Modern MINIs are able to perfectly marry fun, color, and freedom with practicality, efficiency, and performance. With the right care, these high-performance vehicles allow motorists to express their style and individuality and provide a fun ride for many years. However, if servicing standards start to slip, then part failure will increase in occurrence. With this in mind, in this article we will take a closer look at your MINI’s timing chain, discuss what it is, what it does, and the signs and symptoms of failure.
WHAT IS THE TIMING CHAIN AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
The timing chain is also commonly referred to as the timing belt. It is an essential part in all combustion engines, motoring or otherwise. The timing chain is found in the front of your MINI and is connected to a variety of gears and pulleys that power an assortment of mechanical components, like the crankshaft and camshaft. The timing chain needs to smoothly rotate around these gears in order for your engine to start and your MINI to run.
The timing chain can be viewed as visually similar to a bicycle chain. It is a hard-working part that is made of metal and has a variety of links designed to move toothed sprockets at each end of the crankshaft and camshaft. The sprockets also open and close the cylinder head valves, allowing the pistons to drop into the combustion chamber.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN
To be able to diagnose issues with your timing chain, you need to know the likely symptoms you may be experiencing, which are as follows:
1. ENGINE MISFIRES
While engine misfires can occur for many reasons, they can also be caused by the timing chain. Timing chain faults are the main cause of mechanical misfires. Most commonly, the mechanical misfire occurs because of a loose chain that is able to skip gears. This simple gear slippage is enough to misalign the engine calibration, causing the misfire.
2. METAL SHAVINGS FOUND IN YOUR OIL
Contaminants in your oil, let alone metal shavings, is never a good sign. This will almost certainly point to a faulty timing chain. When the chain is worn, metal shavings are able to break from its weakened surface as it turns. These shavings will travel through the oil system and end up in the oil pan.
3. RATTLING ENGINE
An engine that rattles while driving needs to be diagnosed swiftly. When a timing chain is loose, then it can move more freely, meaning its vibrations can be heard, particularly when your car is idling.
DON’T DELAY
If you start to notice any of these symptoms occurring, even if intermittent or hardly noticeable, you must seek diagnostic work as soon as possible. Diagnosing and repairing the problem swiftly will help ensure the issue remains minor and easier and cheaper to fix. This will be of benefit to the overall health of your car as well as your wallet.
Waiting for things to worsen is never a smart move, as it can result in the part at fault needing to be replaced in its entirety or causing further damage to your MINI. When a timing chain fails, the results to your MINI are catastrophic. If it suddenly snaps, it can get chewed up by the rest of your engine parts, sending fragments of metal throughout your engine system, causing damage to connected parts and systems, and even irreparable engine failure. This can result in a costly repair job or your vehicle being written-off entirely.
