So I bought my car a month ago, turns out the full blown SIM 11 02 07 was performed in February.

Well, I drive home tonight with the windows down and notice some noises I have never heard before. I can only assume its the timing chain since it is very erratic and not uniform at all.

So my question is, how the hell are these parts failing again? If BMW/Mini revised and improved these parts, why is the issue occurring again?

Luckily, Mini warranties any previous warranty work for 2 year, so I am basically in line for a free service

 

maybe its not the timing chain? It could be you have no oil, just had a r56 in this past week with horrible noises, found it only had 1.5qts of oil in it, adjusted oil level, all noises gone. They just did an update on the seal ring for the tensioner, cause they come loose and leak oil, or walk all the way out. I wouldn't go assuming that the new parts have failed, lots of parts can cause lots of noises. Something to consider.

 

From this morning, looks like Im good on oil..

 

Mindspin311

^^BigFox could be right, N14 has little tolerances, and one of those is not topped off oil. I got my tensioner job done 3 weeks ago(My 4th one), the week before I had it in for inspection and oil change. Well I brought the car back to the dealer 2 days ago and they said I'm already 2qts low, which is causing the noise. Sure enough it's quiet again after adding the oil. They recommend you should have it always topped off at all times and check at least bi-weekly. That dipstick shows half, just like mine did, need to get it to the full section, the car doesn't like the OK line..

 

So you have gone through 2qts of oil in like a week? That doesnt sound normal at all. I can see some motors doing 1qt every 3-4k, but in a week?

 

3 weeks but currently I'm putting almost 2100 miles a month on my car. So according to MINI that's normal consumption.

*edit
I have a brand new turbo as of April. I don't leak any oil, my car doesn't smoke, it just consumes it. 1qt for 1k is within spec supposedly. Tough to swallow for me coming from the Subaru, Honda, VW and Infiniti where 1qt is consumed every 3-4k instead.

 

My take on this issue is that the tensioners are doing the job perfectly and are not faulty. The revision some talk about is the different part numbers for tensioners. This is because those 2 are actually different lengths for different intervals. One is for new chain installed then other is for stretched chain if still in spec(under 68mm). It's the chain that's the problem, they stretched entirely too fast. Now couple the above with a car that consumes a lot oil, driven by people who don't care to, shouldn't have to or know when to top off oil, just speeds the process up. Turbocharger and oil pump take priority of oil the chain is just there for the ride just like the reciprocating parts in the head(ie cams).

My other theory along with low oil and a defective chain design or material, is that maybe from factory the reciprocating parts in the N14 that are turned by the chain directly or indirectly are out of balance or causing imbalance(say like the HPFP connected to camshaft).

FYI, in my case the warranty work performed on my car last month(August) was just the tensioner and o-ring because my car was @ 67.7mm, just .3mm within spec. Just .3mm off is , well I have no doubt it is past the 68mm limit by now SINCE in Dec 10' the full chain job was just done. So now at this point it won't make obnoxious noises until around 69mm with the 2nd tensioner being done.. 71+mm sounds like a bucket of bolts no matter what tensioner is in. So between 68-74mm you have a timer, If they made a new tensioner for 68mm+ it would keep it quiet but the chain would snap.

Like any company the best way for BMW to handle this is discretely being that it's not a safety issue but quality one, is stop major production of the N14(done) and use the N18(done) like recently in 2012 models, offer band aids(has been going on since 07') to 07-11 owners until owners trade in for new 2012 MCS, and hope the revised N18 solves everyone's major issues in the real world with owners. Never admit fault, just improve because you'd have a swarm of people wanting payback for time, frustration and moneys lost..

 

Well, I guess Ill top off the oil tomorrow morning and see what happens.

I can sorta hear the timing chain as well as some other knock. I dont know, frustrating. Maybe I wont add the oil and take a trip over to Mini.

 

What year and mileage is your MCS?

I'd take it to MINI and let them check it out first, thereafter you'll know how to keep the situation contained as per their instructions if there is something wrong. Update thread when you do.

 

It is an 07 with 49xxx

I purchase the car at the end of July, service records show that the full SIM 11 02 07 was performed Feb/2011. So there is that 2yr warranty going for me.

 

Wait I thought the 2011 MCS had the N18 installed...

 

I just had the failed tensioner and guide installed this week (in addition to having the top half of the engine rebuilt at a whopping 37k miles). From everything I can tell, and from anything the people at the MINI dealer can tell me, there is no change in the design or materials of the "new" part. Therefore, nothing other than Lady Luck to prevent a second failure.

 

I had my car in last week for what I thought was the chain tentioner. It turns out that one of the chain guides was broken causing my timing to be off. I am guessing that they broke it when they replaced the tentioner in February.

At least I got to drive around in a 135i for 3 days while they fixed it.

 

Yep, all 2011 LCI MCS models have the N18.

 

Thats what I thought.

 

I just bought 08 mcs with 21000 miles and got it home 3 days latter had it in mini they replaced all the timing stuff .....should i be worried about this i still hear noise from my motor that doesnt sound right im going to check the oil today ......also i just put intake exhaust and bov on mine should i be worried about the mini dealer not wanting to cover stuff becuse of the upgrades

 

I would have them check it again to be sure. Also make sure its noted in the service history that this was looked at while its still under warranty. That way if it goes outside the warranty they should be able to go back and look at that.

 

Thanks i will do that i checked the dip stick and the oil was about 1/4 inch fromthe top ring

 

Here are some videos I took with my cellphone. The 1st is when I started my car after work, timing chain is clearly audible.

The 2nd is about 25min later when I got home. Timing chain is quieter, but now there is some other random knocking noise that sounds like its coming from the rear of the motor. Hard to hear, you might be able to pick it up.


Cold Start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nbeOMg_MRI


Warmed Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipt354ViBVg


Listen for a quieter, more knocking type noise in the 2nd video

 

That warm up vid sounds like a throwout bearing. While idle press the clutch in,it should go away. Could be airbox vibrating on intake manifold if its missing rubber grommets. Butbit sounds like the dreaded 2007 TO issue, I'm dealing with that currently($1966 repair). Very expensive fix if it is. Gotta get on my pc.. cellphone speakers are not the greatest.

 

That job just performed should be warrantied for 2 years. I would only be woried about the BOV/DV/BPV whatver you're using.

 

Hmm, didnt even consider that. I listened again, couldnt really hear it, and I know what I am listening for. Audio quality isnt the best haha

The TO bearing makes a "clunk" when it starts to go bad?

 

It would make clunks going into gear from neutral sometimes, it will make a clunk/click when engaging from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. Though not all the time. If you drive fast you wont feel it or hear it, you'd notice it more when driving like a granny in stop and go traffic.

Try sitting in the passenger seat, lean over and get your head near drivers pedals, you should hear it at idle. The way I finally narrowed it down was I drove up on my race ramps and while car idling got under the car by the transmission, you'll hear it and if you put your hand on the case you should feel it.

After listening to the vid again on my system, I'm almost certain it's the TOB, I hear 3 distinct sounds, try recording an under car vid on driver side.

 

So I messed with the clutch this morning, hard to tell when you gotta do the clutching yourself. Might enlist the GF this evening when I get home.

I wish I had a better way of capturing audio, the videos I put up really dont capture this knock/clunk/whatever you call it.

 

I just went ahead and scheduled an "appointment" with Mini for next Wednesday. I wanted to do it tomorrow, but they are all full and told me I could drop it off.

I may just swing by tomorrow and claim I was in the area and see if they can squeeze me in. Or, Ill ask to leave it as long as they can give me a loaner.