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2014 countryman all4 S misfire on 2 cylinders

3540 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  mike1967
2014 counteryman s all4 got a message saying reduced power and is currently is in limp mode. Cleared the codes and keep getting the same back.
P0300 - random misfire
P0301- Misfire cyl #1
P0303 - Misfire cyl #3
Good ol` spark plugs and coils will fix the job?
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Take the plugs out and check for sure.

You can swap the coils around and see if the problem follows. If it's still 1 and 3, then it's not the coils.

It's a little weird two cylinders had problems at the same time?
Take the plugs out and check for sure.

You can swap the coils around and see if the problem follows. If it's still 1 and 3, then it's not the coils.

It's a little weird two cylinders had problems at the same time?
yes two cylinders
I'm going by the standpoint you have the N18 engine.

What I would do is change the sparkplugs to begin with and try to find a good
alternative unless your a NGK connoisseur; as there have been known fakes and bootlegs
of the NGK brand going around.
I would check for air leaks in the intake and valve cover as well as the fuel vent
return(hose that runs from the valve cover to the underside of the intake manifold.
A leak as simple as a aftermarket cone filter to intake piping itself can cause that
result.
A cracked fuel return pipe does not give any chances and will produce that result.
A cracked fuel return neck(what the fuel return pipe connects to on the valve cover)
Can also produce mis fire's.
A Map or M.A.F. that is going bad can produce that.
A clogged Vanos solenoid can also do that.

Those are the simple things I would check. They would be in that order also.
Not because they get more expensive. more for the fact that is the common occurrences
of them.

After that the problems would be more severe. And in limp mode, along with a
generic code. It really could be anything else. Such as

Overheating,timing chain,compression loss.

That also is listed in order they occur not because of the price of each fix.

It's fun to think it simple and it's fun to be creative with answers but the main
information That I personally would need to know is the Mileage?
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I'm going by the standpoint you have the N18 engine.

What I would do is change the sparkplugs to begin with and try to find a good
alternative unless your a NGK connoisseur; as there have been known fakes and bootlegs
of the NGK brand going around.
I would check for air leaks in the intake and valve cover as well as the fuel vent
return(hose that runs from the valve cover to the underside of the intake manifold.
A leak as simple as a aftermarket cone filter to intake piping itself can cause that
result.
A cracked fuel return pipe does not give any chances and will produce that result.
A cracked fuel return neck(what the fuel return pipe connects to on the valve cover)
Can also produce mis fire's.
A Map or M.A.F. that is going bad can produce that.
A clogged Vanos solenoid can also do that.

Those are the simple things I would check. They would be in that order also.
Not because they get more expensive. more for the fact that is the common occurrences
of them.

After that the problems would be more severe. And in limp mode, along with a
generic code. It really could be anything else. Such as

Overheating,timing chain,compression loss.

That also is listed in order they occur not because of the price of each fix.

It's fun to think it simple and it's fun to be creative with answers but the main
information That I personally would need to know is the Mileage?
Hey I appreciate your answer. I agree on the parts. However I wasn't able to find anything aftermarket so I'm using mini dealership parts.

Coils 135 each spark plugs 27 Canadian $

Car has 90.000KM we bought it used with 70k I assume the vehicle is in need of service anyways. I like all the points you made and will take them into account. During the spark plug change I'm also gonna compression test all 4 cylinders. Fingers crossed.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Have your dealer perform a relative compression test; it's less costly, and help to quickly isolate if the misfire is related to engine compression before you throw a lot of money at parts.

Have your dealer perform a relative compression test; it's less costly, and help to quickly isolate if the misfire is related to engine compression before you throw a lot of money at parts.

your totally right its not good when someone misinforms people and sends them on a wild goose chase just hope people take what he says with a pinch of salt and understand it comes from someone who is not a car tech just a internet reader etc and copy and pasted stuff etc, could cost someone who is honestly looking for help and not be told a load or uninformed maybe's ... your post is what i would of wrote about it and is the correct way to start working such faults out,,
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I might not be a car Tech but I'm an industrial mechanic who also worked in transportation business.

100 dollar scan tool and 700 worth of parts solved the problem. Compression on all cylinders is good.

From what I've seen working on this vehicle is that the spark plugs were original at 90.000 km while the coils were replaced by someone previously with cheap quality parts.
At 70,000 I had the timing chain re done and I also had a wal nut blast done before
or right after that. So In the states the timing chain was free for me I had the
car under warranty, but in the general sense. They were under re call here in the states.

Now if your good with mechanics then you would have some idea as to what the major
factors are that contribute to the problems with the N14 and N18.
Let me back up a second, I not referring to the idea it is direct fuel injection and
things gum up. What That is to me (guming up the valve stems and burning holes through
pistons and blow by gases that are off the charts); is the entire field of understanding
of a mini cooper 2nd generation engine.
It's term people,owners and others refer to like it is specific and exact. Is it
exact? Yes.......In the grand scheme of things. It's managable if you maintain your
car and are aware of the intervals.
But that is NOT WHAT I MEAN BY MAJOR FACTORS. After rebuilding my engine after a
long journey with my Mini Cooper sense 2010. I have become snap matic about problems
with the car should they occur. Sense the rebuild they have not. Rebuilding the engine
gave me a chance to see how the car reacts with all types of new parts. It was not
perfect there were losses and pitfalls along the way.
Although I did find out some major playing factors.
1. Would be The Air leaks at that fuel return line. From getting cracked by man handling
it or just cracking over time and from it being brittle. Same way with the valve cover.
1A. I Learned to use Superlube O ring silicon grease. Because when I wanted to check
Things I would have had to have bought 200 dollars just in intake manifold gaskets.
And probably another 100 in valve cover gaskets. I GET IT. The engine is novel.
When I had my engine under warranty and then extended warranty I would never mess with
the engine bay. I SHOULD HAVE THOUGH. It was not all that.
2. The heating of the cabin and the cooling of the engine. Is a focused issue, Because
in the summer one can drive and drive and drive on a coolant system that is partially
failed and not even have a code thrown. This is due to the trifecta of cooling capabilities
it has on board.
2a.It has a Thermostat traditional in nature to that of any conventional thermostat.
Heating up when water under the thermostat until it opens from a coil that is expands
at a certain temperature; opening the thermostat. That is imbedded into the thermostat
housing.
2b. It has a heating element that is the other wire dongle coming off the thermostat
housing. That heating element is controlled by the computer and it sits under the
thermostat; also imbedded into the thermostat housing.
2c. Then you have a Cooling fan That cools the radiator.
Which one of these is most important? In my own opinion. It is the Radiator Fan.
Important because it can over run itself and break easiest.

It's important to have a cooling system working by the guide of the computer. Not
to the will of the temperature. That is one point. The car can still run fine losing
various system like that. THAT'S WHAT THE THERMOSTAT IN IT'S TRADITIONAL FORM IS FOR.
TO MAKE SURE THE CAR DOES NOT OVERHEAT!

Stay upbeat congrads on the success with the engine!
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thermostat and heat control on these engines are does by a piloted ecu controlled housing , it maintains a certain temperature at engine load the reason behind this is, petrol and to much heat cause lean outs and melt the engine down, if engine is to cold the petrol goes the other way rich and washes the bores causes blow past and destroys the engine,, on these engines due to emissions laws and where by design they run very hot on the verge of lean out,,, reason for this is get more power out of the point of lean out for less fuel ie mpg is better for the power they get out of it,
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