I have the exact same noise on my 04 MCS. It has made the noise since new and now has 4800 miles. My dealer cannot seem to duplicate the noise, so for now I'm not worried since the car is under warranty and it has been noted by the dealer. I have seen a post that the cause of the noise is either the supercharger belt tensioner or the Harmonic balancer. On my next service I intend to push the issue with the dealer.

I have since done a track day at Road Atlanta and the noise has not changed.

 

If someone from MINI would tell us what this noise actualy is before the rumor mill get's going that would be awesome. It would appear to be quite common, the real question would still seem to be is it "normal" and expected or a widespread flaw or defect, like the coolant tanks, stumble, yo-yo and windshields.

For those that replied initially about octane boosters and colder plugs eliminating the noise, do those statements still hold true ?

 

Please see my earlier post "Knocking Noise". Seems allot like every ones tapping description here.

I am current working with Crevier Mini Santa Ana, Ca. I pushed the dealer to have there best MINI mechanic look into the noise I am getting with my car. He is going to go on a ride test with me.

And I am not going to back down till I feel I have got a solid confident answer.

I will keep everyone informed of the findings.

JD

 

Any updates available on this issue?

 

My SA had no problem hearing it when I dropped the car off this morning, and vowed that they would find it. Since it only occurs during brisk acceleration, and is most noticable with the windows down, I am not sure exactly when it started. It is by far my worst complaint about the car yet. It sounds horrible. The performance of the car would appear to be as good as it ever was, the people I pass however must be thinking, "That things about to blow up" !!!

I am awaitng my SA to call me back with the verdict ....... I will post it. Seems like the smart money is on a throw out bearing, why it would only be heard under load, is beyond my understanding of such things.

 

I have a similar noise, same rev range, etc. I haven't been as worried about that one as the 'new' noise I've been hearing for the last month or so.

If I sit in the car, idling, windows up, roof closed, radio and HVAC off, I can hear a knocking noise at idle. When I rev the car, it goes away, then comes back when the revs drop. I can't hear it outside the car, though.

It really does not act like lifter noise. I know on just about every BMW I've ever been around, after it is run hard, the hydraulic lifters will tap like crazy until things cool down. That isn't a big deal, or else a whole lot of BMW owners would be having major problems. But these noises don't seem the same, to me.

If it persists, I'll probably schedule a service visit. Although my dealer is 2 hours away, which means I have to take a day off of work.

 

gmack, keep us posted. Your description of this sound sounds exactly like what I'm hearing. My dealer was "unable to duplicate" it, so I will be interested to hear what your dealer comes up with.

I hear a rhythmic clicking sound only on hard acceleration. The rhythm increases as wheel speed increases (no it's not a stone stuck in the tire tread). I can generally only hear it if I have the windows down, and even then only when I've got something on my right like a guardrail or wall that reflects the sound back into the car. That leads me to believe that whatever is causing this noise is on the right side of the car.

That would tend to rule out throwout bearing (at least in my case) since that's on the left side, but then again noises have a way of bouncing around so you don't know where they're coming from.

Good luck and I'll be watching this thread :smile:

 

I too have this exact same problem; it is on the driver's side and audible w/ the windows down under heavy or moderate acceration. It's a clattering type sound which increases in velocity w/ engine speed - definitely sounds like crap for a new car to be making such racket. There is no discernable degradation in performance and yes, I've asked the dealer to look at this issue but received the ever so popular "unable to replicate"; apparently a ride with the service technician will be required upon the next visit.

 

>>gmack, keep us posted. Your description of this sound sounds exactly like what I'm hearing. My dealer was "unable to duplicate" it, so I will be interested to hear what your dealer comes up with.
>>
I would love to post a update. My car is still at the dealer however. I haven't been given any update, yet. I've been only able so far to determine it's not done, after 3 days. Like most delearships, parts are usually only ordered after you bring the car in. My car was brought in primarily for it's first service on Thursday. It's now nearly 5 pm on Monday and I am awaiting a call back from my SA. I would be happy to leave it there until all repairs are complete, although it is more likely that when I do eventually get it back, parts will be on order and a revisit will have to be scheduled.
I am trying to remain optimistic but I am getting a bad feeling about this ......

 

>>Please see my earlier post "Knocking Noise". Seems allot like every ones tapping description here.
>>
>>I am current working with Crevier Mini Santa Ana, Ca. I pushed the dealer to have there best MINI mechanic look into the noise I am getting with my car. He is going to go on a ride test with me.
>>
>>And I am not going to back down till I feel I have got a solid confident answer.
>>
>>I will keep everyone informed of the findings.
>>
>>JD
JD,

Any update? My dealer has had my car since Thursday and has so far come up empty. I would love to help point them in the right direction. The thought of them taking turns hammering on my car asking each other, "Do you here it now ?" Is not inspiring any confidence on my part. Whatever this problem is, it's not going away on it's own, and apparently is completely unknown or undocumented by BMW/MINIUSA.

 

How can this really be an unknown Now that the weather is nice and the windows are down all the time, the racket is REALLY annoying, almost embarassing when the clattering resonates off of other cars..

 

THEY FIXED IT !!!!!!!!!!
Just got my car back and much to my pleasure that hideous sound is completely and totaly gone !!!!

I gave it 3 good blasts on the way home and nothing but wheel spin and blower whine !!!!

I have been told that the heat shield was the culprit. Not the one in the engine compartment, one of the ones under the car. I was told it was moved, which way or how, I do not know. It may even be something that can be bent away from another object, I don't know.

I can not however question the successfull resolution of that hideous noise !!!!

 

My issue ended up being the thrust bearing they replaced it and no knocking/tapping.

JD.

 

How long did they take to figure that out?? Long repair I guess? I have this problem but, I know I'm going to get the run around at the dealership. Did you ever get back to MINIUSA about this??

 

Not sure how long they spent on that issue in particular. I dropped it off Thursday morning, and I got the call today, Tuesday about 1:00 that it was done. When I spoke to them on Monday, it was still under investigation. The car was in for it's first service, squeaky windows, that noise and a relunctance to select 3rd gear.

I never contacted BMW/MINIUSA, I'm sorry if I gave that impression. My statement about it being undocumented was based on me presuming that one of the first things the dealer did was use MINI's TiS software and select the symptoms that my car was having. It should have lead them in right direction if MINI was aware of this issue happening to other cars. Version 1.1 has nothing similar and since they were still searching on Monday, I'm guessing whatever version they have didn't either. Maybe it's time for another update.

 

Sorry. I was asking jdmaria that question. Thanks for the info though. I'm definately going to follow up with my dealership on this. Thanks again!

 

>>could be the exhaust manifold has a crack.

I agree!! I have a 1984 Isuzu Pup. A real POS.

If the knocking/pinging stops when you let off (while still at the higher rpm) it the exhast manifold.

I don't think the car would idle properly if the timing was far enough off to cause this problem and hear it through the valves.

-donut.

 

>>Not sure how long they spent on that issue in particular. I dropped it off Thursday morning, and I got the call today, Tuesday about 1:00 that it was done. When I spoke to them on Monday, it was still under investigation. The car was in for it's first service, squeaky windows, that noise and a relunctance to select 3rd gear.
>>

Out of curiosity, what was the dealer's solution for the difficulty selecting 3rd gear?

 

>>Out of curiosity, what was the dealer's solution for the difficulty selecting 3rd gear?

Hi GTMini,

Sorry for the slow reponse. I was out of the country until yesterday. Having now been on the Autobahn, I am now more convinced than ever, Michigan roads are garbage !!!

I am sorry, but I am almost relieved to hear of your tranny issues. I thought I was the only one. The shifting action on my car is at times the worst I have ever experienced in the 20+ manual cars I have driven or the 5 I have owned. At other times it not bad at all. I hadn't made the moisture connection that you did, but I will keep my eye on it now. The delaer, was unable to replicate any issues and therfore deemed it too not be a problem. Sorry I can't offer any usefull info.

UPDATE for everyone else:

That hideous noise that the dealer claimed was related to a heatshield, was of course NOT !! I have massive wind noise !! Somehow the thought of them blasting down the freeway in my car in attempts to see if they resolved the issue over and over, keeps me from taking the car back .

It is my guess that the only reason the noise went away is because of the fuel or fuel additives added to my car during the visit.
The noise is in fact related to pinging or too the Mini's knock sensors preventing pinging. After having the car back for about 4 days and filling up at the closest station with 93 octane, the noise came back with a vengance.
After looking at this thread again to see what other potential problems could be causing this noise, I decided to dump in some octane booster as was done at the top of the thread. I drove the car for about a half an hour down the freaway, then pulled off to repeat the acceleration blast and the noise is gone.

It is possibly that my normal short run to work, can't afford another ticket, might as well try to get 28+ mpg driving style, is creating too much carbon build up and creating the artificially high octane requirements.

 

So how did everyone else make out? This noise was almost seeming common place by the number of me too's. A few had throughout bearing problems, how about the others, did it just go away on it's own ?

Mine has not returned, I am still only halfway threw the first tank of gas with octane booster though.

 

If your car pings with the recommended octane, and does not after adding octane booster, something is wrong.

I hate to suggest this, but either keep taking it back to the dealer, or take it to a different dealer.

You do NOT want to drive a pinging engine around all day. It will get busted.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

i'm having the same issue...just a question, the shark injector wouldn't have anything to do with the sound would it? I bought the 93+ version and i always run 93, i was thinking about removing the update just to test the idea. just a though, i don't know much about how it works or what it effects.

 

UPDATE
Just got the S back from the dealer. They actually gave me a loaner for the 2 days they had it -a new Coop. They replaced the belt tensioner (part # 11-28-7-509-476) again, as well as some sort of end cover (part # 11-14-7-513-049) & changed the oil (not due, likely relating to the cover). I've only driven it about an hour so far. The volume and duration of the noise has been reduced quite a bit, but it's not completely gone. I'm not gonna worry about this one anymore unless it gets worse.

 

I just got a call from my SA and he said they fixed my MCS tapping noise @ ~3000-3500 RPM when they replaced the HARMONIC BALANCER pulley attached to the crankshaft. They had it a week and replaced the belt, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, and A/C compressor, before trying the harmonic balancer. He said the rubber ring had become un-glued and wasn't damping engine vibrations. I'll pick it up Sunday and decide for sure. Kudos to MINI Tech. for sticking with it!!!

The noise was hard to hear in the shop, so I took a Tech for a ride next to some walls and fences until they heard the same thing. (FYI - to help distinguish the sound, my tapping noise would go away if the A/C compressor was engaged - takes about 10 seconds after pressing switch inside. I guess the extra load would dampen the vibration.) Good Luck!!!

 

Hi and thanks for sharing! I've been driving around more & it seems my ticking hasn't changed much at all (maybe slightly quieter, but not that much). Would you mind if I shared your info/situation with my SA? Any help (dealership, SA name, etc.) would be greatly appreciated!