Hello all! 2009 Mini Clubman S, 155,000 miles. I get a half-engine check light whenever there is a long pull of acceleration, say 4th gear passing through 4k rpm getting on the highway. The light will turn off after a couple days of soft, low-rpm driving.

My mechanic said the insides of the turbo are loose. Not sure what that means. Can the nut on the rod to the wastegate be tightened up?

 

Saying "the internals are loose" is a vauge description. Two things that 'could' be loose are the rotor in the bearings, or the waste gate arm in the housing.

To check the rotor, take off the intake pipe, and reach your fingers in there. You should be able to spin the rotors, but there shouldn't be any side to side movement.

To check the waste gate arm, you need to remove the upper heat shield. The waste gate arm should be tight in the housing. Any shaft play at the housing means the gate will not close fully, and you'll have power loss.

 

Thank you @njaremka . The rotors spin with no additional play. The waste gate arm does jiggle a little bit. Is there a way to tighten it?