We have an '05 MCS with around 5.5k miles on it (it's my wife's daily driver) and I only get to drive it infrequently. I've been driving it for the past couple of days and noticed some rather disconcerting traits which may (or may not) be normal? We're taking it to the dealers next week for an oil change so I will mention these "problems" to them, but I thought I'd first ask for some feedback from fellow members (I have done a search BTW).
First trait is an almost imperceptable "hesitation" when trying to accelerate suddenly/aggressively. It almost seems like something is holding the car back.
Second trait (and I'm wondering if this is linked to # 1 above) is a very faint background noise seemingly coming from the engine bay....sounds almost like a coffee percolator bubbling away (it's not the usual exhaust popping noises on overrun; much more subtle than that). Could the car be pinging (detonation) even though my wife assures me she only fills up with 93 octane?
Third trait is a loud clattering noise from the engine bay (when the car is fully warmed up) in neutral gear at tickover.
Any ideas about any of these, or am I just paranoid
Cheers,
Bill.

 

Heh, the dreaded Throw-Out Bearing Does it go away if you deprss the clutch?

Steve

 

Wow, never thought it could be the throw-out bearing.......I'll try your idea tomorrow & see if it makes a difference. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Hmmmm.. I hear this problem from my car.. When I do depress on the clutch it goes away....

So since my car is still under warranty, will the stealer "ahem, i mean dealer" fix this?

Thanks

///gilbert

 

Assuming the clattering noise is the one I'm hearing an others have heard, I'm pretty certain the problem is very common and is not the throw-out bearing. You might want to read these two threads:
rattle from underhood when clutch isnt pressed
and
Throw-out bearing

If you want to emphasize the problem (during a demonstration to your SA), try dumping the clutch fast while in neutral. If you want the car to idle silently, slowly let out the clutch. At least this is the way it works in my car.

 

Yes, the problem does seem to be very common. However, having worked on cars, and replaced the clutch on at least 7 different front drive cars in 25 years, I can tell you that it is the Throw-out bearing.

That is not to say there is anything wrong with the bearing!!!!

There is a fork that presses the bearing against the pressure plate to release the clutch. The rattle stops when the clutch is depressed because the rattling bearing is against the pressure plate. There is too much play in the bearing. Now it may be within tollerence, only MINI can decide that.

It is easier to hear a rattling throw-out bearing in a front wheel drive car versus rear wheel because the tranny is right in front of you and not underneath the car.

You can try this, I haven't looked close enough to my '05 MC tranny, but there is probably a clutch inspection plate somewhere on the bell housing of the tranny, if you remove the plate and start the car, put it in neutral, leave the clutch engaged, and get close to the tranny, the noise will sound even louder.

Take you car to any good transmission repair shop and have them listen, before you even ask the question, they will give you the answer.

Not that there is anything wrong with it.

Steve

 

I may have misled you by describing the sound as "clattering", the sound I have (an apparently others share), is a regular tapping. I have a hard time estimating the frequency. Someone else said 3 Hz and I can't argue. The regular tapping would seem to suggest something other than the throw-out bearing rattling around on the shaft.

However, Bill used the term "clatter". His problem may not be the regular tapping I've experienced. From reading the other threads, it appears that the regular tapping is a problem/feature of the 6 speeds.

 

"Clatter" may not be the right term for the TO Bearing either.

The sound is hardly perceptable at idle. rev slightly, just off idle there is a clatter, tapping, growl, whatever, but just off idle, 1k rpm or higher the sound goes away.

Steve

 

Funny..."clatter" was exactly the adjective I was going to use to describe the noise in my initial post. When I first heard it, I was really concerned; there was nothing subtle about it, it was VERY loud and embarrasing . As long as there's not a problem, I can live with the (infrequent) clatter. I'm more worried that they may do more harm than good trying to fix it.

The "hesitation" problem is more annoying to me. It feels like a badly mapped ECU, or something.

 

Ah-ha, so it's not just my imagination. I've got a totally stock 2005 MCS built in December, and the butt-dyno has felt this hesitation you describe. For a very short time, the "bottom drops out" then off we go!

I need to work on being able to recreate it more consistently. I blame my commute, for not presenting very many opportunities to step on it properly . I think a gentle launch from a stop-light, followed by shifting to 2nd and goosing it (I like it when I'm first at the light, a lot) is one way to feel the momentary "hesitation".

I have this harebrained theory that it's an idiosyncrasy we are privileged to endure thanks to drive-by-wire. A whole chain of electronic and mechanical events transpires, things opening/closing/changing the rates at which they're spinning, every time we step on the gas pedal in our miraculous machines. But, I digress...

Tatt

 

I wonder if this "clattering" is really a problem or just the nature of the beast. My '04 MCS used to do it and never had a problem with the transmission.

No one seems to be clear on that other than dealers replacing the throw out bearing. I wonder if dealers are swaping out essentially good throw out bearings for the heck of it?

 

I totally agree with NealW. Dump the clutch fast when in neutral...I get the "tapping/clattering". Let pedal out easy...no noise at all!

I have posted on this "problem" before:
Throw-out bearing
... but I have not done anything about it, simply because the sound is not there when the clutch pedal is released slowly.

I don't want the dealer ripping out a perfectly good transmission for a "non-issue", although I would still like to find out about the so-called "optimized" flywheel as a possible solution.

 

The Stumble lives!

 

LMAO don't even "go there" to awaken that long-dead monster under MINI's bed! The dreaded Stumble had a much more dramatic effect on driveability than this teensy little "hole" in the giddyup.

My symptom has never come even close to making me feel my car or myself are put at risk. I did smile at the link to the thread from 2003.

 

Check out this update:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=44691

Steve

 

You beat me to it. I have a stumble as well.

Like you I don't drive everyday, but do often on the weekends. I have felt the stumble in the past but thought it was just me and the driving conditions, getting off the gas and not realizing it etc.

Well this past weekend we went on a 1000 mile road trip and I did all of the driving. It is there and seems to be much more pronounced. Cold car, I think not, as one day I drove over 6 hours non stop in 90 degree weather on country roads. I know what cold car hestitation is b/c my Jetta had Drive by Wire and would cut the fuel if you got to throttle happy just after starting up.

I plan to live with it until my 10,000 service and get several things looked at. Unless I get a chance to take it in sooner. But since it is my wives daily driver I don't see that happening. Glad to see I am not the only one with an '05 with the problem. For record sakes, Feb build '05 S.

 

they fixed mine but I don't remember how many miles I had on it but is was over 30,000.

Earl