6 replies to this topic

[Matthew]

Could someone help re: 1998 Mini MPI: I've heard a 'pinging-type' sound, from under my car recently and suspect its from the clutch area or worse the gearbox. The 'ping' sound occurs just once, usually as I pull off but other wise the car is, or seems in great order. My local mechanic and I have replaced clutch parts and done our best to attend to the problem. Although it does not persist/ it does not seem to occur too often, the sound is some kind of spinning metal contact/ snagging and I'd like rid of it. Assitance or Ideas - greatly appreciated.

[Big_Adam]

Aren't MPI boxes made from snot and tissues?

I know this in no way helps to alleviate your current problem but it was the 1st thing to come to mind.

[Guess-Works.com]

the first things which comes to mind is the diff and the diff pin, this takes a lot of punishment in the MPI box...

[Matthew]

Could someone help re: 1998 Mini MPI: I've heard a 'pinging-type' sound, from under my car recently and suspect its from the clutch area or worse the gearbox. The 'ping' sound occurs just once, usually as I pull off but other wise the car is, or seems in great order. My local mechanic and I have replaced clutch parts and done our best to attend to the problem. Although it does not persist/ it does not seem to occur too often, the sound is some kind of spinning metal contact/ snagging and I'd like rid of it. Assitance or Ideas - greatly appreciated.

[Matthew]

Re: the diff and the diff pin.
My car has had the engine out 3 months ago because the idler gear went. Would a mechanic have noticed 'the diff and the diff pin' idea with gearbox right in front of them. This mechanic has rebuilt many many minis but really the cars where of the older generation.
He also relpaced the clutch plate, and the pinging sound developed only since a new master cylinder was fitted; we seem to have ensured that the pedal goes all the way to the floor.
Forgive please my ignorance and I'm new to this forum

[Dan]

There'd be no reason to remove the diff housing while changing the idler gear bearings so he wouldn't have noticed anything if it is that. If this only happens when you pull away, make sure that it is actually internal to the engine / gearbox and not just something like an exhaust manifold bracket that has snapped and is being stretched and moved about by the engine movement. Make sure the engine steady bars are holding the engine solid.

[Matthew]

Thanks re: exhaust bracket/ steady bars; For Anyones Info on this subject: I tried a simple solution that seems to have worked.
Following a master cyl replacement, my mechanic adjusted the slave cyl, with the intention that the pedal would go all the way to the floor etc. But I suppose the whole system wasn't quite reaching 'the end'. I blasted WD40 from under the car up into the slave and then pressed the pedal up and down.
The pedal is lighter and reaches all the way. Hopefully these are not the predicable "mini-famous last words".