Hello everyone. Im new to this forum and am hoping for some help with my girlfriends 2007 mini cooper s(turbo). She fell in love with the car when we she saw it. So she had to have it. But it had a whining noise. So we got a good deal on the car. I like to think i have a very high mechanical aptitude. So i figured we could just fix the car ourselves. Now let me describe whats going on. There is a whining noise that is coming from the front end. It sounds like some kind of bearing noise. The noise gets higher pitched the faster you go. BUT you can only hear it in a "neutral throttle" state. Like if you are just trying to maintain speed. Any accelerating or deceleration makes the noise go away. Now here is what i have done to try to solve the problem: I took the transmission out and to a shop to be rebuilt. Transmission was rebuilt with all new OEM Bearings. My girlfriend wanted an LSD installed so we bought a helical LSD and had them install it as well. Installed a brand new single mass flywheel conversion and new throwout bearing. put everything back in and still makes the same noise.

Here is a link to the closest thing i have found to what is happening
Thanks!

 

usually if it's a bearing the sound will change when turning.

 

Its some kind of bearing like noise. No change when turning

 

I have the same problem, whining seems to be higher pitched at higher speeds and only sounds when on the throttle.. I can't figure it out

 

I wonder if it is normal. On my 2012 Clubman when I was on "neutral" (i.e not accelerating or decelerating" I got a whine that changes with engine speed. I assumed it was play in the gears themselves and did nothing to solve it. It was pretty lound. Please let us know if you solve this.

Oh, try test driving a couple MINI like yours to see if the same sounds are there. I did that for another clunk that happens when letting clutch out in a couple gears, was present on other MINI too.

 

Had wheel bearings do that, they seemed fine when out, turned ok, no play, but the new ones solved the problem, and the car rolled better afterwards. I think the bearings are pre-tensioned so its hard to tell sometimes whats up.

 

Does the sound only occur when moving? If so isolate an engine or Trans issue by running at speed on a empty road and killing the engine while in neutral. Next put the car on lift and spin the wheels to see if there is any play.

 

This is not a normal noise. I know what you guys are talking about. Some transmission and engine noise is audible. But this is extremely loud compared to that. Only does it while moving. Heard in all gears. Around 70 gets so high pitched that you can barley hear it.

 

I didn't hear anything unusual in the video.

 

water pump!? they have a recall!

 

Did you ever figure this out? I have the exact same problem and I'm concerned about what it is or what damage it could cause.

 

Have you checked the power steering pump? Fords are notorious for whining noise. If I remember right, R56's have an electric power steering pump.

 

My '13 MCS had a bad AC Compressor that made a horrible noise ever since I bought it brand new until I finally got it replaced earlier this year. So much quieter now.