What is causing this...
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
What is causing this...
So my 2003 mini Cooper S just started doing this thing. It runs and drives but spits and sputters then will just drop out. Can't do over 10 miles an hour and the eml light and that little triangle with the arrow around it light comes on. It stalls out and doesn't want to start.
I changed the spark plugs (ngknirridium) first and it repeated, and then the upstream map sensor. It ran great for about 30 miles and the same thing happened. If I unhook the battery it seems to run fine, just a little spit or sptuter here and there, until it reaches 25-30 miles and then it happens again.
Any idea what it can be? I've been stranded a dozen times in the last two weeks.
I changed the spark plugs (ngknirridium) first and it repeated, and then the upstream map sensor. It ran great for about 30 miles and the same thing happened. If I unhook the battery it seems to run fine, just a little spit or sptuter here and there, until it reaches 25-30 miles and then it happens again.
Any idea what it can be? I've been stranded a dozen times in the last two weeks.
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 202
Likes: 51
From: Midwest USA
Does the code tell you what cylinder is misfiring? If so, switch the coils around and see if the misfire moves cylinders.
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 81
Likes: 16
From: Lower Mainland, BC
R53s do not have coil over plugs. Switching the wires is not a good idea. The firing order will be all wrong and the engine won't run.
Check the wires and boots for cracks or damage. Unplug the wires from the coil pack and clean the terminals. They are known to corrode, specially #3. A new coil pack is fairly cheap from an auto part store.Some Dodge Neon and Mitsubishi use the same pack.
Good luck.
Check the wires and boots for cracks or damage. Unplug the wires from the coil pack and clean the terminals. They are known to corrode, specially #3. A new coil pack is fairly cheap from an auto part store.Some Dodge Neon and Mitsubishi use the same pack.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
R53s do not have coil over plugs. Switching the wires is not a good idea. The firing order will be all wrong and the engine won't run.
Check the wires and boots for cracks or damage. Unplug the wires from the coil pack and clean the terminals. They are known to corrode, specially #3. A new coil pack is fairly cheap from an auto part store.Some Dodge Neon and Mitsubishi use the same pack.
Good luck.
Check the wires and boots for cracks or damage. Unplug the wires from the coil pack and clean the terminals. They are known to corrode, specially #3. A new coil pack is fairly cheap from an auto part store.Some Dodge Neon and Mitsubishi use the same pack.
Good luck.
Thank you. I actually ordered a new ignition coil and wires today so I'll know soon if that was it.
Neutral
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
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Neutral
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
So If it’s not spark issue, then I would take a look at the valves. I have one at the shop right now in a similar situation. It presented with a misfire and the guy had already changed plugs, coils, and even the fuel pump. Lol it amazes me how much people will spend money guessing before they let a pro diagnose it. Anyway since he claimed to have done these things, and the car definitely had a hard misfire, I went straight to a compression check and found 0 in one cylinder. Then I pulled the intake and looked in at the valves with a mirror and a camera and wow I have never seen so much carbon build up. I’ll try to attach a pic because I took several with my phone. Official diagnosis was carbon build up keeping the valves from fully seating and also probably making them stick as well. There are tech service bullitens out there from mini on this. And unfortunately once it gets to that extreme the most likely course of action is to pull the head off and completely apart to clean.
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
No, I'm not even sure what that is. I have changed the plugs, wires, and ignition coil now. It still does the same thing and stalls out constantly.its not even driveable at this point.
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
So If it’s not spark issue, then I would take a look at the valves. I have one at the shop right now in a similar situation. It presented with a misfire and the guy had already changed plugs, coils, and even the fuel pump. Lol it amazes me how much people will spend money guessing before they let a pro diagnose it. Anyway since he claimed to have done these things, and the car definitely had a hard misfire, I went straight to a compression check and found 0 in one cylinder. Then I pulled the intake and looked in at the valves with a mirror and a camera and wow I have never seen so much carbon build up. I’ll try to attach a pic because I took several with my phone. Official diagnosis was carbon build up keeping the valves from fully seating and also probably making them stick as well. There are tech service bullitens out there from mini on this. And unfortunately once it gets to that extreme the most likely course of action is to pull the head off and completely apart to clean.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 766
Likes: 80
From: Texas
The crank damper is the large pulley on the front of the engine. It’s the lowest pulley in the center of the engine. You should be able to see it with a flashlight. If it’s a stock pulley and never been changed it is most likely bad. Look for rubber dust around it. Take a screw driver and see if you can move the outer ring by prying it away from the engine block. You can also start the engine and look to see if it’s wobbling. Have you ever smelled burning rubber?
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
The crank damper is the large pulley on the front of the engine. It’s the lowest pulley in the center of the engine. You should be able to see it with a flashlight. If it’s a stock pulley and never been changed it is most likely bad. Look for rubber dust around it. Take a screw driver and see if you can move the outer ring by prying it away from the engine block. You can also start the engine and look to see if it’s wobbling. Have you ever smelled burning rubber?
5th Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 652
Likes: 228
From: Elizabethtown, PA
It could also be a plugged up catalytic converter or exhaust system. You can test this yourself by removing the upstream oxygen sensor (to give the exhaust somewhere to go) and take a drive to see if it has improved. If you can start out driving ok, and then it gets worse and worse as you drive this is a very likely cause. Yes, this test method will be loud and will set a code or two, but you already have the SES light on, anyways.
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: PA
The problem was not resolved. I recently found a mini dealer about an hour away and it is there getting looked at and diagnosed. I will let you know what they find out.
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