I am safely past my break-in, and I've been slowly moving up the RPM ladder. Lately, I notice if I push my MCS to the 4000-4500 RPM area, and especially if I let the RPM's drop while staying in the same gear in that range, I hear an odd noise. It sounds almost like an aftermarket 4" exhaust on a Honda, just not as loud. Whahwwww.

I considered the fact that it might be my MINI's exhaust, but it sounds to me like it is coming from under the bonnet.

Is anyone else hearing anything like that when acclerating/decelerating in the 4000-4500 RPM range? If it's abnormal, I'll post a message in Under the Bonnet.

Thanks,
JS

 

I'm not sure what a 4" honda exhuast sounds like, but are you referring to the "burble on throttle lift" ?

 

its your supercharger kicking in. it occurs between 4k and 5k right? try flooring it and you'll hear it sooner

 

Thanks for your reply. No, definitely not the burble.

The sound I'm talking about can be duplicated. Take a tin can and cut off both ends and remove contents inside. Attach one clothespin to your nose, closing your nostrils. Now, place your mouth to the tin can, cup your hands around the can, and say "wahhhhhhh".

That's the sound.

See ya,
JS

 

I didn't think the supercharger made any low-pitched wahhhh sounds. I thought if the supercharger was at 4000-5000 RPM's it would sound very high-pitched and similar to a jet's turbine.

See ya,
JS

 

Someone secretly installed the "whhooo"-"whhooo" tailpipe upgrade?


Seriously, I have no clue as to the sound. What you're describing is not what I hear in my MCS.

 

>>I didn't think the supercharger made any low-pitched wahhhh sounds. I thought if the supercharger was at 4000-5000 RPM's it would sound very high-pitched and similar to a jet's turbine.
>>
>>See ya,
>>JS


Hhhmmmm, noises are really difficult to describe over the web, and it's even more difficult to conduct a diagnosis.
However, I have noticed a few noises and vibration changes in my MCS, and they may be similar. I do not know what they relate to, but they do have me a bit worried, mostly because these noises were not there until recently. I have over 12k miles on my 03 MCS, but these noises appeared recently at around 11k miles.

I will attempt to describe them:

The noises do occur around 4-5 k rpm, but sometimes at lower rpms as well.
The tin can and making a whhaaaaaa into the open ended tin can would be a good description. It is not the supercharger because I know how the whine of the charger sounds, and have had that ever since I completed break in. This is different.
Another observation: concurrent with this noise I feel a distinctly stronger vibration in the car, most likely from engine. Maybe from exhaust but methinks from engine. It is a vibration transmitted through all pedals and the gearshift. This vibration was also not there at first. Noise and vibration go hand in hand, and first appeared around 11k miles.
I will see if I can figure out where they come from, and under what conditiosn they appear, since the noise and vibration are not always there. From what I can tell, either they are there for a whole trip, or on a given day or trip everything is smooth (vibrationless) and quiet.
Hhmmm,, curious

 

ok, here is another noise thread that may (or may not) be related:
another noise thread regarding AC noise?
This othe rone may be related to teh AC system?
Markus

 

MG-BGT,

I have the vibration through the pedals, also. Interesting. I'll be making a trip to the dealer soon for a lot of other little problems and not-so-little problems, and I'll let you know what I find out about the sound/vibration.

Thanks for the info,
JS

 

>>MG-BGT,
>>
>>I have the vibration through the pedals, also. Interesting. I'll be making a trip to the dealer soon for a lot of other little problems and not-so-little problems, and I'll let you know what I find out about the sound/vibration.
>>
>>Thanks for the info,
>>JS


Thanks, same here, I'll post new findings.
Cheers,
Markus

 

>>The sound I'm talking about can be duplicated. Take a tin can and cut off both ends and remove contents inside. Attach one clothespin to your nose, closing your nostrils. Now, place your mouth to the tin can, cup your hands around the can, and say "wahhhhhhh".
>>
JS, you HAVE to take this to your service advisor!!!

 

I really don't think you have anything to worry about.. My car has the same type sound were you here this loud Awsome noise when you Mat the Gas!! Meaning:(you put your gas pedal into the floor board) and open the Barrels in the carburator, if there is one and just letting that air to the engine.

 

>>I really don't think you have anything to worry about.. My car has the same type sound were you here this loud Awsome noise when you Mat the Gas!! Meaning:(you put your gas pedal into the floor board) and open the Barrels in the carburator, if there is one and just letting that air to the engine.

I'm a little worried about mine though (whether it's the same sound or not), because it is definitely a recent thing, as is the vibrations that go with it!

 

I did some testing, today. I found that the sound comes in at 3500 RPM's in 1st or 2nd and lasts up to about 4000 RPMs. It only occurs in my car with the Auto AC on. If I turned off the AC, the sound instantly stopped.

Weird!

See ya,
JS

 

JS when is your appointment down at the club house?

I wish you speedy recovery, now is not the time to be driving around without the ac on

 

>>I did some testing, today. I found that the sound comes in at 3500 RPM's in 1st or 2nd and lasts up to about 4000 RPMs. It only occurs in my car with the Auto AC on. If I turned off the AC, the sound instantly stopped.
>>

I have exactly the same thing - but with the manual AC - only with the AC on. The other aspect is that when I kick it out of gear from around 4K to up-shift I can hear it spinning back down as the revs drop off. Maybe mine is getting louder though because I could only hear it once in a while in the beginning and only in 1st. Now I hear it even with the blower cranked and the stereo on in 1st, and can also hear it (to a lesser extent) in 2nd with the same noise levels. At first I thought I was just getting atuned to the sound, but maybe it's actually getting louder....seems like I can even hear it in 3rd sometimes this week.... I wonder if there's any connection to the fact that my AC takes forever to cool the cabin, etc, etc (the usual "AC sucks" stuff).

_________________
'02 IB/IB MC (name=ZIPPY) w/ assorted factory extras + SSR Comps (17&quot w/ B-stone Potenza S-03s + Helix strut brace + RSpeed exhaust + Magnecor wires + window tint......etc

 

Smokey,

I haven't made my appt, yet. It's on my to-do list. Seems like I can never find the time...but it's coming soon. Since I have a paint flaw that will require a respray of the bonnet, I'm going to send Jim my list of faults, so they can book me in for an extended stay and have me a nice BMW 325i convertible loaner ready.

And as for the AC, I definitely have the AC running. Too hot down here without that. I just keep the revs under 3500. That's no biggie.

See ya,
JS

 

Mini_Street_Racer hit the nose on the head, that noise you hear is your supercharger and as Martha would say, that's a good thing!

The super charger reaches its maximum boost within a certain rpm range, the way you have your car modified will alter what that range so everyone's car maybe different.

Under a regular Cooper S not modified, your peak boost range will be somewhere's between 3 and 4,500 to 4,800 rpm, anything over 4,800 (on a normal S set-up) and your 'pissing your power away."

 

>>Mini_Street_Racer hit the nose on the head, that noise you hear is your supercharger and as Martha would say, that's a good thing!
>>
>>The super charger reaches its maximum boost within a certain rpm range, the way you have your car modified will alter what that range so everyone's car maybe different.
>>
>>Under a regular Cooper S not modified, your peak boost range will be somewhere's between 3 and 4,500 to 4,800 rpm, anything over 4,800 (on a normal S set-up) and your 'pissing your power away."

That's pretty obvious....IF you have an S....I don't.

 

Hank,

I think the noise I and a few others are hearing is not the normal supercharger whine. I know what that sounds like. This is something above and beyond that. Also, as mentioned above, it stops if I turn off the Auto AC.

It does kind of remind me of when I used to invert the air-filter cover on a 4-barrel 350 engine and kick it real hard. It's not a bad sound, I'm just concerned it's not supposed to be happening, and that it's actually pressure escaping and vibrating or a bad seal or something of that nature.

I'll be sure and post my findings when I get back from the dealer. I'm calling, today, to work out an appointment.

See ya,
JS

 

Ouch, I cut my lip on the tin can!!!!!!

 

Final comment on this issue here in MINI Talk. I'll post the problem and dealer solution in the proper forum, since I have determined that it is NOT normal.

The sound occurs at 3500 RPMs to 4000 RPMs. It ONLY occurs when the AC is on. Recirculation of air or vent-fed air makes no difference. Fan-only does not cause the sound. It is ONLY when the AC is running and seems to occur more when the AC is on with high fan speeds. It occurs when the car is moving at slow speeds but high RPM's (1st and 2nd).

An excellent way to test for this sound is to place the car in first and leave it in first. Accelerate until RPM's hit 3500 and continue until RPM's reach 4000 RPM's, reduce speed until RPM's reach 3000 and repeat.

Thanks to everyone for your help, suggestions, and comments.

See ya,
JS

 

Does anyone have information about what the dealers are saying about this noise. It still happens to me, on a hot day with my AC on the compresser howels in low RPMs.

 

One more thing...I know it's the AC because when I have it ON and the fan at full blast, the second I hit the AC button NOT the off button the sound goes away. The fan is still ON and the Unit is still functioning without the compressor engaged. Is this normal?? It sounds like *****!

 

Not sure if we are talking about the same noise, but I recently have a noise issues too. It seem to come from the driver side and it sounds like lots air being sucked in or like the flywheel slightly touching something, it's consistent with RPM. Not a grinding sound but unusual. It happens with and with a/c on. Can you all tell me where your noise can be heard? I can't hear mine from the outside of the car, only inside with the windows rolled and radio off, but definitely not soft. Anymore, theories or answers?



Peter