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Sport Mode Exhaust Popping Behavior Changes at Exactly 70mph

12K views 32 replies 12 participants last post by  vicvo 
#1 ·
2016 Cooper S with manual transmission.

I've scoured the interwebs for this topic and have come up empty handed so here we go.

In Sport Mode, where you get the exhaust popping noise effect, it will completely cease any popping at or beyond exactly 70mph. Let off the gas at 69mph or below, you'll hear some pops. 70mph or anything higher (allegedly) and there is zero popping whatsoever. It is repeatable and I have a remus valved exhaust so the transition from popping to not is very noticeable if the valve is open.

I'm personally indifferent to the popping, kinda fun but also annoying sometimes, I would like it to be consistent at least!

Can anyone confirm Sport Mode popping, or not, above 70mph on their Cooper S? I'm in warranty until August but would like to be armed with some feedback before I go in and try to explain this. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Nothing to worry about. Cooper S manual with JCW tuning kit here. 65-70 still loud pops, 70-75 very quiet pops, above that nothing at all.

Maybe at higher speed they programmed it to stop dumping fuel?

At that speed you should be downshifting anyway to hear that engine sing 🥰
 
#3 ·
"65-70 still loud pops, 70-75 very quiet pops, above that nothing at all."

Well that right there tells me something is different, unless you are referencing road noise drowning it out. There is no tapering off for me, it is as loud as ever to up 70mph, then absolutely nothing past that. I can be driving on a smooth road and modulate the throttle above and below 70mph and clearly notice the popping feature is going on and off, as if the ECU is set to toggle it at off at 70mph. But if that was true for all F56 Cooper S it seemed strange to me no one ever mentioned it on the forums. Same behavior occurs regardless of gear.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the replies everyone. Seems this behavior is not known to be normal, so I'll probably be inquiring with the dealer soon.

A couple other things I'll throw out there, I have used the Bimmercode app to turn off the sound generator. I can't quite remember the popping behavior before as I did this very early on in my ownership (bought it used last year) but I figured I'd mention it. Doubtful it's connected but who knows.

The other thing I have noticed on my car is that fully turning off traction and stability control (the 3 second hold) makes the exhaust gurgle and pop a little bit, even in Mid mode. It's nothing like it is in sport mode, but clearly noticeable, and also seems to go away at 70mph but maybe road roise is a factor here. I have also never heard anyone else mention traction/stability control having an effect an exhaust noises. Hmmm.
 
#13 ·
Perhaps "wrong" isn't the right word, but isn't it strange the same exact model behaves differently like this? Like I said for my MCS, 70mph is consistently and reliably the exact cut-off point for the popping. If Mini didn't specifically program in 70mph, which given that others are in fact hearing popping above then they did not, then what is going on here? It does seem that speed is a factor eventually for those who reach higher speeds.

It's distracting to me when I'm on more open roads or even a track day and sometimes loud popping, sometimes nothing, sometimes loud popping, sometimes nothing, sometimes loud popping, entirely dependent on whether I am lifting off the throttle below 70, or above 70. Why? Just give me the pops and bangs or don't, and now I am even more curious about the root cause since other F56 MCS behave differently.
 
#20 ·
Alright so seems we're settling on the fact that the F56 sport mode exhaust behavior is dependent on speed, with an unknown variable of tunes. I have mixed feelings, I wasn't worried about it per se, but I was hoping this was something I could resolve in some way. The distinct on/off toggle at exactly 70mph irks me because I always notice it now and can think of no good reason for this behavior to be programmed in. I wonder what could be done if I pestered the dealer enough about it.

I found a video with further evidence of the low speed popping, nothing at high speed behavior.
 
#21 ·
Just to throw it in there. I have a cooper S with no engine mods as yet. When i had the standard exhaust in sport mode i had the same, very little pops and bangs at higher motorway speeds. Ive since swapped the exhaust for a JCW exhaust and it now pops and bangs at the higher speeds. I don't think there is anything to worry about.
I'm expecting slightly more pops and bangs after the engine remap. Just need them to open again now from this lockdown so i can get it done
 
#22 ·
This thread has got me confused now? Is this exhaust noise only related to manual cars or do you need to have an uprated exhaust fitted?

Got an F54 Cooper S, with the 7 speed DCT box and had the chance to try it out today. Radio off, windows down, manual mode, Sport mode selected, 5k rpm, lift off aaaand, nothing. No pops or crackles at all?

Disappointed of Droitwich!
 
#26 ·
Have you got a new car with a GPF? Think they’re quieter in a first few thousand miles. Also 5K RPM might be too high, try around 3-4. Warm exhaust for about 7mins. Good way to test it out is on your drive after you’ve been out. Mine’s a manual so not sure of what gear your auto should be in for stationary pops.
 
#23 · (Edited)
There are a few things going on here. From what I've gathered "LCI" cars (in certain countries) do not do any purposeful popping from the exhaust whatsoever because of a particulate filter, at least in some countries apparently. If LCI and the filter apply to you then this thread isn't relevant.

Pre-LCI, for manual and auto MCS and JCW as far as I know, Mini programmed in the pops and crackles for sport mode to "enhance" the experience (for better or worse), which are instigated by lifting off the throttle.

Lots of talk about exhausts because (1) you can hear the pops WAY more, and (2) the JCW exhaust comes with an optional mild tune (as far as I know), so "having the JCW exhaust" may mean the mild tune is also applied, which may or may not be relevant to my original post. Otherwise, no, any mention of aftermarkets exhaust is only about how loud the pops sound relative to stock.

For my car, a 2016 MCS, Pre-LCI, stock engine/ECU, manual, in sport mode, it is very very clear that above 70mph there is zero popping, and under 70mph it pops and bangs like crazy when lifting off. My original post was basically asking "is this normal or not", it generally seems like yes but it's hard to say with tunes since some people claim it pops even at high speeds. The toggling on and off is annoying to me and has no reason I can think of to be speed-dependent.
 
#25 ·
Regardless of how (ECU is "programmed" to control it whether fuel or timing) or if it's beneficial to performance...

If it is beneficial to performance... WHY stop doing it at >70mph?

If it is not beneficial to performance and just for fun noises... WHY stop doing it at >70mph?
 
#29 ·
May be at high speed unburnt fuel doesn't exist? I took out r57 out last night and it's the same for a full on Italian tune up. In fact it rarely pops over 50 to 60 , the faster you go after a point the fewer the pops. Doesn't pop much at walking pace either. Don't think you have an issue.
 
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#32 ·
It could be. Faster means no time for unburnt fuel hence no pops.
An engine is agnostic to road speed, I am not sure what is meant by this. Lifting off the throttle in any gear is the same event from the engine's perspective, 10mph or 100mph.

Which leads me to believe that speed is artificially involved, as in, (for pre-LCI) Mini specifically programmed a speed where the ECU changes its behavior and ceases to create the pops/bangs. I'm telling you, I get full, loud, multiple pops/bangs when lifting off at any speed and any gear all the way up to 69.99999 mph, then, at 70mph, absolutely nothing. There is no way this is caused by anything mechanical, something has toggled in the software based on speed and it ceases to produce the pops/bangs. Like I said before, the 70mph cut-off is consistent and reproducible on every single drive. If this is the way it is supposed to be from factory, fine I guess, but now I am curious why?

I still have not got a definitive answer based on my initial post. Need more people with stock engine pre-LCI MCS to comment whether their car also has a 70mph limit on the pops/bangs in sport mode. Seems most people who join forums like to mod, so ha, maybe a tougher question than I thought.
 
#31 ·
mine also has the gpf/ppf filter and it is naff, no pops bangs or burbles its completely silent, really annoyed about it but there is not much i can do.
the exhaust has got deeper as i hit 5k but no pops and i have tried so hard.
can get them back with a map but goodbye warranty.
 
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