Car is a 2007 Mini Cooper S. Stock except for that cheap aftermarket downpipe back exhaust due to stock rusting through. I think it is called CNT. Car has 145k. Engine is a remanufactured from MINI engine that I paid out of pocket that only has around 35k miles. I bought it used and as far as I know it is still stock clutch.

I'll lay this out in the order of events:

• Crusing along the highway to work about 85mph.
• Get off the ramp to head to work.
• Slow down for yield. Depress clutch - Feel some chatter/push back in clutch.
• Radio is up. Have in first gear start to move forward and rolls back.
• Press start button and get a single loud clang of the starter then nothing.
• Get towed to a shop(who does absolutely nothing for 3 days but thats a different story)
• Get it back to my work. Install a new battery.
• Turns over with the extra juice of a new battery.
• Helliciously loud clanging in transmission area or possibly exhaust where it connects to downpipe.
• Turned off and haven't refired in fear of more damage

So any ideas? I've heard of cats failing and becoming completely restricted not allowing the engine to release pressure. But that was a long time ago when I was working at Honda.

What parts would fail in the transmission to cause symptoms? Clutch goes to the floor normally. I don't feel any noticeable difference in any gear selections or the clutch travel.

Car is currently at my work which is 45 minutes away so I won't have access to it until I go in on Monday. I am having it towed to a different shop to attempt diagnosis unless you guys have any ideas.

Thanks.

 

Curious, does the clutch/throw out bearing have 145k miles on it or has it ever been replaced? Can you post a video of the noise by chance?

 

As far as I know everything on the transmission side is 145k miles old. I've had car for last 60k or so and never replaced.

I've had a ticking type sound I noticed at drive thru windows and such so I assume it may be a throw out bearing but when that fails what usually happens?

I didn't make it into work because apparently a rental car is impossible to find on a monday morning in my area.

I'll attempt to get a video tomorrow afternoon. It is extremely loud so I don't want to leave it running too long or start it unnecessarily. Especially if it is engine related although it doesn't seem to sound like its coming from the block. Hard to tell from the drivers seat.

 

If it's that bad and the sound seems that there is damage somewhere you may want to have a MINI indy shop take a look. I'd think it's maybe something related to the clutch or transmission possibly. This noise is when it's at idle without your foot on the clutch pedal? Does the noise change when you engage the clutch?

 

It's at a shop right now. They are thinking transmission as well. Just gave then permission to take it apart to see what is going crazy in there.

The sound was immediate. Clutch down to start the car. I didn't ever release the clutch or try moving the gear shift. I only had it running for about 5 seconds. The gears shift fine with the car off so I definitely think it's in the clutch, throw out bearing, flywheel area.

Any recommendations for a clutch kit while they have it apart? I imagine if something broke or seized then it's pretty much ruined everything in there.

 

Very sorry to hear this. If it's transmission, you plan to rebuild or swap in a used unit? For clutch, if you're not wanting any type of performance type clutch, Genuine or OEM - http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...-8-607-915-BOE.

 

Just to update this thread. Seems like the throw out bearing broke and somehow bent the clutch fork which hit the pressure plate and caused all sorts of problems.

Replacing all that stuff and the flywheel. So it was an expensive fix.

 

Well bad news. They made a wrong initial guess due to the wear on the clutch fork and pressure plate.

My crankshaft is moving about 1/8 of an inch back and forth. What the ****? This a replacement mini remanufactured engine that I paid for out of pocket. Damn thing only has 40k miles.

Any ideas on what I can do?

 

Did the remanufactured engine from MINI come with a warranty?

 

It came with a 3 year 36k mile warranty. Which I am 3 months and 5k miles out of.

Mini wanta nothing to do with it because it was replaced at an independent shop. I'm getting the shop to give me the warranty information so I can see what other avenues I have to call.

 

Ouch. The only way I can think of that the crank end-play would get that large is if it was set wrong in the first place, then the movement allowed wore away the bearings and saddles and such until you got to where you are now.

I had an air-cooled VW engine do just that, actually. The solution was rebuilding the engine, align-boring the crankshaft saddles, and using oversize bearings. Not exactly cheap.