Is this the death rattle?

Is this the death rattle?

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Discussion

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Afternoon all.

Recently bought a R56 MCS and just wondered if you thought this was the rattly timing chain issue?

Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW7o471w4PU&fea...

Chr1sch

2,585 posts

194 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Potentially, ours sounded something like that, it's more pronounced on startup and tends to fade away. They are pretty tappy engines but there does sound like there is an underlying rattle

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Chr1sch said:
Potentially, ours sounded something like that, it's more pronounced on startup and tends to fade away. They are pretty tappy engines but there does sound like there is an underlying rattle
Thanks Chris. Still can't quite make up my mind whether there's a problem or not. Did you get yours sorted?

nickfrog

21,290 posts

218 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Not sure. Does the noise evolve when fully warmed up ? The recording doesn't convey the "volume", but it sounds similar to mine (which I assume doesn't rattle, or if it does, it always rattles, LOL). It does sound diesely but all the ones that I have heard do.

Rollcage

11,327 posts

193 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Ive got no experience at all of these engines, but that does NOT sound right at all. Sounds like an old triple pot Corsa with a worn chain!

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Thanks all. Still seems like it could go either way whether there's a problem or not. Seems to be a case of TADTS.

mike9009

7,044 posts

244 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
Does sound very much like mine did! So could well be the death rattle. Fairly easy to fix...

Best of luck...

Mike

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
mike9009 said:
Does sound very much like mine did! So could well be the death rattle. Fairly easy to fix...

Best of luck...

Mike
Thanks Mike. To be honest, unless the bonnet's open I don't really notice it.

Sam.F

1,144 posts

201 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
quotequote all
I only ever found that mine made the noise when the engine was cold, and it was most pronounced when pulling away. Difficult to tell from a video where the car is idling with the bonnet open as that engine always sounds a bit rattly at idle, does the noise get louder on pulling away?

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
Sam.F said:
I only ever found that mine made the noise when the engine was cold, and it was most pronounced when pulling away. Difficult to tell from a video where the car is idling with the bonnet open as that engine always sounds a bit rattly at idle, does the noise get louder on pulling away?
It doesn't get any louder on pulling away at all. To be honest, unless the bonnets open it's very apparent. Reckon it my be normal?

jimslops

6,419 posts

155 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
Luke. said:
It doesn't get any louder on pulling away at all. To be honest, unless the bonnets open it's very apparent. Reckon it my be normal?
Timing chain

£300-3400 to fix at dealer. Half that anywhere else.

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
jimslops said:
Timing chain

£300-3400 to fix at dealer. Half that anywhere else.
It's still under warranty, so I'll get it booked in. Ta.

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
I don't suppose anyone has a link to a normal sounding engine?

Try to find one, but all I got was rattles.

Loui

350 posts

208 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
Just get it booked in and looked at as you really don't want the timing jumping which I've seen happen!! The end results aren't pretty!!!

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
Morning all. Just driven to the station, about 3 miles, and the noise was exactly the same the other end. Does thus suggest there's no problem and r56 engines generally sound diesely?

Poprin

39 posts

156 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
Basically rule of thumb I’ve found (Owned my S a while now and had the death rattle) is that if your engine sounds like a bag of spanners in a tumble dryer and drives fine then so long as your oil is topped up it probably is fine (damn French).

If when you start your engine small children start crying, all the neighbours dogs start barking and everyone in the street is staring at you wondering why you have chosen to power your mini using a rudimentary assortment of cogs and pulleys then you probably have the death rattle.

mike9009

7,044 posts

244 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
When I viewed my current car in a dealer, it sounded like a diesel on start-up.

After about ten minutes idling in the dealership, the sound had almost disappeared. After a 20 minute test drive it was not there.

I still got the dealer to replace the tensioner with the new design. Since then, I have had no further problems. Not sure if this offers any help. But I would definitely get the dealer to have a look and replace as necessary. It sounds like yours may be a little worse than mine was originally.....

Mike

MarioKart

47 posts

160 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
They're not the most refined engines at idle. I queried the sound of mine with the dealer who happily let me compare with 2 other Minis. One was brand new and seemed a bit quieter (could be the newer engine, mine is mid 2009) while the other one sounded the same.

As soon as I apply a few revs though mine sounds lovely and smooth (especially after I've been driving the other half's diesel Focus!) As has been said previously just keep the oil topped up and don't worry about it, unless it becomes horrendous!

Luke.

Original Poster:

11,020 posts

251 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
MarioKart said:
They're not the most refined engines at idle. I queried the sound of mine with the dealer who happily let me compare with 2 other Minis. One was brand new and seemed a bit quieter (could be the newer engine, mine is mid 2009) while the other one sounded the same.

As soon as I apply a few revs though mine sounds lovely and smooth (especially after I've been driving the other half's diesel Focus!) As has been said previously just keep the oil topped up and don't worry about it, unless it becomes horrendous!
Cheers Mario Kart. Just had a squizz at your profile and you mentioned you had your death rattle cured. Did the fix work and does it now sound quieter than mine in the Youtube link?

MarioKart

47 posts

160 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
At work at the moment so can't view the link but I'll have a look later and let you know. However I would say if you can't hear any rattling when you're in the car (with the windows up!) it's probably fine.

Mine was never really that bad- there were 2 or 3 instances where it seemed noisier first thing in the morning so I mentioned it when I went in for a service. They read the codes on my key and said it needed doing. This was some time after I'd done the comparison with other Minis and been 'reassured'.

Apparently modern direct injection petrol engines have a lot in common with diesels which may explain their character at idle.