Timing belt issues?! Please help

[MiniLoverHelp]

I have a R56 mini 57 plate which I absolutely love. I have been told the timing chain is is rattling. It isn’t all the time. Just intermittently. Few questions.....
How do you find out if it is the belt or the tensioner?
Is it worth getting done or should I get rid?
I have been quoted about £900 for the timing chain to be replaced. Not sure if I will be throwing money after money at the car?
Any advice muchly appreciated x

[E-bmw]

I think they have a separate simple to change tensioner, try that first and meanwhile "mini death rattle" & see if that is applicable to your car.

[Darren93]

If it rattles the chances are it's stretched and worth changing along with the guides, particularly on a pre-facelift car. I had the chain changed 2 months ago and like yourself the rattle was intermittent, it cost £575 at an Indy including oil and filter. Can drives a hell of a lot better too which was a surprising bonus!

[MiniLoverHelp]

I was told about a tensioner today. Can you tell if it is just the tensioner that needs replacing or do you need to strip the whole thing down. I am clueless with cars. I just don’t want to be throwing money at it if it isn’t worth it

[rigga]

You can replace the tensioner on its own, cheap fix and it might well cure the rattle ...... but you'll be changing the chain eventually.
I got two years use after the tensioner was swapped out, then had the full set down.

[DuckSauce]

How many miles has it done? How much oil does it use?

I had my tensioner replaced on my 57 plate and it no longer had the rattle.

You'll end up replacing the chain at some stage, depends on the mileage.

[MiniLoverHelp]

Thank you for the replies. It has done 132k miles. I just don’t know whether to leave it and I hope for the best as it is intermittent, but will this cause extra damage. Or sell the car and be done with it. Or of course save up and get the belt/chain done.
If it does snap/break will it cause extra damage?
X

[crankedup]

The chain on our mini (2009 model) had to be replaced at about 65000 miles. Fortunately previous owner shouldered the cost at around £950 with the full kit. Car has full history apparently serviced correctly on time.
Possible more trouble now with oilsmoke, misfire and oil burn, diagnostics on Tuesday. Car has covered 69000 miles

I suggest that your car seems to have done well

[DuckSauce]

MiniLoverHelp said:

Thank you for the replies. It has done 132k miles. I just don’t know whether to leave it and I hope for the best as it is intermittent, but will this cause extra damage. Or sell the car and be done with it. Or of course save up and get the belt/chain done.
If it does snap/break will it cause extra damage?
X

If the chain is making a noise, you might struggle to sell. It all depends on whether you actually want the car

[MiniLoverHelp]

That’s the thing ..... I have never heard it. A “Bmw specialist” said it is “rattling it’s t*ts off”. He told me to sell it as minis are s**t and r56 are the worst ones ever. I have experienced slight loss of power about two times since February. And the engine management light is on which I have been told is because the chain is slightly out. I really don’t know who or what to trust. I must admit I love my car.
I really appreciate all the advice x

[rigga]

R56 engines are noisy anyway due to the direct injection, stretching cam chains can reduce power as the cam timing goes out of sync a touch, depending on how much stretch there is. BMW mechanic is a bit jaded as not all cars suffer, but the bad ones dent the models reputation.
EML light can be on for many reasons, get a cheap OBD2 reader and see what's triggered it.

[MiniLoverHelp]

Brilliant. Will do that now. Thank you x