luck to you.

 

So... I started it up cold and removed the oil cap. Seems if the timing chain was slapping I should have heard it coming from inside of the valve cover through the oil fill hole. It sounded quiet in there other than the spinning sound of the cams.

Any chance the water pump can be making this noise ?

 

449 views and only one person has responded to me. This is disappointing in this forum.

Well I will be the good samaritan here... The noise in my original video was NOT the timing chain. I removed the tire and disengaged the friction wheel and the noise was totally gone on a cold start.
The weird thing is... that since I have re-engaged the friction wheel / water pump, it is still quiet. Anyways... I'm just glad its for sure not the timing chain.

You're Welcome!

 

I registered just to say thanks. your post gave me a solution for timing chain problem, though i havent gotten any yet. which is FEBI KIT. is the kit good ? how does it work? thanks Sevill .

 

Yes, I also used the FEBI kit. No problems to date.