2nd Gen R56 Cooper S CEL - Cold Start issues

Discussion in '2nd Generation: 2007+ R55 through R61' started by doubledown808, Sep 15, 2014.

  1. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    #1 doubledown808, Sep 15, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2014
    Recently I started getting some cold start issues. I have a 2007 MCS Auto with 87,000 miles on it. I had my oil changed and ran Sea Foam through the PCV valve for the first time ever and then about a week later I started getting the cold starts....coincidence?

    Basically, I try to start my car after sitting overnight and it turns over for a brief second, then stalls. This usually happens one or two times, then it will start normally the third time. I took it to Detroit Tuned and they ran the diagnostic for the HPFP and found it was running perfect within spec, so that was not the issue. They did not think it needed a Carbon Blast, but not sure what else to try.

    This weekend I let it sit for over 24 hours and it took like 7 tries to get it started. Once it started, it ran fine. I checked the codes and I got the P0300, P0301, P0302, P0304 codes.

    I also had all the Spark Plugs replaced over a month ago.....so I'm assuming they are all good still.

    Any ideas what it could be? I'm trying not to dump all my money in trying to diagnose it, but I don't want to cause any other issues.
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Welcome, thanks for joining Motoring Alliance, the FUN and Friendly MINI Community.

    Those are all mis-fire codes. I'd pull the plugs and look at them.

    Might also want to check the battery, when they are going bad they do funny things to MINIs.
     
  3. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    Battery is new within the last year. Plugs are about a month old. I Can check it out and see if they are bad though.
     
  4. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Pulling the plugs out & looking at them will give you an idea on how they are burning. Hard starting is a symptom of carbon build-up. It will for want of a better term soak in gas. On a cold start your engine needs that gas to start. Not sure if seaweedfoam will help at all. From what I understand walnut shell blasting is the fix. The guys at Detroit Tuned know their stuff, but I think at 87,000 miles there may well be carbon.

    Welcome to M/A
     
  5. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    I vote carbon buildup...
     
  6. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    Would carbon buildup still allow your car to start? The guys at Detroit Tuned said generally if that is the case, it would not start at all. I'm willing to let them do it though, as they are reasonable in the price to blast it.

    Are CEL a sign of Carbon Buildup also?
     
  7. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Welcome to MA! Im a R53 guy so I may not be much help. But it is starting to get harder to start so I would assume that soon it will not start at all. I to believe it may be carbon. The guys at Detroit Tuned are great and do know their MINIs.
     
  8. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    The carbon buildup is a slow insidious buildup.....

    Think of it like 0-100.... Zero being brand new rolling off the factory floor.... And 100 being a clogged drain, with absolutely no flow....

    Your MINI may be at the 75% point (don't hold me to this number), still starts but more difficult to do so....

    Or it could be something else.... perhaps your fuel filters are mostly clogged and need replacement...
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Only way to tell for sure is an endoscopy. Metalman is correct, the great carbon menace is creeping in your engine. Best get to the walnut blaster, Chad will fix you up. :Thumbsup:
     
  10. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    Thanks, Chad seemed hesitant to do the Walnut Blast, but it sounds like that is the next logical step. I'm sure I need it anyways, as someone said I could only be partially blocked, but I would rather take care of it now than being 100% blocked.

    One thing I noticed today, is when I really stepped on it....my car smoked a bit like it was burning the carbon...not bad, just a little.


    I'll schedule an appointment to do it.
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Good luck, let us know how it turns out.
     
  12. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    I will update. Made an appointment with Detroit Tuned....busy people, could not get in until the 29th.

    Chad said that cars that need the walnut blast generally will not start at all. However, mine could just be partially blocked....I hope it's just not something major.

    Still runs fine once it starts. Started up fine today too.
     
  13. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Ask Chad to take before and after pictures if he can.... Always interesting to see the black glistening mushrooms growing deep down in their individual caves...

    You could be on the verge of not starting... Maybe by the 29th you will be...
     
  14. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    It's always better to drive your car in for service rather than taking it in on a flatbed. :rolleyes:
     
  15. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    I'll see if he can take pics.

    I let my car sit for like 36 hours over the weekend, and it was a lot harder to start. Took about 7-8 times before it fired up. It was weird, once it fired up, it almost went into like limp mode....turned it off, then back on and it was normal again. Not sure why it is harder to start the longer it sits.

    Then, this morning....it started right up. I did start yesterday at like 2:00pm, but it was sitting for 13-15 hours probably.

    I just find it all confusing.
     
  16. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Ask Chad if they provide loaner cars.... If so, tell him you'll take the white 911 RS sitting in the corner...:D
     
  17. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    The good guys are Detroit Tuned looked at it today. I dropped it off so they could experience the cold start. Opened it up, said I did NOT need a Carbon Blast. So, they let it sit for like 4 more hours and hooked up the diagnostic tools and saw that on a cold start, the high pressure fuel pump is not having normal readings. IT only reads out of spec when cold....the first time they checked it, the car was running recently, so it gave normal readings.

    I made an appointment with Motor City Mini to get it fixed....I just hope they don't give me a run around. I tried telling the service lady that they need to diagnose when it has been sitting, and she said they can do it whenever. She didn't quite get it....hopefully they don't try to run the diagnostic after they start it. I drop it off Thursday, for them to diagnose Friday. How long should a fuel pump take? I wonder what else they will find.....it always seems like the dealer finds other issues.
     
  18. doubledown808

    doubledown808 New Member

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    Motor City Mini fixed my High Pressure Fuel Pump - Free of charge. They also replaced my heat shield....

    Took them over the weekend, but hey, I got it back.....happy thus far.
     
  19. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Great news...

    Thanks for sharing.
     

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