Okay guys I really need some help...I purchased an 05 Mini Cooper S R52 a couple weeks ago. On my long drive home I noticed it pinging on acceleration from 2500 to around 5000 RPM when 3/4 to WOT and under a load. I stopped and check the spark plug wires and found severe corrosion on the coil pack number 3 cylinder. I got some sandpaper and cleaned it off and the pinging stopped about 95%. I figured I would replace the coil pack, wires, and plugs when I got home. I replaced the coil pack,wires, and installed new JCW plugs(One step colder) for my upcoming pulley, exhaust, and CAI mods. After replacing those ignition items I had no more ping. Later that week I had a 15% Alta pulley installed and a new JCW exhaust system. On the drive home I noticed the ping was back and slightly worse than before. When I got home I installed the JCW CAI with the flapper mod. No change still pings. So now I'm thinking I have a fuel issue since I just added a bit more boost and the fuel system cant keep up with the new pulley, exhaust, and CAI. So I get a fuel pressure gauge and check my pressures while driving during the point pinging occurs. My fuel pressure is 51 psi with ignition on and not running. Starting the car and letting it idle it drops to 43.5 due to the vacuum on the regulator. When I drive, it is at 51 psi and when I go into the pinging range(3/4 to WOT) it follows the boost of the supercharger and goes up to 62 psi. So i feel like my pressure is okay but decide to install new JCW injectors for upcoming ECU tune and I add a new fuel pressure regulator anyways. I also installed a new fuel filter. Get it all back together and same pinging. When I had the injectors out I saw very little carbon build up cyl 1 and 4 being the worse but not bad at all. I decided to do a couple seafoam treatments and it still pings. I've been running chevron 91 and even added a octane boost and still pings. I tried swapping MAP sensors, coil pack, wires, and spark plugs form my other MCS JCW and still have the pinging. The only time it won't ping is when the engine is cold but as it warms up it pings. The only thing I can think of now is an ECU tune to bring the timing back and adjust the AFRs if needed. I know so many people do all the mods i've done without a tune and have no ping problems, so I feel like there is something else wrong. I've gone through the ignition and fuel system and have no idea what else to check. I get no service engine soon lights. One tidbit, when I was driving it back from Houston to Boise I got a P0171 code(engine running lean) but have not had that reappear and plugs look good and exhaust is showing slightly rich maybe due to JCW(380cc) injectors. I'm up for any help or ideas anyone could offer. Thanks in advance...Sorry for the long post.
Welcome to Motoring Alliance, thanks for joining... Sorry to hear of your issues here. Do you know if the ECU has been programmed or is it completely stock? The new wires, plugs and coil, what brands did you use?
I tried screamin deamon coil pack and performance wires and still had the pinging. I did try my other MCS JCW stock coil, wires, and plugs and still had the pinging. As far as the ECU, I doubt it was ever tuned the car was completely stock when I bought it.
Sometime modded MINI's are turned back to look stock and all the mod goodies are sold off. It might be possible this could be the case.... The last owner wouldn't pay to have the ECU put back to stock as well. It could remain a "Tuned ECU".... Just one possibility, as you've certainly gone through the list. Have it checked just to make sure... Welcome to M/A.....
Add some E85 (about 2-3 gal per tank). You'll love it. All else I could recommend is getting a good dyno tune.
To do a pulley install you've got to move the engine, may have loosened/unplugged a sensor somewhere (maybe the knock sensor), check that first because it sounds like you had it licked, then it came back. Check also the oxygen sensor, as an exhaust/pulley install can "disturb" the wiring - while it's not technically part of the install, if you had it licked and ti came back, check what may have changed. Replacing the knock sensor is an easy fix... but only once you've got the car to service level 1 (remove pretty much the entire front end and the supercharger!). The oxygen sensor is easier. Check and clean connections first. Check also that your plug gap is correct, that the wires you got were good (I once had a bad brandy-new plug wire and it was a beast to try to track down that problem, because I *knew* it wasn't the new plug wires...)
I agree with Dixon, check your gaps on the plugs and your wires. I had the same issue on my modded MR2. It took me forever to find out that my plugs werent gapped properly. Also, why are you runing colder plugs? if your running more fuel and air through the motor and your running colder plugs you arent getting full detination off your fuel. For the price of some hotter plugs I would see if the car likes those better, That will also solve a little bit of your rich problem out the back end and possibly your pinging. Good luck.
Alot of parts have been put on this car. I suggest taking it to a mechanic and having it diagnosed. We are all just guessing here on the forum because no one here has driven or heard the car. Software isn't the issue unless he had done some tuning.
Non premium gas ???? Colder plugs ???? When you run the tank down go to a different gas station and fill up with premium 93 and see if that helps. The dealer or previous owner probably ran crap regular gas. It may take a few miles for the computer to adjust back to the premium gas so give it a chance to adjust. ( Probably a whole tank) Also, the colder plugs are probably not the way to go. (Change them fast.) Good luck and I hope you find a solution.
^ As ronnie948 said bad gas can do those type of things. I have had a tank of poor quality gas that made my MINI run like carp once. I run a 15% pulley & have for about 100,000 miles. I have used the stock MCS heat range plugs without any issues. If you still have the plugs you pulled, maybe swap them back in & see if the pinging subsides. Good luck...