Hi,

Only this morning, we noticed a "Popping" sound while driving. I can seem to duplicate this problem by driving in 1st on boost, and then pressing the clutch and releasing the gas (just before I switch to 2nd). There is a popping noise which I hear outside the back (probably from the exhaust) - but not quite a backfire? I don't even need to drive fast to get this.

Is this normal?

Have a MY05 Cooper S by the way with 31,000 k's (19,200 miles).

Please help!

 

Motor mount. Check around them, if you see any oil residue that's probably it. The 05's are notorious for them going out. Happened on mine.

 

Wow. Even with only 19,000 miles on it?!

 

yep, I had to get a new one at 20,000. is your car a 05' cause they have been known to blow through motor mounts.

 

oops just read it again, you do have an 05. they are bad with motor mounts. I think I'm due for a second pass. side MM.

 

Ouch. Are the motor mounts an expensive change?

 

Since the OP indicates that the popping sound is coming from the rear and that it occurs during shifting, I'm inclined to say that this may not be a busted engine mount but the normal burble, especially since this is an '05.

Ju5tin, did you only recently acquire your MINI? Do a quick search for "burble" and see if the the sound is similar to what you're hearing.

 

I also think it's the burble... (sounds like backfire)
Try accelerating to 3.5K rpm and release the gas pedal and see if you get that sound again..
Burbling is normal.. and sounds cool at least for me..

my motor mount went out at 18K

 

Thanks heaps! I believe it's all normal then. This article made me feel much better.

http://www.motoringfile.com/2005/06/28/exhaust_popping

Was just a little worried that it was something WRONG. Yes, we haven't had it for long (only a few weeks now) and have noticed this popping noise and also the dashboard creak - Which is still not sorted.

But thanks so much. You've all helped me to breathe much easier.

 

Thanks for chiming in, VoiD - for a minute after I posted, I started thinking I was going crazy, because the burble was the first time that came to mind while reading the OP.

FWIW, I didn't hear any popping when my engine mount went out at 15K miles. It was only leaking oil, though, and did not go completely kaput. I might also be going crazy, but I seem to recall that US ECUs were programmed with more burble, whereas UK/Australia ECUs were dialed back in the burble (hence, the OP may not have any burbling when letting off the throttle over 3K RPMs). Just thinking about the burbles makes me wish I was back home driving the MINI instead of being out of town on business.

 

Yes,
absolutely normal sound. You get to love it after awhile. How folks got onto motor mounts, I'll never know.

 

Nice. Would be good to actually be able to hear it from the outside, so that we know what exactly it sounds like .. But yes. I'm sure I'll get used to it soon enough.

Thanks once again.

 

 

THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS WRONG!!!! The sound can be retro-fitted to any pre-'05 MCS. Installing the 210hp JCW tuning kit will give you the sound. In my case: pre-JCW, no-popping.....post-JCW install, lot's of popping under the conditions described in the service bulletin.

 

I thought it was the popcorn. I guess they didn't add that feature until the R56.

 

Just have someone sit in the car and rev the engine for you!

MINI Cooper S exhaust (standard)

MINI Cooper S exhaust

Cooper S Works exhaust

 

Nice. I've just spent the last hour checking out all the Mini clips on YouTube. Haha! I had no idea there were so many!

 

i thought it was ecess fuel cooking off in the header . ?

 

What's the difference between the exhaust on the '04 vs. '05? My '04 barely makes this popping noise, it's almost non-existant.

Do the '06s have this exhaust burble too?

 

Yup. I get lots of nice burble on mine.

I believe it's mostly an ECU change, with the computer dumping a bit of extra gas into the cylinders on throttle lift-off.

 

Well i have a similar sound coming from the front (under the same circumstances). In my case though it is a readily audible thunk. It definitely is not related to the exhaust. Guess i have to get the dealer to look at my motor mounts. 18k on i but i have really been knocking the engine around so this could be an issue.

Probably should start a new thread...

 

This thread got me wondering about the popping noise. So I recorded the exhaust sound on my '04 MCS. It pops a lot more than I originally thought (you can't really hear it inside with the rear seats up and shelf installed).

Seems to pop a lot around the 3000rpm range. Is the '05-up popping quite a bit more noticable than this? Do I just have a 'special' car? My car is bone stock, and here's a link if you're curious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfDz8daNJxo

Let me know what you think...

 

I read somewhere that it is a fake burble caused by the ecu in cutting fuel or something. BUT that was along time ago and It could be something else that causes it. And I believe the very few pops the MC gets comes from highcompression, which is why most cars pop I believe? Or if they have a leak

 

I had an 04, it sounds a bit more than OEM but after adding the Borla Race, it was much louder than that. I think thats normal.

 

Yeah, dont worry about that. It sounds great!