Mini Cooper N12B16 2007 - Poor performance - Fixed #
Posted by Richard Endean on August 5, 2014, 2:57 pm
Year of Manufacture *: 2007 ( Optional ) Engine Code or CC: 1598
Came in with misfire under load and generally poor performance. Scoped the ignition and found two coils faulty - replaced and misfire now gone.
Using either DEC or KTS, MAP readings looked suspect and cleaning made no difference. Fitted new sensor but still have live data of between 850 and 1050 hPa - no matter how you drive. Fault code of 2B68 Air Mass plausibility - but it doesn't have an air flow meter.
Car starts and idles perfectly but lacks torque between 2 - 4000 rpm. Feels like it's either weak or retarded - or both.
Driven agressively, keeping revs above 4000, it seems ok.
Wondered if there might be a software fix but dealer had never heard of anything - or of the fault code I described.
FWIW, the car fails mot emissions test on co reading of appx 0.4% but the cat may come back to life if we get the thing running properly.
Feeling a bit lost on this one any help most welcome.
Just noticed I put this under General Technical. Doh!
What does the live data look like? What does the coolant temp reading look like in live data? Did you replace the spark plugs when you replaced the ignition coils? If so what did the plugs look like? What does a high CO reading tell you? What were the other emission readings please? Regards John
Hi Richard, We had a non-profit 'training course' on one of these last year, a brief outline of job...
Been in other garage, new coils & plugs fited, plugs foulded due to burning oil, intermittent poor running, low power & im sure the same code you have, also VVT code. We flushed & changed filthy oil, replaced plugs, updated software, which then gave new code after driving (motor actuator for variable lift). New motor then fitted (through gritted teeth as couldnt see an issue & too difficult to diagnose, scope current trace difficult to determine) & all adaptions re-set again made car run much better. Went fine for days, customer delighted, then started to intermittently lose power, sometimes power flatter than a flounder on a hunger-strike, wouldnt take throttle in workshop, sounded leaner than a limbo dancer or more retarded than forrest gump, a sniff of carb cleaner during rev-up didnt help engine rev, but up my nostrils did at least make me feel better (Samaritans were on speed-dial at this point). I had noticed a strange dust on floor at rear exhaust when car was in prev so decided to check CAT, which appeared ok on bottom side, but was burnt on top (removed 02 sensor to check). The customer again reminded us "i was thinking of selling car soon, so dont want to spend too much" as we discussed a final price to replace the catalyst on this A/C fitted car, which turned out that either the tech I chose to do the job was the wrong man for the task or someone at Autodata had been smoking something when they indicated the repair time. Anyway, once the treads tore out of the bottom 02 sensor during removal (which was not allowed for, and proved to be the final nail in the coffin on this job) we were able to carry out a full Italian Tune (drive car like it was stolen) mile after mile, no lights, no codes, happy days.
The intake system on this car does not have a conventional vacuum, which is why you dont see a change in MAP, i believe its there only as a backup if the variable lift system fails. Some Peugeot cars have an ECU update to assist a mixture issue which damaged the catalyst & makes internals drop down onto lower 02 sensor, but i suspect your cat may be damaged due to misfire and that is why it wont pass MOT emissions. As also pointed out, these dreadful engines jump timing, have piston & valve problems, use oil, bla bla, bla.... Hope this helps somewhere along the line for you.
To answer a couple of questions - and ask one more:
The spark plugs looked perfect - no suspicion of burning oil.
On emissions test, it was running closed loop but the cat wouldn't light up. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a cat but wouldn't fit one before the engine was running properly. I'd considered it being blocked but the engine runs fine when flat out at 5-6000 rpm. Surely a blocked cat wouldn't behave like that?
If the cam timing jumps, does it throw up a related code? The symptoms fit but with sensors on both cams I thought it might notice if something jumped a tooth.
on August 5, 2014, 10:34 pm, in reply to "