Is this the timing issue I hear

Discussion in 'MINI' started by olerodder, Mar 14, 2017.

  1. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    I was given this 2010 ClubmanS by my good buddy who passed away last December. The real issue is that he bought the car new and todate it only has 6,788 miles on the odometer. It has had the oil changed three times and have made two long distance trips in the car, from Oregon to Phoenix and back again. I have upgraded to an modified AEM intake, put a turbo blanket on and changed the exhaust to Magnaflow.
    I have never really listened to the motor when cold and the hood is up but did today. This is a short video of the noise. I tried to use a long screwdriver and listen for the noise and just couldn't hear anything conclusive.
    So, after listening to the noise is my next option to remove the valve cover and see what's up????

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J9cewDrNCg&feature=youtu.be
     
  2. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Could be the timing chain or maybe the vacuum pump. But I am a Gen 1 guy. A gen 2 guy should be along that will be more help.
     
  3. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    I'm hearing a lot of fuel injector noise which is common with the R56 HPFP and the DI engine....

    There does seem to be a muted background rattle... Hard to tell if it's coming from some of the modded parts you've added making contact with something in the engine bay...

    That muted rattle does seem more pronounced as you move over the timing chain bulge in the valve cover.

    Find out if your MINI has the latest chain tensioner... The dealer documents this in the history of the work they've done so they should be able to call it up on their computer...

    The part isn't too expensive if it needs replacement...
     
  4. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    Thanks for responding.
    The parts that were replaced are rattle free and I welded the complete exhaust rather than use clamps. I also discarded the OE turbo shield and the AEM head shield has ceramic coating on the bottom and is tight and safety wired.
    Since I did get the Mini from the original owner I have all of the paperwork associated with the car from the delivering Mini dealer which was Mini of Loveland, CO and the original dealer which was Mini of Concord, CA. It even has the "Certificate of Adoption" which is dated 4/21/2010. Interestingly it still has the paper stencil for painting the floor of the garage that says "For Mini Parking Only".
    I have all of the service work done on the car and the two things that were replaced...one by the Mini which was the water pump..this was done in 2012 and the battery in 2015.
    Since the nearest Mini dealer is over 60 miles away I'll give them a call. I was worried about the timing chain rub rails breaking although I know you replace the tensioner I didn't realize there was an updated one.
     
  5. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    MINI went through 4-5 attempts at getting it right...

    The latest P/N is 11317607551
     
  6. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    Thanks for the part number.
    I think I may just change the complete timing chain and parts and get it out of the way.
     
  7. Grizld700

    Grizld700 Well-Known Member

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    Is this a manual or automatic car?
     
  8. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    It's an automatic.

    Also, took it out and drove it yesterday since it was a beautiful day and whenever I come to a stop, the motor looses rpm, then regains it again almost like a carburetor would if the floats weren't set correctly. Since this car has been siting for a month or two at a time and has only been driven 6900 miles in 7 years I'm going to run some injector cleaner through the tank. The other thing I noticed when I installed the CravenSpeed dip stick is that the oil level is beyond the last hole...I will be draining the oil and replacing the filter.

    One last thing, when I started it up to put it on the ramps for the oil change I let it idle, opened the bonnet and while running I unscrewed the oil cap on the valve cover...as soon as I opened the cap I could hear a very pronounced knocking/rattling noise. When I screwed the cap back down I could hardly hear it...is that the vacuum pump?

    Thanks for your help.
     
  9. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Caburetor? Floats? Someone is dating themselves! :D that's ok most of us are old farts here.

    I know I'm a lot of help! No need to thank me.
     
  10. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    Up until a couple of years ago this is what I worked on and raced. A single 850 cfm carburetor ontop of 408ci Ford...turned 9.80's in the 1/4 @ 136mph. Made about 655hp/554lbft at the flywheel.
    If you were born during WWII then you can say you're older than dirt...just like me.
     

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  11. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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  12. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Ford Maverick...:Thumbsup: What year?
     
  13. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Oh very nice!!!
     
  14. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    It's a 1970 with 36,000 miles on the speedo before it became a drag car in the late 70's. Actually was a participant at the 1979 Winternationals in Pomona in B/SM...at that time it had a Boss 302 and Liberty 4spd. Behind the 408 is a much modified Powerglide with 5000rpm stall converter.
     
  15. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    ^^^ Yeehaa....:Thumbsup:

    Here are some pic's of my wife's "straight line racin" side of the family from many years ago....

    d56b06917563333919d153923bdf46e4.jpg



    BlackwoodEckardKirk.jpg
     

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  16. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    First of all, congrats on the new ride, once you get it sorted you'll really like it.

    Next, when cold these engines rattle like a diesel, but what you're hearing is the gas direct injection.....it's especially noisy on cold days till it warms up. The valves have hydraulic lash, so it's not them.

    The timing chain noise is distinctive.....it sounds like a bike chain rubbing a piece of sheet metal - which is close to what's happening when it fails.

    Your car may be under the timing chain recall, it would be worth your while to check with the dealer to see......if it is, the complaint you have to lodge is that you hear a chain rattling noise when first started, that goes away when you rev it up.

    Lastly, I highly recommend that you use a factory oil filter, and never let the dealer know the engine oil ran low or they will not help you if you have an engine problem.
     
  17. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    Thanks, I'll give the Mini Dealer a call since I live about 75 miles away from him. We have a BMW shop here although they don't work on Mini's.
    I bought the OE filter...bought 5, with rubber gaskets and crush washer for the oil pan...when I changed the oil along with the filter is was almost exactly 5 quarts...to my knowledge the car has never run low on oil, although I think it was overfilled a little.
     
  18. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Oh good, I misunderstood what you wrote about the oil level.......
     
  19. olerodder

    olerodder Member
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    Just thought I'd do a short update on the rattling issue.
    I changed oil for the 4th time in 6,800 miles of the Clubman's life along with the filter. I cut the filter apart and found nothing...took the valve cover off...which is certainly a lot more labor intensive than taking one off a Chevy or Ford...and found nothing wrong. I didn't check the tension on the chain although everything looks as good as you would expect a 6,800 mile motor to be. Put it back together and started it up...noise was still there. I unplugged the vacuum pump and the noise went completely away...I did this 2 or 3 times and every time is the same...the noise disappears. So, is this just the way the vacuum pumps are, noisy, or should I change it?
    I would love to redesign this system of driving the vacuum pump off the cam, that's just bad engineering. I could take the electric pump off my ATS-V. Guess I'll have to sit down and figure something out...the motor would be fairly quite without the pump rattling away.
    Thanks for all of your help.
     
  20. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #20 Metalman, Apr 6, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2017

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