Hi I'm new to NAM. I've got a 2008 R56 S and I now have a rattle in my engine, I've just got my timing chain change less then 1000 miles ago and the rattle seems to be coming from the center of the engine not the passenger side. I will post a video.

Please help. Just bought this car a month and a half ago and already dumped 2 grand into fixing things

 

My engine makes the same noise, that is the vacuum pump making that noise (at least in my engine is), if you disconnect the hose coming from the brake booster to the vacuum pump while the engine is running noise disappears.
MINI says that noise is normal. There is a TSB about that.

 

check your oil level. make sure theres oil is always a good first step.

 

Thanks for the info sub3622, will try that in the morning. I have changed the oil a few days ago, and oil level is perfect, I always keep fresh oil in my cars

 

You probably don't know that these N14 engines drink oil up to 1-2 quarts every 1000-1500 miles and your probably aren't aware of that fact and must be low on oil. If I knew this fact I wouldn't have bought my 07 MCS! Engines that drink that much oil long before 80,000 miles is just a horrible design! Now you know why it was for sale, because it's a money pit that never ends which you'll soon findout. I hope you didn't buy this Mini for reliability because that's not the nature of this beast!

 

Did the rattle coincide with the oil change? If so, look at how the filter went in: you may be starving oil pressure to the chain tensioner.

 

Its the vacuum pump, disconnected it and the noise went away, I know minis aren't reliable, this is more of a have fun and weekend track car, just wasn't expecting half of the problem, glad I could sort this one out for not to much

 

The noise will go away also once the engine is at full operating temperature.

 

MINI knows about this issue and even considers it a characteristic. This and more really good information about the vacuum pump knock HERE for anyone else that is attempting to diagnose a noise.

 

That's what bothers me that they know of this problem and do nothing just say it's normal when we all know that the sound of that magnitude is not normal but if the noise does not harm the engine quickly I'm sure it will deteriorate faster than normal.