So glad to stumble on this forum. Just got us a 2008 Mini Cooper S Conv Sidewalk in BRG with 43K miles. So far so good, but I'm afraid I might be experiencing the death rattle. I usually only hear it on idle. I already ordered the timing chain tensioner and hopefully I'll get it on tomorrow for a weekend project. I came from the world of another british marque, Rovers. So hopefully I'll be able to handle the quirks of the Mini. Looking forward to learning more and hopefully contributing to this forum.
Beautiful motor! We're getting in to the season so watch for the 'How Cold Is It' thread. There's a pi$$ing contest over winter-time topless motoring extremism. Other than that, enjoy the heck out of up state back road motoring. We took a trip thru there a couple years ago including a few miles on the Taconic just so we can say we did. A MINI paradise.
Super looking convertible in a great color !! Welcome to Motoring Alliance the onlyest MINI Forum you'll ever need !!
Congrats and welcome to M/A... The 2008 convertible was the last year MINI offered the supercharged engine.... It typically doesn't have the "Death Rattle" which is commonly associated with the 2nd generation MINI... However, that's not to say you don't have a weak chain tensioner and if so, it should be replaced and they aren't very expensive....
Thanks for the warm welcome! Loving it so far. It's primarily my wife's car as I'm still with my rovers, but I might be swayed into getting one for me too. Perhaps an '05-'06 R53 that I can track :cornut: We named the mini "Nigel" since it looks properly British, especially with it's color scheme. I'm still waiting for a Timing Chain Tensioner to hopefully fix what seams like a death rattle before driving it a lot. In the meantime, it's a driveway candy at this point.
Try to identify where the noise is really located.... One of the issues with the 1st gen is lack of supercharger oil and some issues with the water pump being driven by the SC... It may not be the chain tensioner at all...
Thank you! Yes, fall is one of the best times to "motor on" in upstate NY. I live in OC not too far from the Taconic. Pretty much anything along the Hudson north of the Tappan Zee is very scenic, especially with the foliage going on.
Thank you! I will research more into the SC oil issue. I might even put a video up and link it up here to so people can see or hear what I sound I'm trying to diagnose.
Looks good! "it's mainly my wife's Mini" it always starts this way. Next you keep telling the wife you need to do some kind of work on the mini,it's just a cover for doing a "test drive"(wink wink). Next you use it to run to the store, your trying to save gas of course. The excuses keep going till one day the wife never gets to drive Her mini. We have seen this "mini" times before. You are in the early stages of Mini addiction. But there is no shame here, you are among friends. We are here to help. Now if you hope online I am sure that R53 track toy is there waiting on you. And we will help pick Mods and spind you money. That's what we do here.......................... Help.
I did a little more poking around on this "rattle." The sound is more eminent on the driver's side of the S/C. Somewhere underneath the S/C. It also sounds more by the driver's side front wheel - almost coming from the transmission. I thought the timing chain is on the passenger side of the engine by the oil filter, isn't? Does this rule out the timing chain tensioner death rattle? Is it more of a tranny issue? Anyone want to take a stab at helping me diagnose this? It's a metallic rattle. Thanks in advance.
Probably not timing chain. You need to get a mechanics stethoscope (or long screwdriver with handle up to your ear) and use it to CAREFULLY probe different things with the engine running to isolate where the sound is coming from. Manual transmission? If so, a likely culprit is the clutch throw-out bearing. Does anything change with clutch in vs out? In gear vs out of gear?
Yes, manual tranny. If clutch throw out bearing, what are ramifications of driving it around with this issue? I think I caught a diy video on YouTube from Mod Mini on replacing this. Thanks, will keep probing and will update.
Many, many throwout bearings are noisy. My new one is noisy. But, often, it means the bearing is going or gone and needs to be replaced. Driving that way for a while may have no negative ramifications. It's POSSIBLE for them to fail catastrophically, taking the clutch when them... but it doesn't happen often. It's not a trivial DIY. Requires either pulling the engine or dropping the subframe, to drop the transmission and clutch. Depending on mileage, you may want to be prepared to refresh or replace the clutch while you or a mechanic are in there.
Another downside to TO bearing failure is being many miles away and not being able to shift out of 2nd, or worse, reverse gear. VOE on 2nd, that was many years ago in another British roadster type.