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Engine rattle on start-up?

35K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  magshoel 
#1 ·
Does anyone elses engine rattle on start-up after leaving over night. My car only seems to do this when it gets around freezing after being left all day or over night.? Doesn't happen all the time? :confused:
 
#2 ·
you're not alone on this one. My Cooper developed this fault at about 400 miles and somedays it is worse than others. The colder it is, the noisier and longer it is. Oil level has been checked and was ok, car was left overnight for the technician to hear and I then compared it with several other cars on site to prove it is NOT normal. MINI were contacted about this and they have asked for oil pressure readings to be taken. So.....the correct MINI workshop tool has been ordered (and is subsequently backordered) to carry out the tests and we will wait and see what the people in the Technical Department at MINI have to say about it. Hopefully by the time I get back from a week off work the part will be off backorder and I can get the car in and sorted, although I will still be waiting for my new seat frame to cure the annoying squeak which I can only eradicate by altering the height of the seat when it reappears.....but anyway,.....I digress. If you approach your dealer about the cold start up rattle which disappears once the oil gets to the top of the engine, then don't let them tell you it is normal and a characteristic of the car as it is NOT.
 
#3 ·
I hope it is a trait of the engine!? I have talked to at least 5 MINI owners whose cars do the same, including mine. One MINI owner actually stopped me in a car park to ask if mine did the same! Not every time, but now and again. I don't think it is an oil pressure problem because if the pressure was that low the engine management would show it as a warning. I think it is due to drain-down of oil from the top of the engine when left. The valves use the engine oil to "pump up" the hydraulic valve clearance adjusters. Thats why the rattle stops when the engine revs rise as you pull away. What this has to do with temperature I don't know, but it may be something to do with where the valves rest when the engine is switched off? It always sounds like it is one valve only that rattles. Come on mechanics out there. Give us your views. :)
 
#5 ·
Redhotmini said:
how about a big "CLUNK" sound when pulling away in second gear??? i seem to get this when the engine is cold, not sure if its the engine or transmission though :confused:
You may want to use the search function for more information on this phenomenon. Many MINI owners have reported similar noise and the general conclusion is that it is the normal function of the MINI’s ABS system self-checking itself upon first hitting 12 mph (20 kph) each journey. :)
 
#6 ·
I will post a reply here once the tool arrives and the oil pressure test is complete and BMW/MINI have advised further. I think you are right though R1, it sure seems to be down to oil drain down but the oil pressure test is at the request of BMW/MINI so we have to do that first. I tried a few other cars with the technician that had been standing overnight and none of them made the same noise so it can't be a trait of the engine........it just sounds hideous and it really shouldn't do it in my opinion.

I will let you all know.
 
#7 ·
I mentioned this in a prior thread, but it could be due to something as simple as the oil filter. Top quality filters usually have an anti-drainback valve to hold oil in the filter when the engine is off. That way, the oil pressure will come up faster. It is possible they use different filters, depending upon availability.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Just a note. My engine has rattled on start-up only about 5 times since October last year, and I use it every day. It went a whole month before doing it again when the temp. dropped to -6 overnight? Strange!!?
I have sent an Email to BMW about this. I will let you know if I get a reply!
 
#10 ·
R1, oil is thicker when cold so probably takes longer to flow and build up pressure. Do you know what the oil is? Perhaps a multi-vis would be better when Winter comes. It is temperate in California so I run a 20W50. Some new cars come from the factory with 10W30 or even 5W20.
 
#11 ·
BlisterinCooper said:
Does anyone elses engine rattle on start-up after leaving over night. My car only seems to do this when it gets around freezing after being left all day or over night.? Doesn't happen all the time? :confused:
This is common on many cars - My Audi A4 V6 and MINI included - it is caused by the hydraulic tappets - the oil drains out of the tappets over night and takes a little time to re-fill the tappets on start-up in the morning.

It gets worse when the oil is hotter on shut-down (it drains easier) and when the morning is colder (takes longer to re-fill the tappets).

If all the tappets do it and for less than say 3 seconds, then it won't be doing any harm. If one tappet continues to "tick" after this time, then you have a "lazy tappet" and it should be replaced.

Hope this helps.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the help guys, but if you read my earlier posts on this subject, I too gave the same advice to others. Problem is my dealer has never heard this on any other car! I know other people have had this problem, but when people at work say, on start-up, "I didn't know your MINI was a diesel!" you know somethings not right.
I still think it is drain-down of the oil from the top of the engine when left. The hydraulic tapets should have a sort of pressure lock in them to keep oil in. This is obviously at fault.
I will be after some freebies for this!
 
#13 ·
Mazda V6s do it too

Before my MINI Cooper I had a Ford Probe 24v. The Mazda V6 engine in it suffers exactly the same problem. Probe and MX-6 owner all over the world rant about it. It has something to do with the holes that let the oil into the tappets being very small for high performance reasons.

Rattly engine at start up is the price you pay for having a suped-up top end on your engine.

I wonder if the MINI Ones make less noise than the Coopers.
 
#16 ·
I started a thread on this subject back in October and received little response.

The dealer requested advice from a technical advisor at BMW and confirmed that this was a normal characteristic of hydraulic tappets.

I then asked for this to be put in writing for future reference and they duly obliged.

Apparantly this is common in many modern engines but is embarrasing to say the least.

If the replacement tappets cure the problem, please can we be advised accordingly? I seem to have a "Lazy" tappet for some seconds upon start-up.
 
#17 ·
I have this problem (along with many others) and I was told that this was normal and not to worry about it, which I must admit pised me off as I don't like the sound at all.
I sympathise with you R1 as I've had the odd diesel comment as well. I'm now very tempted to print out this thread and take it in to my dealer on the 25th when they'll be having my car for an entire week to sort out the plethora of problems.

Jon
 
#18 ·
Hmmmmm......

I thought i would dig this up from the depths as i seem to have a simailar symptom.

after a cold engine startup (outside ambient temp irrelevant)i have a funny squeeking noise, kind of like a dry bearing noise coming from the engine. it probably lasts for about 2 minutes, then vanishes. its audible from inside the car, and when i opened the bonnet, it seemed to be coming from the area around the alternator (driver side front) - coan't be sure tho.

Curiously, when i opened the bonnet, i noticed an intermittent rattle, coming in approx every 2 seconds when the engine was on idle. It seemed to be coming from the top, rear of the engine.

now i thought that it might just be something like a piece of heas shielfing or a plastic part from around the coolant/ brake master cylinder area, but holding the various parts doesnt seem to stop it. but it does seem to subside after a couple of minutes when idling and completely vanishes once driven.

Does this sound like the same issue?

Comments welcome

Gerry
 
#19 ·
The squeek is the engine accessory belt.


Mine squeeked for a few weeks after I took delivery.

If your has been doing it for longer then that, then get the tension looked at


The rattle from the top of the engine is the timing chain.
Mine does it for say a minute after the engine is started
from cold - so does my wifes BMW.
 
#21 ·
Hi all,

I've not been reading anything on the site for a while now as I've been too busy with work :( Then I got the reminder that someone has replied to this topic...

I was told my rattley engine was normal, the last time I mentioned it, however, they replaced the tappets anyway:confused:

I'm defintely going for rejection now as I still have quite a few problems despite the car having been back about 7 times to the dealer, which is clearly unacceptable.

R1, would you mind giving us the details of your rejection process? It would be a great help. :)


Thanks,

Jon
 
#22 ·
Jon E said:
R1, would you mind giving us the details of your rejection process? It would be a great help. :)


Thanks,

Jon
Hi Jon.

First of all I Emailed MINI customer services at:

customer.service@mini.co.uk.

(I will send you a private message with a sample of what I wrote).

Then I mentioned my dissmay at the ever increasing problems I was having with my car to the dealer, explaining that I thought that their service towards me as a dealer had been excellent and that I was chasing BMW/MINI for a resolve to my problems! ;)

What worked for me was getting my dealer on my side from the start. I am one of the lucky ones though that seems to have a very good dealer! :D

Firm but fair is the key!!

Good luck! ;)

Steve.
 
#23 ·
Re: Rattle update.

R1 said:
Just an update on my engines rattle.
Dealer phoned today and told me my engines hydraulic tappets have got to be replaced!! :confused:
Parts here in two weeks!
That was what I was suspecting when I first read this thread. The tappets should not drain so quickly. I had a pick-up with over 200,000 miles and it was just starting to do the same thing. You wouldn't over 200,000 miles on your MINI already:D :D ;) ;) :p
 
#26 ·
Hello fellow Mini Rattlers

Hate to admit it, but my previous car was a Chysler Neon RT, which appart from being the worst car I have ever owned, had the infamous Pentagon Engine, which I understand is the same unit used in the new Mini. This really put me off buying a Mini intially, but decided to go for it. The top end engine rattled massively on cold start up, as did any others I tried or heard. Chysler were obviosly aware of this 'cos they modded the ECU to rev up the engine on start-up. My Mini also rattles on start-up in exactly the same way. I blip the throttle on start-up which cuts down the duration of the engine noise. I think it's a trait of this particular engine.

RJK
 
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