Rough Idle Noise from Engine

[Zack]

I thought it was just because the oil was cold but even when the car is warmed up it occasionally makes a sound I can only describe as "like my grandmothers old diesel mercedes." Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

[Derek1387]

What kind of gas are you putting in it?

[Zack]

What kind of gas are you putting in it?

Accidentally put in 89 two weeks ago. I usually put 91 to 93 octane. Premium. I accidentally did mid grade once because the pump wasn't labeled correctly.

[Derek1387]

I don't think one fill up would do that... But who knows.

Have you tried seafoaming lately?

[Zack]

I don't think one fill up would do that... But who knows.

Have you tried seafoaming lately?

Seafoaming?

[Derek1387]

http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/ ... 5-r56.html

Probably the best way to clean out intake valves, etc. The mini has an issue with carbon buildup and this solves the problem, or at least helps tremendously.

Might help your issue. I know when my other vehicles have had issues I would dump a can in the gas tank, and run it through the vacuum and pcv valves, and it would make the car run like new... And bring back a lot of the lost power.

May try it out?

[Zack]

The carbon build up only affects the R56. Not the R53. The engines aren't the same.

[Derek1387]

Well phooey, and i thought I was helping.

Well, i do know Seafoam can help a LOT of running issues.

[Zack]

Well phooey, and i thought I was helping.

Well, i do know Seafoam can help a LOT of running issues.

Don't worry. I'm sure others will see this thread and use the advice. It just isn't the solution for my car. I thought it might be a fuel pump issue or spark plugs or something but not sure. I may have Baron look at it unless there have dealt with it before.

[Counterfit_Mini]

It's probably from putting the wrong gas in it and it's adjusting the timing.....

[Zack]

It's probably from putting the wrong gas in it and it's adjusting the timing.....

Even after almost two or three weeks though?

[Minidave]

So, it's still doing it then? You definitely should have it looked at or at least listened to.....

One easy thing you might try if you haven't done so recently, clean the terminals for your spark plugs at the coil, just use a small tab of scotch brite pad on them, see if that helps the rough idle. Also make sure your plugs are tight. If you changed your pulley, did you put in colder plugs too? If not you might have burned off an electrode tip, that could cause a rough idle too.

[Zack]

So, it's still doing it then? You definitely should have it looked at or at least listened to.....

One easy thing you might try if you haven't done so recently, clean the terminals for your spark plugs at the coil, just use a small tab of scotch brite pad on them, see if that helps the rough idle. Also make sure your plugs are tight. If you changed your pulley, did you put in colder plugs too? If not you might have burned off an electrode tip, that could cause a rough idle too.

I installed cooler burning brisk plugs after we did the pulley. Ill get some scotch brite pads and see if the terminals need to be cleaned and that fixes it. If not then I don't know. Could be a loose plug.

[Punk_Mini]

You have an EVAP system problem.

The tank has a vapor/ liquid seperator on it, you would have to seriously overfill to cause a problem.
The system has a leak detection pump which pressurizes the tank. So when the leak test runs it closes the purge valve and pressurizes the tank. Once the test is complete it opens the purge valve and vents thru the intake, When the tank is lower it adds more volume to the fumes. I believe this is when the car stumbles and why it is intermintent.
You need to be careful if you mess with the EVAP system. if the intake on the pump gets blocked it will put direct vacumn to your tank and it will implode the gas tank crushing the fuel pump and fuel filter system.(I speak from expereince) If you mess with the vacumn to the pump it will throw codes. If you mess with the venting incorrectly it will throw codes.

[Zack]

You have an EVAP system problem.

The tank has a vapor/ liquid seperator on it, you would have to seriously overfill to cause a problem.
The system has a leak detection pump which pressurizes the tank. So when the leak test runs it closes the purge valve and pressurizes the tank. Once the test is complete it opens the purge valve and vents thru the intake, When the tank is lower it adds more volume to the fumes. I believe this is when the car stumbles and why it is intermintent.
You need to be careful if you mess with the EVAP system. if the intake on the pump gets blocked it will put direct vacumn to your tank and it will implode the gas tank crushing the fuel pump and fuel filter system.(I speak from expereince) If you mess with the vacumn to the pump it will throw codes. If you mess with the venting incorrectly it will throw codes.

In other words. Better have the dealer look at it.

[Zack]

A friend of mine thinks it is just that the oil is cold and I am getting on it too soon when I start it up and drive away.

[Punk_Mini]

Nope you're hearing wrong but it is never a good idea to floor-board your car with cold fluids namely coolant and oil. So don't go over 3k rpm until coolant is of operating temp and 4k for a few minutes as oil doesn't heat up as fast as coolant nor does the gauge tell you oil temp unless you have a chrono pack then you just watch mainly the oil temp. Now if you are not pulling codes for EVAP related systems the dealer won't do anything unless it can be recreated multiple times. This issue is very common with R53's so its one of those things you pay a lot to have it fixed or live with it as it doesn't hurt anything.

[Zack]

Nope you're hearing wrong but it is never a good idea to floor-board your car with cold fluids namely coolant and oil. So don't go over 3k rpm until coolant is of operating temp and 4k for a few minutes as oil doesn't heat up as fast as coolant nor does the gauge tell you oil temp unless you have a chrono pack then you just watch mainly the oil temp. Now if you are not pulling codes for EVAP related systems the dealer won't do anything unless it can be recreated multiple times. This issue is very common with R53's so its one of those things you pay a lot to have it fixed or live with it as it doesn't hurt anything.

Well it will be expensive to fix it. I didn't notice it over the summer. Just during the winter. I do have the chrono pack. Everytime I drive I don't floor it when I leave my garage or on the street (I'm serious) I watch the oil temp climb as the oil pressure stays fairly high until the temperature is warm enough and then it goes back to normal pressure. I don't always notice the noise but it seems to go away once the car has been running for awhile. I actually didn't notice it until after I accidentally put 89 octane in my car at a mislabeled pump which made me think it was something related to fuel. I do autocross the car so I hope that won't hurt the EVAP system.

[Punk_Mini]

Nothing really to worry, I know of a several 230-270whp MINI with the same problem and they track their car monthly. The EVAP is for emissions purposes so it won't interfere with the performance.

[minicoopers43]

When my mini sounded like a diesel it turned out to be a bad belt tensioner, I'm not saying punk mini is wrong but you might look at your tensioner and see if the little s shock absorber is doing is job.

[Zack]

When my mini sounded like a diesel it turned out to be a bad belt tensioner, I'm not saying punk mini is wrong but you might look at your tensioner and see if the little s shock absorber is doing is job.

I still have the tensioner stop that I planned to install when we did the pulley but was told it wasn't necessary.

[minicoopers43]

It wouldn't have anything to do with the tensioner stop, its the black shock absorber on the tensioner.

[Zack]

It wouldn't have anything to do with the tensioner stop, its the black shock absorber on the tensioner.

How would I know if it went?

Here is another question. Heard a loud pop come from the drivers side corner of the car but couldn't find anything that broke or popped loose. Any thoughts? Has this happened to you?

Rough idle continues but I'm thinking it has to do with the cold oil because after an hour of running it doesn't seem to make that noise, although at times it does start the noise back up.

[minicoopers43]

Mine had the same symptoms, it wasn't as severe when it warned up.
You can look at the tensioner absorber at idle and it shouldnt be moving much. Kinda hard to explain but it might be obvious once you look at it.

As for the loud pop I wouldn't worry about unless you hear it again or something doesn't feel right.

[Zack]

Mine had the same symptoms, it wasn't as severe when it warned up.
You can look at the tensioner absorber at idle and it shouldnt be moving much. Kinda hard to explain but it might be obvious once you look at it.

As for the loud pop I wouldn't worry about unless you hear it again or something doesn't feel right.

Road noise on the highway seemed louder than normal. I'll check the tensioner absorber.

Edit: Just checked tensioner absorber and the strut tower (possible location of the pop.) Nothing seems wrong there. Going to check and clean the electrodes on the coil tomorrow and I'm probably going to check the plugs later to see if there is anything else causing the rough idle noises.

The pop could have been a rock under the wheels as I turned it.