Alright title basically sums it up. But I've been searching around the web and it always seems to come back to the belt tensioner, harmonic balancer, or chain tensioner.

The car is a 2004 R53 with 110000 on the speedometer. The problem seems to go away after the car is up to operating temp... But the past week I've noticed it's gotten a good bit worse, today was horrible!

Also, when starting or stopping the engine I seen to hear a grinding/metallic noise, kinda like a chain being wrapped around itself? I'm not sure if these problems are related.

Basically, how do I locate and eliminate this issue? It sounds pretty harmful to my MINI not to mention it's embarrassing as all hell.

This guy recorded the noise pretty well, but no solution was posted.

Thanks guys!

 

Patience and luck. No sure fire remedy. I would include all the accessories that run off the belt on your list - AC compressor, alternator, supercharger, idler pulley.

A mechanics stethoscope can help. Some people just use a very long screwdriver to try and locate the source of the noise. You can turn the AC on and off to see if the noise changes, likewise turn the lights on and off to load the alternator a little more.

 

Thanks will try these out. My friend is a mechanic and he's suggesting the pulley tensioner, as they're known to go bad. All of my MINI friends have had to change theirs.
I appreciate the tips. Whatever it is I sure as hell hope its not anything serious.

Also, he thinks the metallic/grinding noise on start up and shut off is the header starting to croak. Which I'm fine with... Really been wanting to start upgrading my exhaust. Supercharger pulley as well! Sweet, time to order some parts and start trial and error I guess?

Edit: I tried what you mentioned about running the AC, lights, etc... No effect on the noise though.

 

Major alert: David R53 turns out you did help find a clue! On my drive home from work the car was up to normal operating temperature. I had the AC on and squeaking was going crazy! I decided to put the windows down and turn off the AC, squeaking goes away (for the most part)! I also decided to put the car in neutral at about 50 MPH with the AC on, no squeaking.

TL;DR: AC causes major squeaking at normal operating temperature under load. Virtually no squeaking (some, chirpy) when car is in neutral, even with AC on.

Did some searching and happened to find this, although there was no solution advised he posted some videos of the noise. The sound is almost definitely what I'm experiencing.

Check out the second video for most clear sound.

Thanks guys!

 

Get the car in the air, remove the passenger wheel and wheel liner, detension the belt and start to inspect the pulleys in the belt drive system. The metallic noise and squeak could be nearly any of the pulleys in the system, which leaves you with 4 options of where the noise is originating; alternator, idler, tensioner, AC compressor (I've never heard one with metallic noise), or a failing SC (either the PTO housing is dry and destroying the gears or the bearings in the nose are failing).

 

Ow man... Not the SC! Are there any replacements as far as the bearings in the nose? Or would the SC have to be completely replaced?

 

There are rebuild kits available, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone, we have our SC's rebuilt by a local shop that does chargers for drag cars.

Detroit Tuned Rebuilt Supercharger

Is the noise a "tinny" sound or more of a metallic growl/bag of marbles in the drier sound?

 

Tinny, like a baby bird chirping sped up by 2x.

I don't if this is related, but I've noticed an odd idle every once and awhile. When I'm at a stop the car will want to idle down. That's with or without the AC.

 

Do you guys think the car is safe to drive like this? I mean it's my DD, and apparently it's going to take until the 16th for my parts to arrive.

Even then I still don't know if they'll solve the problem.
:(

 

It all depends on what the problem is.

Have you followed nkfry's suggestion to remove the wheel and wheel-well liner to diagnose where the noise is coming from?

Since you've ordered parts, I assume you know what's causing the issue?

If you don't, it is not a good practice to just start throwing new parts at the car without knowing what's wrong. It's like crossing your fingers hoping "this fixes it."

 

Nope. No idea what the problem is. I ordered a couple of different options as to what it could be so when I do get the car apart thus weekend I'll HOPEFULLY have the part ready to remedy the situation.

It's odd though, as of late the problem as been less noticeable. Mostly when the AC is running...

 

Crank pulley about to fail. Mine did the same thing soon as I turned off the ac released load from it no more noise. Do you smell a burnt rubber smell ? Don't drive it at high speed or too much until it's replaced you will shread everything that the belt goes to.