I've been having an intermittent problem with my MINI - Cranks fine, engine "tries" to start, but won't run - ie, it cranks, then it stumbles a bit, and dies. Then, just magically, it starts running again a day or two later. This happened twice, and I thought it was bad gas because we had the arctic freeze. Just recently, the traction control light comes on (while sitting in the drive!), and the ABS and brake light started coming on, and going out. Then, the speedometer started flaking out - flickering on and off. The tach quit. Then it all just stopped flaking, and started working fine again.
The other day, the abs/brake light came on and it lost power while I was driving for a few seconds. Then power was restored, and I drove home fine. Today, it lost power, and wouldn't recover. Had to push it home. Same thing - cranks, stumbles, dies.

One time I did get codes when the P1611, P1613. But after that, no codes with the flickering or lights or anything.

Here's what I've done since this started:
1. Replaced the battery
2. Replaced the fuel pump
3. Replaced the fuel filter
4. Replaced all the relays under the hood.
5. Verified there is no water in the passenger foot well, nor has been any

Not sure where to look next. I'm pulling my hair out, and almost ready to push it into a field and set it on fire.

The only other "change" I did to the car was to replace the stock radio last summer. Bought a harness and wired it up (new speakers). But the radio seems to be working fine - no flickering, no static.

 

And... this morning, it started right up without issue. No power loss. No codes. No engine light. No ABS/Brake lights. Speedometer working fine. Tach working fine. No traction control light.

 

You might find this thread of some interest:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...and-p1613.html

 

How about checking all your grounds. There's a list in the Bentley book. Easiest is the passenger side motor mount one, which plays hell when it's not a good clean tight connection. Would also check ECU connectors for snugness / water tightness (disconnect the battery first of course).

Related but probably not it - a ways back had a similar issue when the R53's tachometer went out. Intermittently the tach would die / come back on, light show on with the key removed, and constant battery drain but in this case the car didn't run abnormally or die. It instantly cleared up with a (used) tach replacement from ebilbay.

 

Ran through all the grounds, cleaned everything and retorqued them. I didn't see any issues however.
I did run a fuel pressure test with a digital gauge - Reading 0.0 psi at the test point.
Torque Pro also tells me "No reading" for the fuel pressure.

I removed the back seat, and turned the car "on" - the fuel pump groans for a few seconds as it primes, so it seems "ok" there. I have (supposedly) a half tank of fuel according to the gauge. So my next step is to open the tank up, make sure everything is still "ok" with the pump.

 

Alright. Now I'm crying real tears.

I pulled the back seat, pulled the new fuel pump out. AND... The tank is basically dry. So some problem with the float or something, as the gauge is reading 1/2 tank. I'm assuming the tach/speedo thing is due to a bad tach, like @Daftlad (and a few others) mentioned. Now to fix the fuel pump, fill it up, and check it out. What a huge time sink for a bad/binding float. :(

 

Maybe. Maybe not. Also would check sitting battery voltage at the start of every troubleshooting session. 12.6V key removed. Trickle charge at night if necessary. Even new, the cranking / not starting and possible parasitic draws (like a bad tach) will wear it down. If the tach, fresh fuel, and freeing up the tank level indicator mechanism don't solve the issues, at least battery will remain one less factor.

 

Just to followup. Straightening out the float (so it was correctly reporting the gas level) and replacing the tach seems to have solved the outstanding issues. At least I haven't had the flickering speedometer and tach turning off issues again. The abs/brake lights have stopped popping up also, though I'm not completely ready to pronounce that fixed yet.

 

Great news. Was the float caught up on something, stuck or was something bent, and you literally had to straighten it out?

 

Just highlights while people (me included) can offer all sorts of suggestions someone has to get his hands dirty and really get to the source of the symptoms and thus diagnose the problem.

 

So! We're back.

Replacing the tach fixed the tach/speedo issue, with the abs/brake lights.
Fixing the float fixed the "won't start at half tank" issue (that was actually empty).

Still getting the DSC issue (error code 5e19) very occasionally. I had changed the brake caliper and pads on the rear, and it seems fine, but perhaps I didn't bleed the brakes right? Though we pumped it until clear, maybe still some air, I will redo this, and pump the damn thing through a full bottle, just in case.

But this morning, went out to start, and it did the same thing - acted like it had no fuel (sputtered, no start). After turning on/off the car a few times to "prime" it, It started up rough, and then levelled out, and then it was fine again (started right up after getting going).
So I'm suspecting something in the fuel delivery. There's no gas leak that I can see anywhere, so maybe the fuel rail is depressurizing and all the fuel is going back into the tank? Maybe the fuel pressure regulator not closing all the way, and letting it all drain back into the tank? Before I tear out the fuel rail, replace it, and then wait "a few days" to see if it happens again, does this sound plausible?

 

No, I didn't have to modify it - I think it was binding on either the line or the return hose. I made a note to never replace the pump while the gas tank was full again.

 

Sounds about right. Having replaced the fuel pump, filter, battery and relays, not sure there's much else left it could be. Maybe hook up a fuel pressure gauge at Schrader valve at the end of the rail (you'll need to pull the left / discharge end of the intercooler) and see how the pressure spools up at first key ON, start and idle? Also while you're in there verify the vacuum line going to the fuel pressure regulator is attached at both ends (the other end terminates in the underside of the supercharger discharge horn).