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Starting troubles

4K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  mike1967 
#1 ·
Hello Folks!

My 2007 R56 JCW has developed a starting problem. I had it serviced and decoked six months ago (5000km) and it was running sweet as, however it now has intermittent cold starting problems.
Push the button, it starts and runs for a few seconds and then dies. It sometimes does this 5-6 times. It seems that the cylinders drop off until it is left running on one than none.

Once the engine has started and the engine is running smoothly, there are no more problems. hot or warm starts seem to be no problem. Somewhere I read that this could be the coolant temperature sender unit, but anyone had the same symptoms, and if so, what could be the cure?

A few weeks ago I had an engine error warning "Reduced Power". I switched off and then back on and it seemed to clear the problem and normal power was back. I don't think that this was related to the cold start problem, but how do I access error codes without taking it to my favourite service centre?

Cheers!
 
#6 ·
I didn't get any fault codes, not on my own cheapo OBDII/CAN reader anyway, and I didn't get a check engine light either - just really poor cold starting. When it was hot it was perfectly normal. After I fixed it it started perfectly immediately, but was down on power for about 20 miles, but then back to normal. It's now fine. pump and pipe (which I didn't use) was £286.00
 
#9 ·
May I ask you a question? My son has a 2008 2nd Gen Clubman. It has always ran great. No error codes, He went to start it and nothing. All of the basics have been checked, so he started by replacing the high pressure fuel pump. It cranks, has spark, but still won’t start. Any ideas on what to try next. I’m trying to help by researching. I have seen possibilities:
Carbon buildup on pistons
Failed valve cover gasket can cause oil getting into plugs
High pressure fuel line
I appreciate your insight
 
#10 ·
Hi there,
It could be one of so many things, but it would seem that the HPFP was not to blame for the first problem, usually they develop slowly over time, taking more and more pushes of the start button before running OK. Carbon build-up causes pre-ignition or knocking at about 2800-300 rpm when under full throttle, also loss of power and increasing fuel consumption.
High pressure fuel line would be spraying fuel everywhere if that had failed. Failed valve cover gasket would be obvious from the oil seeping everywhere on the top of the engine. The engine should still run OK. Probably better to take it to a workshop somewhere and get it diagnosed. Connecting the OBD interface and hooking it up to the computer only takes a minute or two. Any decent garage would do it for free, knowing that you would probably ask them to do whatever needs doing. Sorry I cant be more helpful.
Cheers, Richard
 
#11 ·
trouble with any descent garage would diagnose it and it only takes a few minutes, impossible to correct diagnose any car within a few minutes of plugging it in especially with the faults above,, descent garage would have descent diagnostics gear that cost so much money and would be classed as part of a repair so would be charged. as part of diagnostic a smoke test would prob be needed to check for vac leaks within the inlet system and rocker cover even, also a compression test if has misfires etc , and maybe scope some of components all takes a few hours, failure to diagnose anything is correct and full manor will always end badly unless lucky and like that saying goes even a blind dog will fond a bone once,,, see so many people think they save money by getting ideas of what it might be and start throwing parts it to see if its that and then find the sensors are just reacting to a mechanical issue or something,, ho yes it takes 10 minutes maybe to pull a fault code off,,, like this say pull a fault code for map sensor and stop diagnoses at that point and replace the map sensor thats a £100 for part, to find still have same fault re-scanned and found still map sensor so no further diagnostics replace wiring £300 still the same,,, replace throttle body same thing,, £160 and so on so many things can cause it,
then another garage that will not do a for nothing 10 minute code read tells customer needs live data needs compression test and smoke test ect, they spend a few hours on it and find a £2 rubber O-ring split on inlet manifold car fixed running perfectly cost 4 hours worth of labor and £2 ie the manifold was a 2 hour job,,, this car came to me after doing its rounds a few favor scans and a lot of parts thrown at it,, just because a scan pulls a code it dont mean its that at fault,, i have seen misfire faults on start up with proper scans on cooper s engines its very easy to know when high pressure fuel pump is at fault, same as misfires and compression test will flag clearly carbon valves off their seats etc,, the missing bit here is this i get a number of garages that contact me with issues where they cant pull the live data scans apart enough to see what going on,, and most of the time these engines gave a number of issues around the 60-80.000 miles mark,, ie turbo cars have high pressure fuel pump, inlet valve timing chain issue even head gasket issues thermostat housing etc knowing this its better to start form a known good start point ie timing chain ie the chain will not do much above 60.000 miles and will always be out of time, treat as a service item same as thermo housing,, they also use a lot of oil if using more than 1 litre to 1000 miles chance are the cat and 02 sensors will be hurt
 
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