I've noticed this since I got the car with 3,000 miles on it. After the car gets up to regular temp, then I let the SC spool up a little, over 4,500 or whatever with a JCW air box installed..... It smells like there is a "warming - hot rubberish" smell going on. Its a face lifted R53, and as far as I've read, can't really pinpoint on what this could be EXACTLY.... Any ideas on this guys??

Maybe the harmonic damper??

 

I had a smell like that and it was the Harmonic damper

 

Might be the harmonic damper...espcially since it gets worse at higher rpms....
Suggestion....jack car up, remove pax side front tire, then the wheel liner...this will let you see the harmonic damper....sounds like it is starting to slip...
you might only have a FEW miles.....
I suggent not using the ac and keeping rpms very low ..below 3000..so no boost till you look at it. When it goes...car will require a tow. There will be no waterpimp....trying to drive it once it goes may crack the head/blow the head gasket from overheating....
I ordered an ati one from waymotorworks on friday....will be doing mine this week...the rubber on mine was cracking.....

 

Mine lasted 115 K before it started to go

 

I would bet money it's the crank pulley

 

Only 3K miles on the MINI ?

Any other symptoms usually associated with a bad damper ?

Check to see if your belt is slipping.

 

Thanks everyone, will be looking at all of this as soon as i get home tonight..... And yeah i know (-=gRay rAvEn=-), I can't say it was from exactly 3k miles, but maybe 4-5k miles, which is very odd to me also......... You metioned about checking to see if my belts slipping.... How to I do that exactly?

And ZippyNH, will do exactly what your talking about to check it out.... Thanks again..

 

Think of the harmonic damper as a steel pulley, surronded by a thick layer of rubber on the edge, the another steel pulley with groves over ir....the rubber between the two parts acts to dampen the vibrations (which can kinda build up from reflections...called harmonics...think like a bell)...and the rubber in the mini desgin seems to begin to dryout and crack...and sometimes the rubber begins to slip...sometimes its legs go all at once, somestimes it is more gradual....
aftermarket dampers use a different desgin....so no rubber to fail. Some folks have switched to a solid crank damper to save $ when it goes, but an engine builder will tell you this causes rapid bearing wear on an motor that needs a damper....

 

I would end up buying the one from Way, I'd believe... if ultimately that's what this is, and thanks for the info!!

 

I just did.....just unboxed it a few moments ago.
when you take into account waymotorworks shipping costs is LESS THAN HALF of a number of the bigbox places that ship them, ordering from waymotorsworks ends up costing about the same $$, so when somebodyr says might be cheaper elsewhere...remember, shipping adds up quick!!

 

I had this same issue. Turned out to be just the wrong size belt for my application. Had just 1/2 hole showing on the tensioner strap with the belt I was given, was given another new belt, same size and still had the same problem.

Then went to a new NAPA 060532. One and half holes show now and the burning rubber odor when engine is under load went away.

 

Half a hole Sounds normal.. 1 and a half sounds wrong to me

 

This would be a good thing for me to know, it sounds like...... I haven't had time to do anyone's suggestions at all yet, but will be AS SOON AS I CAN... Just baby'n the car for now .... without the A/C (never use anyways, plus its like 40degrees here)...