I noticed my fiance's 2012 Mini Cooper base model with 25k miles on it was making quite a racket on cold start up (we've owned it for a couple weeks now, this is just the first time I've been around in the morning she started it). It appears to be coming from the passenger side of the engine. It was my understanding that Mini had fixed this issue by model year 2012? It also appears to have a somewhat unsteady cold-start idle. The noise level goes down substantially once the engine warms up a bit. The car has had routine 5k mile synthetic oil changes its entire life. Could it be the timing chain? tensioner? guides?

 

Anyone?

 

It's very possible. My previous 2011 S had the timing chain replaced at 21,000 miles.

 

That's a job for hands-on diagnosis, not via the Internet.

Spend $10 on an automotive stethoscope, start the car and go over it with the stethoscope. if the nose is coming from the timing chain area, that will be informative.

You may have to pay an indy shop for a diagnosis - that would be less expensive than a dealer. The unsteady idle may be related, but I don't know a connection.

 

Thanks guys. I will stethoscope it and report back.

 

The stethoscope is cheap and a great tool for locating bad bearings and rattles.