BMW has two part numbers for the chain: 11317516088 and 11317534784. The first one is also used on larger engines and is more expensive than the second one. I believe the problem chain is the second which is MINI only and costs half as much.

As for aftermarket chains, I would put my trust on febi. The febi timing chain kit 30452 includes the 11317516088 chain, rails and tensioner. When I changed my upper slide rail, the markings were identical to the OEM, so I guess febi is also MINI's official supplier.

 

I'm sure the first part number wouldn't fit - for many reasons, and the Febi chain as described wouldn't help...

We need an engineer to step up and build a stronger chain and sell it!

Sigh...
E

 

The 2nd number (11 31 7 534 784) IS the part number BMW lists on SIM 11 02 07. It is also listed on BMW ETK.

The 1st number IS listed on realoem and is the part cross-reference from febi for the MINI N14.

What I said was that, if the BMW I4s (N43 family) and I6s (N53 family) which use P/N: 11317516088 DO NOT have chain problems, then why not use that chain? Again both chains are geometrically identical (144 teeth, listed on febi's website). The price difference should have to do with the material quality, as I expect a chain designed to handle the loads of operating 24-valves to be more robust.

 

Interesting!!

So that i6 chain is the same length, width, and with 144 teeth would fit our sprockets?

Sounds too easy! Personally, I would gladly pay more for an upgraded replacement chain if it had a good chance of actually lasting... There must be more to it. If there isn't, then those who cheap out come replacement time are fools unless they weren't told.

Will this also fit the N18? At 30,000KM I have already had a noisy chain diagnosis...
E

 

The N18 has 138 elements in its chain so it will not fit... P/N is 11311439853. The N18's upper slide rail is also a little bit different in design, it doesn't have the side flange which breaks on the N14. Unfortunately we can't use the rail on the N14 because it screws in differently.

 

Just my opinion of course. Not an engineer type and have built lots of old motors as a previous repair shop owner as a qualifier, there are several things that contribute to the chain failure, and typically it is not the chain itself. Rarely will you find a broken chain first. Chains can stretch some and ultimately wear out, no doubt. I believe the scenarios start with the tensioner wearing prematurely, or not having enough loaded length (and why the new longer length was introduced) to accommodate the wear of the tensioner for one thing plus a little chain stretch, or of course the tensioner flat quits (plugged with dirty, over extended oil or whatever) pushing on the chain to keep it taught. Then there are the guides that keep the chain rotating in a path, made of that nylon plastic crap. So I theorize that the chain gets a little whippy and it starts breaking the super-heated weakened plastic which allows the chain to loose it path. Then there is all sorts of slack going on and then jumping teeth and smashing valves is the result. But that's just my opinion. I'm sure other scenarios are relevant and that mine my hold no water in fact.

 

Well your theory is about in line with mine as well. I personally consider the plastic bits to be the first problem over the metal chain. The tensioner is prone to failure because of its design and MINI's admitted long oil intervals. And once the tensioner looses pressure or fails, it becomes a proverbial snowball for everything else failing.

 

Ok so to give y'all an update. I just got off the phone with MINI USA and they are not in control of if or when a recall is issued. That is solely controlled by the NHTSA. So I guess our only action is write to NHTSA and make them aware of the widespread problem we're having, so they in turn can go to MINI and say "Hey, you got a problem here."

 

Unfortunately, I don't see a recall in my future. At this point it is getting late in the game to have a recall, it should have happened a long time ago. I hope I'm proven wrong!

I'm planning on doing the full chain replacement myself in the next couple months. I turned 64k miles last week and have had the tensioner replaced twice, one by MINI and once by me.

 

Well the timing chain gremlin has struck me again at 80k miles on my '08 MCS.

Noise first appeared at about 30k miles as I recall....the dealer replaced the tensioner and all was good for another 20k miles.

Sound returned just before 50k miles....whole chain cartridge was replaced at that time.

I just turned over 80k last week and I have heard a slight rattle over the last month, but was just very faint until last night. Started the car up after not having driven it for a couple of days and full-on chain rattle. Lucky me....it shows up just in time for my trip from Indiana to MOTD this afternoon.

I've been pretty religious about oil changes every 5k-7k miles. No doubt this is a major design flaw!

 

IT'S NOT ON GOV WEB SITE BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIAL POLICY NOT A RECALL.
YOU STILL HAVE TO KEEP YOUR OIL LEVEL FULL AS WELL AS CHANGED.CHANGE EVERY 5K and you'll not have problems with the tensioner- they mostly fail because they get air in the system when you low on oil.
Mini has updated the tensioner but it still needs oil for the hydraulic tension.
If you've paid for it- you'll be getting $$ back.!!!
I think a mfg should be doing this long before a class action lawsuit was filed {dec2012}.

 

You mind explaining what you mean by your post?

 

I'm considering a 2007 base model with 117,000 miles. Do the base models have the timing chain problem or is it just the S models. My first car was a 1962 Mini and I don't know a lot about the new ones.

 

You can see from my sig that I have a "base". Until an official recall, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend any R55 or later Mini. That said, if you cannot live without one, read up and keep replacing your timing chain parts regularly.

DOC

 

Talk to me people!! (please ) - Looking at used 2010 Cooper S Clubman - reading the maintenance records show issues with the chain tensioner - for OVER A YEAR! This is a MINI CPO, but are the fixes actually working ????-
found this article: http://www.brrperformance.com/blog/?p=1570

excerpt: The issue – as low as 20k miles, and we have seen it mostly around 50k miles, the motor starts to make loud rattle. This noise is louder on cold start up, and is less noisy or may sound like a normal engine sound once the engine is fully warm. The issue is the chain tensioner….and it is not working as designed, and not producing the tension the timing chain needs, and the timing chain hits the outer enclosure and makes the rattle sound. But, that in and of itself wouldn’t be too bad, but what can happen if this is not taken care of is. If the customer doesn’t have this addressed, and this tensioner continues to get worse, and the wear occurs to the timing chain guides as well, the customer could experience complete engine failure (the chain will jump the timing chain gears, timing will get off, motor won’ t run well, valves open at the wrong time, and then really bad things happen as the pistons and valves do direct battle, with the engine losing)…read the motor will break.

There is a known fix to this, and MINI even has a test to determine if the tensioner is producing less than desired tension. Depending on when this issue is identified, and the longevity of the wear period, the extent of the fix can be minor or major. At a minimum, it requires a new timing chain tensioner (not a quick fix, but not out of the ball park in cost either). But, if the wear is greater, then several parts need to be replaced (timing chain, timing chain tensioner, gear, guides (3), and some key bolts).

Thanks so much... Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Does the service record show the tensioner being replaced? If it has been in the record for a year, what was done to address the problem?

Most important thing you can do is keep the oil level up!

 

Pretty much like Mikewithmini said is how it happens. I heard something, not a rattle. I had a broken guide rail. Problem is even though that was all that was wrong, once inside the motor that far, might as well replace the other parts, chain, gears, etc.

 

Update for me - the 2010 was a mess so passed. Have found an 09 with 26k on it - with a r55 engine. So far no noises I detected and runs smooth as butter (I picked that up from you guys). Taking today for a prepurchase inspecation. But wondered if this engine is in the running for tensioner issues.
Thanks folks,
GMA57

 

Our '11 MCS went in for a dead battery a couple weeks ago, and I asked them to check out the "diesel" sound coming from the engine, more so on cold start ups. Mentioned this timing chain issue, and please check it out. Their response: the noise is actually the factory blow off valve. The oil was within limit and fine, and the timing chain looked fine.

 

There is no significant boost at idle, so the blow-off valve idea makes little sense. (There is nothing to "blow off" at idle.) Did they replace it and then did the noise go away?

It is unlikely they "looked" at the timing chain because that would have taken hours of work to actually view. They could have measured the timing chain slack which is what they ALWAYS should do if a customer complains of rattle at idle. If so, slack measurement should be on the work order. I bet it is not.

Yet another customer bamboozled into thinking everything is OK when it is most definitely NOT!

DOC

 

Exactly what I was thinking, in regards to the BOV!! I'm by no means an ASE certified mechanic, but I've been around cars & bikes for over 20 years and done my share of wrench turning and racing. I know Minis are quirky little cars, but I was thinking what you said when they told me that. The dealership did have the car for 2 days as they had to "wait for the battery ordered to show up". I need to re-read the multi-page receipt/work order to see what they say they did to the timing chain. It's not our favorite Mini dealership in the Houston area, but closest to the house. I know the Operations Manager at the Momentum BMW/Jaguar/Range Rover/Mini dealership on the SW side, so if I can get it worked out, our car will be visiting that one next.

 

Picking my car up this afternoon after some extended warranty work (3rd party). Guess I'm going to call them and see if they will measure the tension. Don't think I have the death rattle, but since its there...

I see everyone recommend the bentley repair book over the haynes. Is it really that much better for 5 times the cost?

 

I can speak intelligently about this comparison because I own both the Chilton (essentially the same as the Haynes) and the Bentley manual. The Chilton addresses both generations of cars, and not a lot of detail about any particular job. The Bentley is specific to second gen cars (R55-R56-R57) and is very in depth, especially when it comes to differences between engines and transmissions and what size bolts are etc. To my knowledge, the Bentley manuals get a lot of their info direct from the factory service manuals, and the fact that it is over 300 pages speaks to the volume of pictures, charts, wiring diagrams, trouble code tables, and procedures that exist within its covers.

 

Cool thanks. I'll go the bentley route.

 

Hi members-- just joined the group after beign blessed with the tensioner problem on my wife's 2007 cooper S after only 23,000 miles. The apparent twist in my story involves the dealer's claim that i need to spend some $450 to have my cam timing fixed. Last week we heard the rattle for the first time, I did research (esp. this forum) and figured I knew what was going on... oil level was fine, and changes done at dealer every year (which has been less than 5K intervals). Went to dealer Saturday morning to discuss, and they said given the low mileage prob only needed the tensioner replaced ($23 part, plus 1.5 hrs (I think 1.0 for diagnosis and .5 for replacement), for $188 total). if a guide broke, they would do guides and tensioner and quoted me $430. If the whole chain cassette needed replacement, they quoted $1260 parts and labor, and said they would submit a request to MINI for goodwill assistance. Take it in Monday (yesterday), they call and say it needs tensioner only, but the tesioner failed so badly that my cam timing jumped a tooth or two... I said the car ran fine (and quietly) over 3K rpms on drive to dealer, so I find it hard to believe timing off... then they say it takes 3.3 hours to diagnose can timing and .8 hours to reset, with valve cover gasket the repair should cost $659! I negotiate a while and they agree to shave some labor to bring it down to $470, but i can't help but think this timing thing is just a money grap? I've seen no discussion of timing shifts from tensioner failure on this board, and as I say, the car ran fine but for the rattle, so is this BS? thanks!