bump - had my car towed in this morning, still waiting on a call back. Spoke to service rep this morning and he said that when they replaced the exhaust manifold that it didn't involve any work to the engine at all.... Anybody know if that's true? Gonna have to check my records and see what they did before.

Are the early engines just spontaneously blowing up?

 

You might have had the supercharger self destruct. I had the tapping sound this thread describes a few years back and it ceased once I replaced the crank dampener with an '05 dampener. Last spring my supercharger let go in an event that sounds similar to yours. Here is the info on what happens:

Rattle : Supercharger / Water Pump

Sorry for the problems and hope they get ya taken care of quickly.

 

It doesn't sound like your condition is the same issue as what is being experienced here. Would absolutely get your car to a qualified mechanic ASAP.

 

just got the call from the shop...

threw the rod which went through the block and into the ac compressor as well as the supercharger.

estimate for repair and labor is about $9500

$@&^@$&!!!!!

 

Ouch! Sounds like it is time to get a new 2.0L motor from one of the tuners.

 

went and checked out the car... MINI of Nashville really went out of their way to help me but I can't see putting ten grand into the car, that's almost as much as the trade in value...

so...

bought a used 325CiC off the lot. Cost about as much as the repairs would have been after selling the MINI. It's gorgeous, rides great, excellent in every way.... but not as fun to drive whatsoever.

I WILL get another MINI, just right now I can't afford a new one.

 

My MINI is gone but it's still bugging me as to what actually happened to it....

There was no oil in it the morning the tow truck came for it, and when the engine blew there was no smoke or any trail of oil from the car to where it blew up the street. This would lead me to believe that there was no oil in it BEFORE the engine blew, which of course would be a good clue as to why. But, it hadn't been leaking or burning oil beforehand, I've searched everywhere I park and no sign of oil. That ticking sound I'd heard the week before may have been completely, or partially, unrelated.

The day the engine blew I had been driving out in the country on some rough dirt/gravel roads. I highsided one time, though I don't remember it as being very significant, and don't remember it as having changed the sound at the time. -IF- I had some piece of rock or something pierce the oilpan or some other part letting the engine oil drain out while driving would I have experienced an immediate change in how the car ran, and how long do you think it would take for it to blow?

There had been no warning lights on the dash before the engine blew, even when it was sounding horrible. I was just hoping to make it home and take it to the dealership the next day before it blew.

 

finally read through this thread!
i have a 02 build cooper (non S), and i seem to have the same problem described, only mine starts at 2000 revs at speeds 50-60+ km/h and is getting more noticeable at lower speeds. sending it in to the dealer next fri

 

Issue was solved on my MINI last week, sound in the engine on the passenger side when reving. The tensioner and belt were replaced, problem solved...

 

I posted in the other "crank pulley" thread, but I am posting here in case some people are only subscribed to this thread and not to the other.

Just wanted to report back after the crank pulley (aka, vibration damper or harmonic balancer) was replaced on my 03 MCS. Like everybody else on this thread, I was also suffering from the passenger side rattle over 3K rpm reflecting from center dividers, walls, etc.

Thank goodness, the noise is gone with the new pulley!!! I cant believe how noisy the old one got after comparing it with the new one...

 

No more clatter!!!! Finally, after 5 trips to multiple dealers from new (and being told repeatedly that "they all do that" or "it's normal for the supercharger") and first posting on this thread over 4 years ago, I bit the bullet and purchased a later style OEM crank pulley and had it installed. For the first time since having bought the car with 6 miles on the clock, there is NO MORE CLATTER This may be one of the best "mods" I've made yet - LOL

 

Wow,

I finally found the cure to my problem,

I am so happy,gonna replace this thing and hopefully my nightmare ends!

Tom;

From Belgium(europe)

 

Does anyone recognize this noise? It is coming from somewhere around the crankshaft end or oil pump. No speculations please, I have been trying to find the source for some months now. New vibration damper, restored belt tensioner ball bearings, rebuilt supercharger, new bypass valve, no exhaust or inlet leaks.
The sound appears after 60 seconds in the movie. It is only heard during heavy acceleration with warm engine @ 3000 rpm upwards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT0m-72vK1o

 

That sounds like what my 2003 R50 is doing. It has gotten progressively louder and sounds louder outside the car although it is very noticeable inside the car also. Nobody has been able to determine what it is, including a pretty good mechanic. It starts after shifting into third gear when the car is fully warmed up.

 

Summary of all of the solutions:
I have skimmed through the 9 pages of posts. It looks like a lot of different solutions to a similar sound.

I also have the tapping sound on the passenger side with window down, near a wall or barrier, while accelerating. For other reasons than sound, I have already replaced a bad harmonic balancer, and the entire belt tensioner assembly with belt. Some posters said it could be a cracked exhaust pipe. I had mine TIG welded where it was cracked right before the cat converter. It made a different sound. Its completely sealed now so that's not the source.

The noise I still hear when accelerating doesn't sound like valve tapping.
My thoughts are either the chain tensioner or tensioner guides. The 02 MCS was not known for timing chain guide problems like some of the later models. This weekend I'll install the new chain tensioner. ($48.00 @ Pelican) It's inexpensive and reportedly easy to replace. If that doesn't do it then I'll try a heavier synthetic oil for high mileage engines.

Hopefully I will post with a follow-up success story later this week.

 

I finally got around to replacing the chain tensioner today. Very easy and access wasn't a big deal. Removed right front tire and I got to the cap bolt using a long 19mm open end wrench. My new tensioner was already compressed from the factory. Leaving it completely compressed I inserted it in the hole and replaced the cap bolt. Started the engine and the oil pressure immediately expanded it. The chain never rattled.

Before starting the car with the new tensioner I changed oil/filter. With 135K on the car I upped the viscosity of the synthetic oil from the 5-30 to 10-40.

After I completed the above I took the car out on the interstate with the passenger window down and drove beside a concrete construction barrier where I would always hear the tapping. At about 2500RPM I applied throttle to produce engine torque where the tapping was most noticeable; and the tapping sound is ............
still there! However much fainter, possibly due to heavier oil. I now suspect the tapping is just a noisy lifter.