Gear problem in my Mini C 2002 Automatic

zudecke

vikingaero wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the tank in the middle is the MINI Coolant tank. If it's empty then you have a leak or head gasket problem which would also give rise to the judderyness. A lot of early MINI owners mixed up that tank with the windscreen washer tank which is located in the drivers side wing. On later models they put a picture of a windscreen/wiper with a cross through it embossed on the tank or as a sticker.

Luckily I've not made the mistake of putting windscreen wiper solution in the coolant tank. However, I am concerned by your post as I believe head gasket issues are the mother of all problems?

vax2002 wrote: »

Thats the water header tank, look on the side it will have a min and a max line on the side of the tank , top it up when the engine is cool between the lines, take note how much water this takes.

2 or 3 of the tanks have min/max markings though. For example, the one just upper left of the one circled in the below image also has min/max..

wolfehouse wrote: »

had similar and the garage changed my fluid. when that didn't work they changed the spark plugs
and all has been fine since.

Was that a Mini Cooper also? When you say similar, are you referring to the juddering starting/take off of the car, or the empty engine coolant tank, or both?

Thanks all!

Z

zudecke

Guys,

Filled coolant with water and tried to start car to drive to local garage. Car wouldn't start ! Had to get it towed.

They immediately jump started the car and thankfully it turned on again. The manager was ushering me out saying to come back tomorrow and I never got the chance to demonstrate the issue with the transmission .. he is sure that issue is completely separate from the coolant loss issue.

So scared ..

Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks,

Z

It's now in the mechanics who is adamant I have an engine leak which is why my coolant is empty. Im so scared keeping my car there as certain they're going to try and drain.

vikingaero

It's possible that the coolant leak could be a hole in a hose or a loose union which will be relatively cheap to fix.

zudecke

Guys,

I've spoken to the garage today as the car has been there overnight and he said everything in the diagnostic tests came up ok, however, manual tests have indicated that I need a new battery. He reckons that the the flat battery was causing my stuttering transmission problems..

Does that sound plausible to you guys?

Regards,

Z

zudecke

any thoughts?

zudecke

guys,

after my initial jubiliation after hearing back from the mechanics who said the battery has fixed my problem... I went to collect the car, test drove it with the mechanic and in turn, his manager. The problem still persists.

It's definitely improved since my initial post.. perhaps the battery has improved it?

The manager said that the DST (diagnostic test thing) indicated no faults besides the battery and that everything else is working ok. I explained to him that the problem persists, but he said there's nothing he can do, and offered me about 1.5 hr to to change spark plugs, oil levels etc.

Can anyone else comment?

Might it be a spark plug issue?

The battery has solved me ignition problem at least.. So the £215 i spent wasn't all a waste...

Really appreciate any help.. Someone must have experienced a similar jerking snesation in their Auto Mini... Someone.. Somewhere..?

vax2002

vax2002 wrote: »

a low battery does cause problems on the cvt unit, does the car start up first time or does the engine turn slowly

:a................

zudecke

Hi, Sorry Vax must have missed this post.

As I explained earlier up, the car did used to have problems starting.. As in I would often need to turn the key twice before the engine would ignite.

However, like I said above, since the garage installed the new battery today, that problem is no more.

However, the juddering (better described as the seeming struggle for my car to find, and agree on gear shifts) still persists.. This is my main concern.

Although it does drive, it's a very strange sensation and does feel as though it's harmful, despite the mechanic telling me my gearbox came up all perfect in the DST tests...

Any ideas?