Hello again.

I am chasing a new issue. I posted about the coolant pipe earlier, this is a different Mini with a different problem. I have read all the posts about stalling issues, but wanted to post my own new post to see if I can find a solution. So this Mini, I have just finished doing the head gasket, water pump, oil feed line, filter housing gaskets, timing chains, front seal, etc. When I started it, it cranks for about 5 seconds before it starts. I thought it was because it hadnt been started since it was tore down. Now its been a few weeks. After the rebuild and during the first drive, it ran great. Drove it around the block a few times to make sure there were no leaks. I decided to drive to my sisters house who lives about 10 miles. I stopped to check out a car I was looking to buy. The car started back up after the 5 seconds of cranking. As I went to take off, it stalled. It took a few tries, but started. I then drove back home. Made one stop at the store and it repeated the scenario. It stalled three other times before getting home. After reading all the posts, many suggest it is the HPFP. Since I had another known good HPFP from another Mini, I swapped the pumps. Took a chance and drove back towards my sisters town, darn if I didnt make it again. Driving along at 60 and it just shut down. This time it wouldnt start back up. So, I let it sit for about two hours and came back. It struggled, but I got it started and headed for home. It stalled twice on me this time. So looking for options to try here. Tonight I am going to swap the in tank pump from the other Mini to see if that may be where the problem is. Anything else I can look into?

Thanks. Sorry for the long post.

 

Having parts to swap is always a blessing but to save and energy check the obd reading.

There tons of things that can cause the symptoms you're describing. It could be a loose ground connection, ambient temp sensor, loose spark plugs ground connection, bad fuse box behind passenger kick panel, bad ecu relay...etc

Also, dis you confirm compression numbers and i suppose you used the proper locking tools?

 

Good morning. Last night I swapped the pump from the drivers side into the problem mini. I drove around for 40 minutes. No stalling, no issues. I drove back into the driveway was letting it idle for just a few minutes. I thought all was good. So I turned it off to see if it would restart easily. That's when it did it again. It cranked a few times, then started. Turned it off again and tried one more time. This time it cranked and sputtered, but would not start. I didnt try it this morning, but will again tonight. I was going to swap the other canister with the fuel filter, but it got too late. I hope to try that tonight. I also swapped in another set of coils since someone mentioned that in another thread. Compression is fine and the proper tools were used.

 

Had a friend stop by last night and during the course of our conversation, he mentioned he had to swap out the throttle body in his Jeep due to it stalling. I am chasing the same kind of issue as this Mini in a Volkswagen CC my son drives. This VW is doing pretty much the same thing. He can go out and it will start. Drive it for a bit, stop, come back in a few minutes and it will not start. It cranks and cranks but acts like there is no fuel. Well, VW has a TSB on the throttle body and the fix is replacing the wiring and the plug. So this got me wondering, will the throttle body in the Mini cause the behavior I have explained? I also have a friend that has the BMW code scanner tool. He said I can borrow it. Will this scanner dip deeper into my possible issue since the engine light is not on? It could be storing codes but not turning the light on. I have seen that in the VW's. I ordered a fuel filter today and will at least eliminate that as a problem if it doesnt change anything.

 

Update, but no resolution. I put in a new fuel filter to eliminate that as a problem. Got the car running and let it sit and idle for 30 minutes. Then drove it around for another 30 minutes. No issues to this point. I came back home and turned if off and restarted it three times. No problem. I then moved on to some other things and in an hour or so, wanted to see if it would start. It started but then acted like it was running out of fuel. It ran rough and there was no throttle response when on the pedal. I swapped the relay under the hood with another, but no luck. Threw my hands in the air and went to bed. This morning I grabbed the key before heading to work and it started as usual. The journey continues. I have now eliminated the fuel filter, in tank fuel pump, and the HPFP. My list now contains, the temp sensor, cam postion sensor, JBE (fuse box), and throttle body. Anything else that may help me figure this out?

 

Bump. Still looking for some advice on this.

 

Continuing:
I received the used JBE and installed it last night. Didnt have the time to drive it very far, but ran it what I could. Its hard to tell yet if this was my problem since I havent driven it very far, but drove it a little bit and even when I was not, I just let it sit and idle. Still sounds really good. So I decided to drive to the store which is only a few miles, but stopped at a friends house to talk a minute. Just let the car idle. When I got in to take off, it stumbled and lost power only for a few seconds. The car did not die. So I drove it up and down the street a few times and then headed to the store. No issues after that. I will take it on a longer drive sometime in the next few days and report back.

 

I'm not well-versed on the drive-by-wire accelerator but I understand from previous posts that, because of it's electrical nature, it could cause some of the symptoms you're experiencing. Might be worth checking out before you pour a bunch of additional cash into your MINI.

 

Check this out: http://www.murmini.com/articles/2006.../drive-by-wire

 

This could explain the day it stalled on me and while sitting in the driveway pressing the pedal, no reving of the engine happened. When it tried to start, pumping the pedal did nothing to increase the engine rev. I know where one of these pedals is in the wrecking yard. Now I need to figure out how to get it out. If its like the VW version, they are pretty simple.
Thanks cooper48

 

Just stopped and picked up a throttle pedal at the local wrecking yard, $30. Super easy to take out. I hope I can find time to put it in and run it around now that I have changed the pedal and the JBE. Heres hoping!!!

 

Continued problem. I received the JBE last week and installed it. I have been driving it around, but not as far as I have wanted to. Yesterday I had a chance to drive it around for about 15 miles. I made a few stops to visit and just let it sit and idle. I was almost home and stopped to talk with a neighbor down the street and was telling him about it while it idled and sounded really good. When I pulled into the driveway, it stalled on me. It would crank and turn over but would not fire up and run. So since I have not installed the foot pedal, I dont think that is my issue since it wont start. So I am now wondering about the crankshaft position sensor.

Anyone have this issue somewhere out there?

 

Finally getting back to an update and solution. I put in a new cam position sensor about a month ago. I have not had time to really drive it around, but would drive it maybe 10-20 miles at a time. During this past month in doing that, I have not had any stalling issues and boy does this thing run pretty well. But I still didnt feel all that confident in feeling like I had to drive it a lot longer to make sure. So last night I did just that. I drove it around for about an hour covering almost 40 miles. Highway speeds, back roads, and city roads. It ran wonderfully. No stalling or hesitation at any point. For me, I really hope the cam position sensor was the issue. It sure looks to be the case, but I will reserve the right to come back if anything changes. I do appreciate all who contributed to my journey. Thank you thank you.

 

Is this still running okay? Where is the cam position sensor, easy to get at?

 

Yes, the car is still running without issues. The cam sensor on the 2007 Cooper S is located in the valve cover. If you are looking at the motor, the sensor is to the right on the valve cover next to the intake air tube going into the air box. It has a wire connector. Another way to put it, if you remove the valve cover, you need to unclip that connector as the cam sensor comes with the valve cover. Does that make sense? Really easy to remove. I paid $20 for the sensor from RMeuropean.com

 

Gotcha. Know exactly where you mean. Thanks

 

Well, I am back. I thought I had this issue licked. Since that last post, the Mini ended up at my sisters house for her to drive it around a little and see if she really likes it and will take ownership of it. She didnt get to drive it much or very far due to the registration being expired for over two years. Well, now that spring is here and better weather, she decided to get it out and clean it. She let it run while she did that because earlier she had left lights on and it killed the battery. When she got in to leave it stalled. She thought it may have been out of fuel since the gas gauge isnt working correctly either. She put in a few gallons she had at home and went to the gas station. The car took less than a dollar and it was full. It started and ran, so we took it to get the emissions done, which from her place the testing place is about 15 miles. The car passed and ran really well. Today it was legal to drive with new plates and all. So she drove it around for awhile and came to my house and we cleaned it up really good. She took my wife and drove up the hill to check out some houses and came back. She left it running in the driveway for another 15 minutes. Well I shut it off. When she went to leave, it wouldnt start. It cranks and acts like it will fire, but didnt. She left in my car. 15 minutes later, I push the start and it fired right up as if nothing was a problem. So I had change the cam sensor last time. Today I put in the crank sensor I bought with the cam sensor. I will have to drive it around tomorrow and see if this is going to happen again. Sorry this post is so long, we old people tend to ramble on. I just wanted to keep this alive since I am experience close to the same issue before and dont feel it is resolved just yet.

 

Sucks how many weird issues these cars get as they age. :(

 

Agreed. And I am just starting to learn these cars.