My first post here - wondered if anyone has experienced this.
I have just bought a 2012 old JCW clubman, but have experienced a strange issue with the engine - the car is under warranty but in my experience the dealer will customarily say that they cannot find any fault if I book it in!
The issue is intermittent , and only noticeable in 6th gear with the accelerator wide open between 1800RPM - 3000RPM. While accelerating within this RPM band and gear, the engine hiccups/ skips a beat a couple of times and loses power during each short hiccup accompanied with a ticking noise, once I'm over 3K RPM the issues goes away.
I've noticed this only happening once the engine is warm, and once the car has done it, it will be repeatable it two or three times afterwards before going away for two or three days....
The car is stock, with no third party ECU remaps running on 97-99 RON unleaded in the UK. It's been serviced within its service schedule, and is not due a another service for 9000 miles / or 2015, & there are no service lights or any flashing lights showing...
I've spoken to my local dealer who have asked me to come in and demonstrate the issue to a technician - knowing my luck everything will be fine when I go!
What happens if you drop down a gear and then accelerate?
A sudden wide throttle opening under load and not enough revs for that gear can result in a over fuel/under fuel situation for a moment giving a gulp, and air temperature entering the engine can have an effect too, used to happen a lot on the old twin 40 Weber carburettors, the answer was youre bogging it down so drop down a gear, keeping the revs up and its cured ?
If I drop down a gear then all is fine - but the engine will be running at a much higher RPM.
This issue does not happen every time under the same conditions, I've replicated the conditions again and again - it's an intermittent one.
Besides - the JCW gearbox has very close gear ratios compared to the standard "Cooper S" - (I've owned both!) accelerating between 2k-3k RPM shouldn't really knock the computer controlled fuel management out. (It didn't on my last R56 Cooper S) The hiccups in power are accompanied with ticking sound.
I don't think this rev range could be classed as too low - the car usually accelerates very comfortably in 6th between 2k-3k RPM. (It did do with no issues in the previous few weeks that I've owned it!)
I'm wondering if it may just be an ECU timing/fuel issue, knock sensor pulling back the timing, excessive carbon build up, coil pack or something more serious like an injector or cylinder misfiring that could be causing the engine to hiccup in its power delivery.
BTW the car doesn't idle too smoothly either, feels lumpy like something is out of sync - it only has 27,000 miles!
I just know from my previous experiences from Mini service in Kentish Town that they'll be as useful as a glass hammer in trying to resolve this!
I wouldn't put off taking a BMW MINI Tech out for a test drive to replicate the problem.....I did this recently to try and track down a sudden increase in wind noise after a service and they were able to identify the problem where as I couldn't from behind the wheel! Also they encouraged me to drive it on a nearby stretch of motorway where we could drive at high enough speeds for it to be very audible.
However, getting back to your problem, have you got an OBD2 reader so that you can check for any error codes? I have recently bought a £12 bluetooth type reader off of ebay that plugs into the OBD socket and sends data to the TORQUE app on my (android) phone. This has enabled me to tell my independant workshop what errors are showing in the log and at least point them in the right direction. Mind you, they still insist on charging me a 'diagnostic fee' as they claim my info from the the OBD reader is 'not as good as theirs'......but at least I can confront them with the data if they try and bull***t me with a wrong diagnosis!
Also, I didn't think the Factory JCW had a different spec gearbox (closer ratios) than the Cooper S version?
Interesting option regarding the ODB -would the car throw up this kind of thing as an error? No engine warning lights show (I've know idea how error codes work!) My previous mini intermitantly never used to start again after start/stop had cut out the engine the lights - dealer could never fault it because there was no error code....
I'm sure the JCW has has a closer ratio gearbox, definitely feels "shorter" compared to my previous pre-LCI R56 hatch.. I seem able to use 6th gear quite a bit earlier and have to make sooner gear changes as I'm moving up the gears - Maybe its just faster through the gears?? uzzled:
I would have thought that if you have a dodgy sensor or some other component failing or producing an intermitant fault you would get an error code on the ECU log or at least a funny reading for that sensor feed.
Also, I have heard of Factory JCW's having their ECU Mapping mucked up by service work at a Main Dealers.
To be honest, I don't think BMW dealer mechanics actually know much about Factory JCW's or the original JC Garages/BMW fitted conversions!
Your best bet might be to try the dealer that you bought it from (if it is still under warranty) or if this doesn't work take it to one of the specialista like; Sussex Road & Race, 1320, Mini Motorsport Centre....or someone else who is near to where you live.
I have a 2003 Cooper S with a very rare 225bhp John Cooper Garages conversion. According to Mike Cooper they only did about 6-10 of these as they were mega expensive and just using up modified cylinder heads that they had made for BMW test purposes. Apparently every one of these conversions was built to a different (owners) spec including their own ECU re-map.
I have found that it is pointless me taking my car to any normal BMW service department and/or some good independants because they just don't know enough about the JCW's engines in general.
Mini Motorsport Centre and Sussex Road & Race both have ex senior John Cooper Garages personnel.
Thing is the car is only two years old - so still under warranty, and I bought it privately about a month ago... so would rather go the "warranty" route, before forking out cash
Interesting info regarding JCW's and dealer mishaps, was hoping it would just need an ECU reflash- mines a factory one and was an ex demo for mini, before going to the previous owner (Mini had the plate W66RKS on the car!)
Will order one of those ODB readers and see what it throws up...
Sorry, I didn't notice that you were talking about a new ish turbo engine that is still under MINI warranty. You should definitely be taking it to a BMW MINI service department and taking them out for a test drive to let them experience the problem.
And my comments about BMW technicians and their lack of knowledge about JCW engines and conversions apply more to the Gen 1 supercharged engines rather than the later turbos or current cars.
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