1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Engine Pinging...

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?

 

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.....

 

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never mind.....

 

Add some E85 (about 2-3 gal per tank). You'll love it.
All else I could recommend is getting a good dyno tune.

 

Any update on this?

 

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...)

 

Start with software, I believe that is where your problem will be resolved.

 

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...