03 MCS 103k miles
She's my daily driver.
I went to start her up to go to work and all she'll do is spin. Emergency flashers came on automatically when I tried to start it.
Plenty of power for lights, radio and whatever. She just won't catch.

I have noticed lately that I have to leave the key over a tad longer than usual but once she catches she's off and running

When I got home from work I tried to jump it but it still wouldn't start. Sounds like she'll spin all day long but she just won't start.

Any suggestions?

 

In general, if a car won't start, it's either fuel or spark.
If there is a smell of fuel, it may be spark (plugs, wires, ignition module.)

First, check the plugs/wires.
Make sure the tank is not empty.

After that, you get into fuel pressure, etc.

 

Tank is full. Filled her Sunday.
Gave the distributor a touch and made sure all the spark plug wires were in tight at the spark plug and at the distributor.

How can I check fuel pressure?

 

These cars do not have distributors, however, what brand fuel did you fill up, if this happened suddenly it could very well be the fuel. Any more than 15% ethanol content will cause your car to run very poorly, or even not start. It may even be a fuel pump, when you turn the key on(but not engine running) do you hear a click from the left front kick panel by your left foot? This is the fuel pump relay, also, if you have someone to help, have them turn the key on(not engine running) and you can stick your ear by the driver's side rear wheel well and you should hear the fuel pump whining.

 

or pull the spark plugs after cranking it over, and see if they smell like/are wet with gas

 

I tried the fuel pump relay and it clicks but I can't hear the fuel pump. I'll try the tests again tomorrow to make sure. Thanks.

By the way, being old school when cars had distributors, I still call the unit where all the spark plug wires meet the distributor. Sorry if it's a misnomer. My apologies to all the professionals out there.

 

Pull a plug wire, stick a phillips head screwdriver in the end, hold the shank about an eigth of an inch from a metal part that is grounded and have someone crank the engine to see if you get a spark. That'll tell you if it's lack of fuel or spark. Either way, it could be anything. If the flashers came on unexpectedly, it sounds like a computor or harness issue. I'm guessing you don't have a code reader. I'm afraid that dealer assistance may be your only option.

 

No code reader. I almost bought the one that was for sale in the Marketplace forum. (I own two MINIs)
I called my mechanic across town. Looks like i'll have to pay for a tow to get it to his shop so he can throw the computer at it.
I don't trust just anyone with my MINI!
It's starting to sound like a fuel pump.

 

Well, with two MINIs (noticed that from your sig) you could try swapping the coil pack (aka new-age distributor ) to confirm that isn't the issue...

 

Eric,
The coil pack is on my list of things to do when I (and the wife, that's her daily driver) get home tonight. I've just about got it down to the fuel pump thanks to the tips above but I need to rule out plugs and coil pack.
Thanks for the help.

 

Thanks again to all the NAMers that jumped in with troubleshooting tips.
I'm back on the road but I'm not sure I've got the problem solved.

Spark at the Plug - check
coil pack - check
inertia switch - check
fuel purge valve - check
smell the spark plug - check
tap the gas tank while someone else is cranking the engine - check
fuel pump relay - check
fuel pump whining - hmm.... nothing

Everything pointed at the fuel pump.

I'm 10 seconds from putting in an order for the fuel pump and then I remember..........electic fuel pump = fuse?

The fuel pump fuse was blown. Replaced the fuse (tucked a spare in the glove box) and went for a ride! I'll be keeping a sharp eye out for what could have caused the fuse to blow and if you have any suggestions, please send them. For now, I'm glad to be motorin'

 

Good job zeus! (and even better to take the next step to identify what, if anything in particular) caused the fuse to blow!)

 

I guess I'm a day late, but I had the same issue, fuse solved it. I now carry a thing of spares. you may want to check the wiring in your engine bay, I found I had a short that kept blowing the fuse.

 

I'll be putting her up on ramps and checking every inch of the underside and the engine bay for any sign of bare wires.
The fuse was a warning. The problem still lurks.

My thanks again to all who helped. I brag about this site to all MINI drivers I meet.

BTW - I know now the the entire left side of the fuse panel on the driver's side is lined with spare fuses of different amperages.

 

Seen it once before when the fuse kept blowing and the pump would go as well, it ended up being sugar in the gas, it tore up the whole fuel system, the car needed a pump, filter, fuel rail, and injectors before it started running properly. In your case, you should be okay seeing how it's running okay. It could just be a fluke where the fuse blows due to rare circumstances.

As for scanning for codes, you wouldn't find any codes stored for a fuel pump, unless the relay was bad.

 

Well, heavy wet snowy New England Blizzard just finished. Tree fell on our power line, so no electricity. Tried to start wife's Mini to get gas for the generator. Same symptoms described in this thread. Came to my office to use the internet to check out NAM for solutions and found this thread. I checked the fuel pump relay earlier, which was okay. Will check fuse when I get home, if the lights are back on in the garage. But, I have the AutoEnginuity scan tool, with which I tried to locate a fault. There were no codes stored. The scan tool also allows me to monitor systems in real time, which I thought might be helpful to track down more occult symptoms. But, it looks like the scanner is useless for anything but retrieving codes unless the engine is running So, it looks like old fashioned basic human garage mechanics is the only diagnostic instrument available.

 

Got so busy gabbing, I forgot to ask about a weird symptom I noticed. After cranking the engine and returning the key to the run position, there is a grinding noise coming from inside the dash behind the big speedometer (no nav on board). While the grinding is happening, the needle on the speedo deflects downward below zero. Any thoughts on what this symptom means and if it relates to the starting problem?

Thanks all.

 

Low battery voltage.

 

I agree with zminitech, low battery voltage. Perhaps from too many attempts to start?

I still have not found out why I blew a fuse. I put her up on ramps and gave the underside and the engine bay a good look and found nothing.

 

The fuel pump circuit will pull too much current of there is too much resistance to fuel flow (i.e clogged filter).

The circuit current will also be high if the pump is mechanically worn!

Either of these two situations will cause the fuse to blow; last but not least is a possible short of the supply voltage for the pump going to ground.

Perform a pressure test / flow test to further isolate the problem, and definitely keep spare fuses!

 

I've seen mice eat the fuel pump wiring before FYI. The wire runs directly under the driver's side rear seat hump, you can see it run down the front of the gas tank on the driver's side, I'd check that out. Look for nests too, possibly by pulling up the rear seat bottom.

 

Thanks zminitech for your very timely and right on advice. The problem was definitely not the battery. Zero pressure in the fuel rail. Fuse is good. I can feel the relay click once when ignition is turned to run position, but am going to swap another relay after supper. Can't hear the fuel pump hum. So, has to be bad relay, bad pump or bad wire. There are mouse droppings in the engine compartment and the tops of two plug wire caps are chewed up. I will definitely visually check the wire as you suggest and check the voltage at pump end of the wire, even if I can't see bite marks. Thanks for locating the wire and saving me time hunting for it.

 

Has this issue been resolved?

 

Not quite yet. Swapped out the relay, problem persisted. The wiring harness looked okay on visual inspection. It's hard to figure out which wires should produce what voltage reading, or should go to ground, but just putzing around with a VOM established that each wire had conductivity. I deduced from the wiring diagrams in Bentley and Haynes that the two center prongs on the male harness connector drive the pump, so I hit them with a 12v power source. Dead, nothing, nada. I have a fuel pump ordered. Should be here tomorrow. Will install and report back. I couldn't help noticing that Maine has just (past 2 or 3 months) allowed ethanol in gasoline and the fuel pump crapped out after that. I'll take a look in the tank when the pump is out to see if there are any visible clues of the ethanol effect. Will also change the filter along with the pump. Definitely time to buy a few cases of dry gas.

Thanks Frenchie for being interested and following up with me. Taht's what makes NAM the great community that it is.

 

Well, got the new fuel pump from Bimmer Specialists, went through diagnostics of the fuel system again as in previous post with no new results, so out came the old pump, in went the new (it's been decades since I worked with my face almost in a tank full of gasoline, and my hands having to immerse into the tank once or twice. Can you say "carcinogenic?") Thanks to the precision German engineering provided by BMW, the install took much longer than it might have had the two hoses been cut 2 inches longer at the factory

Anyway, new pump installed, heart racing in almost self-satisfaction , turned the ignition, got just the littlest sputter of ignited gasoline, and an engine that would spin but not start. Ran through the diagnostics again. This time, when I got to the fuse, instead of using the tester light, I pulled the fuse for a visual and it was blown Put in a new fuse and voila, on the road again.

So, do I get the bonehead award, or is there some saving grace:

1. Is there such a thing as a partially blown fuse, which allowed the test lamp to glow but could not support the demand of the new pump?

2. I touched for an instant a 12 volt source to the old pump, which had not fluid in it. It whirred. Is it possible that the pump was bad under load, but the motor was able to spin in free air?

Or, am I just a bonehead who on 5 or 6 runs through the diagnostics missed a bad fuse by not pulling it out of the fusebox to actually look at it despite the positive test light results