Good evening guys.
Just to preface. Any help/information/inspiration anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
I recently noticed a metallic (as I can best describe) crackling noise from the top of the 72,000 mile engine on my 2004 Cooper S. It almost sounds like ball bearings bouncing around in the rocker cover. It comes from the left side though and after reading a few threads I started to think my supercharger was going. I have also read a few threads about a bad hydraulic tensioner on the timing chain causing a similar noise.
I took the car to a place called Exclusively Bimmers in Mt PLeasant SC. They discovered the car was very low on oil, which surprised me as its never burned oil before. I was nonetheless furious with myself that it was low. They changed the oil but after a day the noise remained. I took it back. The guy called me today and said that they think its the supercharger but that he would prefer to refer me to a place called Total Mini in North Charleston SC. (I don't think they want the job but I'm glad as this other shop, which I'm surprised I wasn't aware of, is more of a specialist.)
i am going to be speaking to the new shop tomorrow. I'm curious as to whether anyone has any experience with a failing supercharger or this tensioner. I know the SC has its own oil reservoirs. Is it at all integrated with the engine oil?
Any ideas? This sounds like its about to get hellishly expensive.
I'm leaning towards having it flat-bedded to this other shop. Any ideas?
Thanks so much!
David
Just to preface. Any help/information/inspiration anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
I recently noticed a metallic (as I can best describe) crackling noise from the top of the 72,000 mile engine on my 2004 Cooper S. It almost sounds like ball bearings bouncing around in the rocker cover. It comes from the left side though and after reading a few threads I started to think my supercharger was going. I have also read a few threads about a bad hydraulic tensioner on the timing chain causing a similar noise.
I took the car to a place called Exclusively Bimmers in Mt PLeasant SC. They discovered the car was very low on oil, which surprised me as its never burned oil before. I was nonetheless furious with myself that it was low. They changed the oil but after a day the noise remained. I took it back. The guy called me today and said that they think its the supercharger but that he would prefer to refer me to a place called Total Mini in North Charleston SC. (I don't think they want the job but I'm glad as this other shop, which I'm surprised I wasn't aware of, is more of a specialist.)
i am going to be speaking to the new shop tomorrow. I'm curious as to whether anyone has any experience with a failing supercharger or this tensioner. I know the SC has its own oil reservoirs. Is it at all integrated with the engine oil?
Any ideas? This sounds like its about to get hellishly expensive.
I'm leaning towards having it flat-bedded to this other shop. Any ideas?Thanks so much!
David
6th Gear
How low on oil was it?
Just wondering if the sound was related to low oil level.
The belt on the sc could be removed, and the engine run for a very short time...this will isolate the sc from the motor (also stop the water pump, etc), but ok for a little bit of idling to listen for the noise.
Oil in the sc, 2 parts, are 100% seperate (snount and waterpump pto), and a different type than motor oil..
Both are basiclt sealed but oil van be added with the sc removed.
Just wondering if the sound was related to low oil level.
The belt on the sc could be removed, and the engine run for a very short time...this will isolate the sc from the motor (also stop the water pump, etc), but ok for a little bit of idling to listen for the noise.
Oil in the sc, 2 parts, are 100% seperate (snount and waterpump pto), and a different type than motor oil..
Both are basiclt sealed but oil van be added with the sc removed.
6th Gear
Just in case it helps, if the rubber shroud connecting the intercooler is off that side, it makes a huge difference in the sound you hear. I nearly had a heart attack after changing a cam and once I snugged it down, it was back to normal.
6th Gear
If it's the Timing Chain Tensioner it's pretty evident, it will sound like someone put a bag of gravel in the top of your motor.
Get yourself an automotive stethescope (under $10.00 from most autp parts stores)
Timing Chain Tensioner, the sound will be coming from the front of the motor, (pass. side of thee car), try listening just below the valve cover near the plugs on the head.
S/C usual culprit is the Water Pump gears (rear of the S/C) the noise should be louder there but don't be fooled usually the clatter will translate through the S/C making you think it's coming from the snout, if it is the W/P gears and you've caught it early enough, the gears may be fine and you just need to do the S/C service (basiclly this is just a oil change for the S/C, over time the oil in the W/P housing of the S/C will seep through the seals into the S/C qnd simply burn away when the engine is running, but this leaves the area where the W/P gears are located to go dry, hense, clatter)
An S/C oil change is not normally a D.I.Y. project for most people.
Get yourself an automotive stethescope (under $10.00 from most autp parts stores)
Timing Chain Tensioner, the sound will be coming from the front of the motor, (pass. side of thee car), try listening just below the valve cover near the plugs on the head.
S/C usual culprit is the Water Pump gears (rear of the S/C) the noise should be louder there but don't be fooled usually the clatter will translate through the S/C making you think it's coming from the snout, if it is the W/P gears and you've caught it early enough, the gears may be fine and you just need to do the S/C service (basiclly this is just a oil change for the S/C, over time the oil in the W/P housing of the S/C will seep through the seals into the S/C qnd simply burn away when the engine is running, but this leaves the area where the W/P gears are located to go dry, hense, clatter)
An S/C oil change is not normally a D.I.Y. project for most people.
Thank you all for your responses.
The verdict is in and it is indeed a failing supercharger. The engine was apparently quiet as a mouse with the SC disabled. The SC is being sent off for a rebuild and the water pump as well as the tensioner on the drive belt are being replaced, all to the tune of about $1,600.00.
The one saving grace is that they will be installing a smaller pulley on the SC which should pick up an extra 20 bhp or so.
Thanks again.
The verdict is in and it is indeed a failing supercharger. The engine was apparently quiet as a mouse with the SC disabled. The SC is being sent off for a rebuild and the water pump as well as the tensioner on the drive belt are being replaced, all to the tune of about $1,600.00.
The one saving grace is that they will be installing a smaller pulley on the SC which should pick up an extra 20 bhp or so.
Thanks again.
4th Gear
a mechanic of mine told me that putting a oil in the supercharger is very easy. You just need to remove one screw on the side of the motor. He learn this when he visited his friend car shop in UK.
Wrong. The end that more often goes bad is the PTO (i.e. waterpump) end, not the pulley end. And the PTO end can not be checked or lubricant added without removing the supercharger.