Mini Cooper with 112,000km on it, about 12 track days doing time trials and 12 autocross.

Returned home from the track recently and parked the car only to hear this ticking thats sounds like a loose tappet. However, it ONLY occurs when the clutch is depressed; its stops when I let off the clutch. Frequency also increases with revs and when driving in first and second (too windy above that). Same thing, ticking only when the clutch is depressed.

Dealer thought it may be the clutch throwout bearing, but its still there after that was done. Dealer took the oil pan off and says I have a loose rod at the piston pin (how loose?), though I'm not convinced thats the cause.

Since it only occurs when the clutch is depressed it wouldn't be the transmission. So only thing left I can think of is something in the bottom end like the thrust washer that only gets loaded when the clutch is depressed. Since the Mini bottom end is supposed to be bullet proof, I'm struggling this being the cause as well.

Any thoughts or experiences out there in Miniland that mind shed some light on this would be appreciated.