Resurrecting an old post...
Any of you guys with the LSD groan get that checked out? I said something to my dealer about my '05 and turns out I'm getting a new LSD installed this week.

 

What is the problem? How bad is your groan? What is the explanation for the new unit?

Thanks!

I have the groan...but just at slow speeds in tight turns.

 

I went in for 10K service last week and mentioned the groan. They changed the fluid in the LSD and the groan is gone.

I also had some clutch chatter at idle in neutral with clutch out. They replaced some clutch parts and all is well.

 

I have read about the new fluid with an additive that eliminates the groan...my understanding is that no undue wear is occuring with the additive or not. My interest is peaked upon hearing a LSD is being replaced....hmmm...what is the problem! My groaning isn't bad...but if the part needs replacement...then let them do it!

 

Yeah so it's funny you mentioned the fluid change. I had seen a post like that before, yet I cannot find it now. I searched for a while and gave up, and hence posted here.

I personally didn't think the groan was all that bad, it was a muted rubbing sound that you could definitely hear from the cabin at more than about 1 turn of the wheel in either direction - parking lot speeds.

I mentioned that I thought I had heard of a fluid change at the factory and a differential fluid swap for people that had the problem, yet the SA and two techs had not heard at all of this. They drove the car too and said they were ordering a new diff.

As an engineer, I can't quite figure how an additive would keep a fluid from making noise, but still allow it to protect. Seems the groaning must be cause by some failure to lubricate, but I am certainly not a lube expert by any stretch.

Having said that, I must say I'm not terribly excited to have my factory assembled car broken down for replacement of a complete assembly when I think starting with a fluid change would have been more the order, if for nothing else, to assess the quality of the fluid or to see if they found any evidence of physical damage. That's a relatively weak argument though, as it turns out when they say they just want to replace what you have with something brand new...

 

Here are a couple that mention it:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&highlight=lsd

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=groan

 

Thanks... yeah, so clearly my search abilities stunk when I was looking, I swear I searched on both of those. Anyway, I appreciate it...

 

Not a problem!

You might want to get your dealer in touch with MiniUSA or whoever would be in charge of TSBs...you might not have to have your MCS taken apart...could just be the fluid change.

 

Has anyone else had a noisy serpentine belt. I've got about 8000 on now and the noise has been around for the the last 2000 or so. On cold start up it kind of sounds like a few 17 year locusts under the hood. It gets quieter as everything warms up and goes away completely (for a short while) if I spray a little water on the belt.

In any case, its finally bugging me enough that I'm taking it in tomorrow to find out what gives.

 

I don't know all the details, but the proper lubricant (with the proper additive) WILL make a huge difference in a limited slip differential. I have seen it time and time again with GM and Ford products. Without the correct additive, that axle will raise hell.

Rawhyde

 

OK, I'm back. Now they're after they spoke with MINI they're going after the tranny instead. Not even interested in listening to me about even trying to just replace the fluid - and the tranny is already on it's way out of the car (as they called). They haven't replaced the differential, just been waiting on a tranny. Which dealerships have people gone to where they got the fluid changed?

 

Haven't had the issue you mentioned, but have had a couple that you didn't mention our '05 has 18k, and we have had a problem with the windows (more the driver side) not rolling back into place and also like a popping noise kind of sounds like it is coming from the back window area when you go over a uneven incline, like when I am pulling in the deck at work, and other driveways, the dealer looked at us like we were nuts , they claim to have reset the window but it didn't help , guess we have this re-addressed in about 2K miles at the next service.
Love the car though, no other vechile has brought a smile to our face quite like the mine.

 

They have to know something we don't...maybe?! It has to be more than the groan I am experiencing...we'll see.

Thanks for the update.

 

Apparently no one else has had a noisy serpentine belt. My dealer has ordered a new belt, idler pulley and tensioner pulley which should take care of it. Which means another 2 hour drive to the dealer when the parts come in - considering how much fun the MINI is - that ain't all bad.

 

I don't have the problem, but in thinking about it...what is the problem? Is it out of alignment?

 

05 Cooper S Cabrio, 6900 Miles

1) Pass window motor stopped working
2) Rattle in dash

Besides that everything is fine.
Local dealership took care of that in a day.
This is in my opinion a great car.

Victor

 

That's what I'm thinking but they weren't too specific about it. I guess it almost has to be a pulley out of line since they did say it wasn't a bearing problem, and other than to quiet the noise there was no reason to replace the parts.

 

Check out this thread re: belt tensioner

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...2005+tensioner

 

Thanks Johnna, I hadn't seen that thread. Having read through most of it, I think my problem is different than the majority posted there. Mine chirps on cold start and quiets down at higher rpm or after warmup. In any case, sounds like the fix will be the same, but it won't hurt to mention that service bulletin either.

 

OK, so here's the latest from the dealer. I haven't been able to pick the car up yet (just finished today and 2.5 hours away). They said they actually did drain and refill the differential, they say to no avail. Possibly excessive wear on the LSD clutch?? So they were going to swap out the differential, but instead it comes as a whole sub-assembly LSD and the tranny.

I have to say, I initially had the car in just to pick up some new keys. I mentioned the LSD noise as a very minor annoyance. Seriously it was a very minor groan/rubbing noise only when making a sharp turn at low speeds.

In my own background research, what I seemed to find out is that this is a pretty common problem with LSDs, especially of the clutch-actuated type. LSDs of course come into play when there's a lot of relative motion of one wheel compared to the other. So either a wheel is spinning, or you are making a tight turn. I guess the normal gear oil for the actual differential is high enough viscosity that it's pretty high friction on the cluth, and sometimes causes the LSD clutch to "bind up". So usually they make some friction modifiers that you put in with your gear oil into the differential, to prevent this "binding". All the major oil companies, AMSOIL, Redline, etc. make the modifiers, so they're the real deal. I guess this is the mystery fluid change that others have received to correct the groan.

In my case, I'm not sure why I needed a replacement LSD, but part of me thinks it was just over-cautious. I'm sure the new tranny had the right fluid from the factory, so new tranny/LSD assembly adn the new fluid and hopefully I'm good to go...

 

Certainly and extensive job!

Coming from driving 4x4s almost exclusively for 14 years, the groan isn't much of a noise to me, but at my next visit to the dealer, I will be mentioning it and having them take a look.

Please do tell us how it is for you once you have tested it.

Thanks for the update.

 

I've got a July 04 build 05 which has been at the dealer for a total 32 days now. Had all those problems you mentioned plus a load more. Most of the problems have been fixed though.

Luke

 

All of you '05's and nobody mentioned their clock gaining time (about 5 minutes or so every 1-2 weeks)???

Mine was doing this, until I took it in and they replaced the speedo unit. There is a TSB on this one.

But I haven't had the other problems listed.

 

July '04 build 05 that's been to the dealer 1 time for the 10k checkup.... With the exception of 2 month wait to have my JCW installed.... Only problem was a film/spots on the inside of the speedo 'n tach glass that could only be seen when the light was just right. They replaced the whole cluster as part of the 10k checkup and the recall for the power steering pump electrical connections. No problems with the clock gaining time here.

 

Having problems changing the time,per the instructions in the manuel will not comply. Q