Black sooty spots on rear of car
Created by: Mylow54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mylow54
Hi every one , new member here. I have a 2004 R53 and have just started to notice small sooty like spots on the rear of car ? could anyone please advise. I have just carried out an oil change with oil filter and new plugs fitted.
It's difficult to know how bad the 'sooty like spots' on your MINI might be, but a couple things to keep in mind:
The rear hatch design (very vertical) causes the exhaust gasses from the tail pipe to swirl up against the bumper when the car is moving. With this design, it is not unusual for the black sooty dust to collect in the area above the tail pipes.
The R53 Cooper S tends to run on the rich side, so the sooty exhaust tip is normal.
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Go to the NorthAmericanMotoring website to get questions on the BINI answered. You can ask here but there's only one employee of Mini Mania who knows anything about BINIs. I suppose that eventually you BINI owners will take overwhelm the site and we Mini owners will be SOL like you are now.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thewerewolf
another STUPIC BMW mini post..
Welcome to the site. Lot's of quirks with the way the forum interleaves with the classic and BMW based modern minis.
Hope you stick around and enjoy what we have to offer.
Ted
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As above, where exactly is the sooty spot?
The car is new to you. Have you washed the spot off only to see it reappear? Is it perhaps on the left side of the car near the fuel filler door?
The car is new to you. Have you washed the spot off only to see it reappear? Is it perhaps on the left side of the car near the fuel filler door?
Doug L.
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If this is a direct injection engine there will be more soot produced normally than a port fuel injection engine would.
You can safely de-carbon an engine by spaying water from a clean squirt type dish soap bottle directly into the throttle body while someone keeps the engine at about 2000 rpm. 8 to 10 one ounce squirts, ten seconds or so between each. Then reassemble the snorkel tube and go for a high rpm drive.
You can safely de-carbon an engine by spaying water from a clean squirt type dish soap bottle directly into the throttle body while someone keeps the engine at about 2000 rpm. 8 to 10 one ounce squirts, ten seconds or so between each. Then reassemble the snorkel tube and go for a high rpm drive.
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Posting on the mini (classic mini) part of this forum rather than the MINI (BMW) part of the forum will not get you as much help. I have owned one of each.
As usual, a diagnosis requires more information.
If you had enough rich running to cause soot on the back of the MINI then the plugs probably were black rather than white or tan from normal or lean running. What color were they? Why were they changed?
a common cause of abnormal air fuel ratio in a mini is a wrong carb needle. I had that trying a BDK carb needle and it caused black carbon spots on my bumper .
But a MINI does not have a carb, it has FI controlled by a computer and sensors. A common failure is the mass airflow (MAF) sensor. You can just disconnect it and the car will run on default settings just fine. If the cleaned up rear of the car stays clean, then there is your diagnosis. Replacing the MAF is an easy $100 and screwdriver repair. Some people take them out and clean them and sometimes that works. Other times replace. Other options include running error codes. Advance Auto will do it for free, then it is up to you to interpret the results and respond. So far these are cheap ideas. Other option is a real shop, or dealer$.
As usual, a diagnosis requires more information.
If you had enough rich running to cause soot on the back of the MINI then the plugs probably were black rather than white or tan from normal or lean running. What color were they? Why were they changed?
a common cause of abnormal air fuel ratio in a mini is a wrong carb needle. I had that trying a BDK carb needle and it caused black carbon spots on my bumper .
But a MINI does not have a carb, it has FI controlled by a computer and sensors. A common failure is the mass airflow (MAF) sensor. You can just disconnect it and the car will run on default settings just fine. If the cleaned up rear of the car stays clean, then there is your diagnosis. Replacing the MAF is an easy $100 and screwdriver repair. Some people take them out and clean them and sometimes that works. Other times replace. Other options include running error codes. Advance Auto will do it for free, then it is up to you to interpret the results and respond. So far these are cheap ideas. Other option is a real shop, or dealer$.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mylow54
Hi every one , new member here. I have a 2004 R53 and have just started to notice small sooty like spots on the rear of car ? could anyone please advise. I have just carried out an oil change with oil filter and new plugs fitted.
You need to analyze the spots more fully.
Are they all over the back of the car or just close to the tail pipe(s)?
Where do you drive and park the car? (It may be an environmental issue and nothing to do with the car itself.)
Is the inner surface of the tailpipe coated in the same sooty stuff, or is it dry?
Are there any engine service or other messages in the instrument panel?
How do you drive your car - sedately with no hard accelleration or do you drive in a "sporty" way? If it only gets city driving and the engine never gets worked hard, it will carbon up, become less efficient and perform less well.
There is an old remedy commonly called an "Italian tune up" - you drive the car working the engine hard by accellerating in a top gear as hard as it will do several/many times, driving up long hills without downshifting so the engine labours somewhat. The general goal is to clean out the engine, working it at a rpm where it might be having hesitation etc.
.
"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."
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another STUPIC BMW mini post..
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Hi every one , new member here. I have a 2004 R53 and have just started to notice small sooty like spots on the rear of car ? could anyone please advise. I have just carried out an oil change with oil filter and new plugs fitted.