[profiteroles]

I'm worried.

300 miles into my brand new F56 cooper petrol and I've been largely driving with a heavy right foot (regularly up to the redline at traffic lights). Great fun.

Completely absent from my mind was any kind of running in procedure!

I noticed today (and it could have been like this since I got it) te engine sounds very noticeably ticky ie tick tick tick sound that goes as you rev it. It could have been like that since day 1 and I am being paranoid - I'd be interested if anyone else has it?

Have I permanently damaged my baby?

 

[culprit]

I'm worried.

300 miles into my brand new F56 cooper petrol and I've been largely driving with a heavy right foot (regularly up to the redline at traffic lights). Great fun.

Completely absent from my mind was any kind of running in procedure!

I noticed today (and it could have been like this since I got it) te engine sounds very noticeably ticky ie tick tick tick sound that goes as you rev it. It could have been like that since day 1 and I am being paranoid - I'd be interested if anyone else has it?

Have I permanently damaged my baby?

You won't have done anything to the motor...the debate about running engines in is as old as the hills. I have had 5 new cars in the last 10 years...didn't run a single one in (as per handbook instructions) and have never had an issue.

The ticking noise is just your imagination I suspect. Go listen to one at a dealer if you are worried.

The main point, does it feel responsive and sound good?

You won't get a dealer to formerly tell you not to follow the instructions...ask them though if the hand book break in procedure is followed for their demo cars

I had an RS3 from new, Audi master tech advised that I drive it like I nicked it right off the back of the transporter

>

 

[profiteroles]

It feels and sounds great, except on idle when it sounds like an (albeit modern) diesel - it could be me though, I'll go to the dealer and compare

 

[johnan]

Definitely go to the dealer and compare. It will probably be nothing to do with not following a break in regime, but a manufacturing fault that needs to be investigated.

My Petrol Cooper does not make a ticking sound at idle. In the old days that was often due to an exhaust leak at the manifold, apart from the usual tappet adjustment problems which could plague older cars.

I wouldn't advise caning any car right out of the box, for longevity of components that mate together it is best to let them settle and bed in before adding excessive stress to the equation.

 

[profiteroles]

went to the dealer and compared to a cooper with 6000 miles on it (14 plate) and mine sounded quieter! its not so much a ticking sound more of a tickatickaticka if that makes sense. having said that the dealer demos aren't exactly looked after either.

 

[johnan]

Don't be concerned then!

If the dealership are not perturbed and your car is going fine then just enjoy the car.

You have registered your "complaint" and you can always go back if it gets worse.

(Maybe mine does it too, but I am a little deaf!)

 

[profiteroles]

I've listened again and im more and more convinced its nothing.. id say its "raspy". just I heard a corsa petrol in Tesco's car park that sounded completely silent (like, you could just about hear a tiny faint hiss) and thought... my bmw engine sounds worse than that Vauxhall! can't be right!


then again that probably not the point of the mini - you don't get the fantastic burble, hisses, tishes and pops from a corsa!

 

[jeremybingham]

I think it's fine. Don't worry. Direct injection engines definitely sound coarser than non. It's just a feature. It's also got the 3 cylinder gruffness. Just listen to a Porsche driven in anger and you will definitely think it's refined. Enjoy!

 

[yardstick]

Direct Injection vehicles make that tick tick tick noise....it is the injectors.

 

[JohnWB]

Direct Injection vehicles make that tick tick tick noise....it is the injectors.

If you can hear it when you are driving, take your foot of the throttle and the noise will stop, as no fuel goes to the injectors then.

That's why it's better to go down hills in gear, not in neutral as that keeps the engine running by injecting petrol.

 

[Lonelycupid]

Engine wise, nothing that you'd have caused imho (not disregarding the ticky problem at all)

Breaking in procedure is a dead horse. (Some even suggest that you need to drive it hard, at various rev range,... etc)

All engines would have gone through testing, run-in before they get dropped into your car. Manufacturers run these babies til they're red hot for testing and QC.

The break-in applies more for other components ie: breaks, suspensions, joineries ...