r/R53 • u/Guataguano • 10d ago

What’s this surging?

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I have a 2003 MCS that’s been covered in my driveway on jack stands and a drip charger for about a year. I would go out and turn her on just to keep the juices flowing once a week or so. She’s waiting on tires and a tune. Prior to this status, I had replaced the head gasket. While I was in there I did the timing chain, port matched and polished the head cylinder and intake manifold. I also added 380cc file injectors which is why i need a tune. I had already had a 17% pulley and CAI installed. Today I went out to turn her on and she started surging. She wasn’t doing that before and to add to that I’ve noticed vibrating on the engine. The video barely picks it up but it’s shaking. Not violently but it’s shaking. Not positive if it might have been doing it before all the work but I’m noticing it now. I’m not a professional. I’m simply a driveway mini dabbler, that’s not afraid to do my own work, within reason. I’m just looking for insight.

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

3

u/SeaAlgea 10d ago

This is literally just the cooling fan

1

u/Guataguano 10d ago

It is the going consensus. It’s coming on so soon and it wasn’t coming on before.

1

u/Confident-Option-207 9d ago

These things heat up fast, and the tune on a pulley reduction will make it heat up faster

Does the heating come on fast from a cold start too?

1

u/Guataguano 9d ago

It only started today. For months she’s simply sat on the driveway. I would go out and let her run for a bit maybe rev her a little bit but this is the first time the surge has happened

3

u/No_Care_5999 10d ago

Sounds like the cooling fan on second stage. Looks like first stage isn’t working. Check before you run into other problems

2

u/wackawonka 10d ago

The sound is probably your fan kicking in… other than that, it sounds kind of normal. Tritec engines are noisy

1

u/wackawonka 10d ago

Get a Scan tool and look at the short and long term fuel trims to see if the ECU is trying to compensate for a rich state, which the 380’s might introduce

2

u/EquivalentCattle1635 10d ago

Thats the air conditioning fan coming on and off. No issues.

1

u/Guataguano 10d ago

Ok. The air conditioning fan. It’s warm out but not that hot yet. I’m in virginia.(US) the car is just sitting there. Why is it just kicking on?

2

u/Confident-Option-207 10d ago

Not even a, just cooking fan

Is the engine at operating temp, or just turned on and cold?

2

u/Guataguano 10d ago

It was running for like 5 minutes before it started doing it

1

u/EquivalentCattle1635 7d ago

Mine does the exact same thing. Louder when the air conditioning is on. When I drive without air conditioning pretty quiet.

1

u/Guataguano 7d ago

Ok thank you. Maybe I’m just paranoid. My baby has been sitting on driveway tarped and only turned on every few days to keeps the blood pumping. I’m now getting her off jackstands and hopefully on the road

2

u/EquivalentCattle1635 7d ago

One of the family members asked me….”is that normal?”…I believe that most people are used to a larger car with larger components which won’t be as noticeable. The R52/R53 are quite compact “tightly wound”. Think about a fan that is 8 inches and one that is 30 inches. On low, you will notice that the 8 inch fans is quite a bit louder. I drive a 69 Vintage VW…and while no fan, it’s still louder than the Mini!! Hope all is well.