2nd Gen R55 Clubman Most liked posts in thread: Sudden limp mode under acceleration, but no code.

Still sitting on the shop.

After another smoke test, a check of the diverter solenoid and finding nothing, it is still throwing a vacuum leak code, so they are going through everything...

 

Well, with so many votes for carbon buildup and the legendary way these '08's suffer this malady, I'm inclined to believe it. I mentioned it to the service manager and he said possibly and that it DOES help performance to walnut blast it, but he's concerned that there's nothing wrong with the turbo before assuming it needs to be blasted, so they are looking at that first. it is the intermittent way it is happening that's not yet convinced him of carbon, but he says it's on the list.

Thanks for the responses all!

 

Well... down the rabbit hole we go! They have performed test after test and have narrowed it down to the timing being out and now are about to re-time the engine in the hopes that it's not a tensioner problem, which would be interesting because the Dealer added a revised tensioner bracket 3 months ago and the Mech in San Antonio who did the pos-purchase work (and is also Mini certified like my Mech here in Austin) replaced the valve cover and gasket and looked at it while they were in there, so I have no idea WTH.

 

Yeah, I'm still going to press them a little on the carbon possibility. If it were the turbo itself, I think that was something the tech was ruling out this morning. I don't think the turbo is the culprit only because there's no intermittent thrust or lag or loss of power from the turbo when I'm on it, it is clearly a device measuring something via electric sensors making a decision and then dumping the diverter and not allowing the turbo to kick in to protect it (or so it thinks). The car actually switches to suddenly running pretty strong, but a little rough or lumpy and noisy until the error clears and then is smoother and the turbo works great again. I think that's what sent the tech down this route as he got it to recreate the condition on the lift. I was worried it had something to do with the VANOS which I'm told is ALWAYS expensive!

The tech who is working on my car does Minis all day for this mechanic shop. it is a BMW/Mini/Land Rover specialist shop. One of the shop porters said to me that the tech working on my car does so many of them that he can do a teardown of the front of the car that is a 3 hour job in the manual in less than an hour because he does it so often. I feel like I'm in good hands on this, I just worry about the dreaded BMW cascading series of failures that always seem to happen and the Mini 2nd Gen is apparently prone to them. But I like all of the speculation here on the board because you all have more real-world experience than I do and it gives me something to discuss with the shop so I know that they are overturning every stone.

 

LOL, Yeah, I looked back and the way I wrote that... it looked like I was saying they'd walnut blast the turbo. No, they know better. These guys have been servicing these Minis since they have first hit the street. This mechanic shop has been open for years.

 

Yep! Exactly. I did find it a little hard to believe it was only 1/2 an hour, so that's why I said less than... I kind of need to see the big fish before I totally believe it exists.

 

So, the latest is they think it is all good. They retimed the motor and flogged it with two different techs over 18 miles and said they got no "disturbance in the force" from it. I guess I'm the guinea pig this weekend. If my own "Car"-ma doesn't break it, then I guess its good! I'm STILL putting that carbon buildup blast out on my upcoming list though... I need new tires, brakes and rear struts first though.