A few days ago whilst traveling on the interstate I noticed my early 2007 built S became noisy when I backed off the gas. At idle it sounds like a diesel. Not noticed when first starting from cold, but quite apparent once the engine warms a little.

Cursory inspection underneath turned up nothing obviously loose or rattling around in the exhaust system, my first suspect.

My S has just over 75,300 US miles on the clock, used for daily transport & weekend excursions into the country for camping & other activities.

Might the symptoms I've described be the dread timing chain issue?

Update: After a stop at dealer service this afternoon, diagnosis is broken (metal) upper timing chain guide with the busted bits down in the chain housing.

Estimate to repair (all new timing chain & guide parts, etc. + remove oil sump sediment, accumulated carbon on the valves & pistons, which only seems prudent while it's in for this level of operation) in the range of $2,000.

Inspection by extended warranty adjuster next to determine what portion of the bill they'll pick up.

 

You know the car, if it is now out of the blue making Diesel noises, you are the best person to notice...I can't say what is the cause, but you need to get it looked at.

Maybe driving to the mechanic to have him listen will tell you if it is major or not.

 

Good suggestion, were it not for the "issues" I have with the service provider I've been dealing with for a couple of years. Not the same dealer where I bought the car, which is four times the distance from my home.

I might take it to the independent garage tomorrow, where I have a booking for next Tuesday. Too much risk if it IS the TC as my '07 is well out of warranty!

I bought into a 3rd party extended warranty coverage to 100,000 miles but not clear if it'd cover something other than a catastrophic failure. Doesn't do clutch, doesn't do exhaust system, that much I know.

 

1) Check oil level.

2) Sounds like the timing chain issue.

Depending on the amount of chain deflection either the longer tensioner or an entire swap of the interal timing chain parts including guide rails will be the fix.

There are tons of threads and posts on this issue here.

 

I see everyone has taken the cue and headed off on the tensioner issue so far. But, if it truly sounds like a diesel, be sure to be looking for the high pressure fuel pump issue too (diesels sound like diesels in part because of direct injection with high pressure fuel pumps...). Another common failure point on early gen 2 Mini's. Search prior posts if you need more description to compare to your symptoms. Not sure what country OP is in, but if it is the U.S. as I recall there is an extended warranty for it now, so you might still be covered.

 

My R56 and almost all the ones I hear do sound like a diesel all the time. I would suggest you drive to Mini and listen to cars of the same vintage. If you hear a difference, you are more likely to have a problem.

It is likely a tensioner if the noises from the engine are out of the norm.

 

Could be, though that was replaced back in early 2009 as part of the remedy for the severe cold start problem I had that winter. Always possible then new one went bad all of a sudden of course, but I'm heading to the dealer service soon & will let them decide what's what.

 

Right - I've bene monitoring that closely for the past year or more, once I found the level a centimeter below the first bead on the 'stick. My R56 uses (Leaks? Burns? Probably both...) about a US Quart every 1,200 miles. Service guys said this is "normal" consumption.

Depending on the amount of chain deflection either the longer tensioner or an entire swap of the interal timing chain parts including guide rails will be the fix. There are tons of threads and posts on this issue here.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's what prompted me to post my query to learn if others having the issue already diagnosed had heard something similar before a complete breakdown. Thanks.