I have an '03 Cooper with 93k miles and I am hearing a strange puttering noise under several conditions. The best description of the noise I can give is the "card-in-spokes" noise that increases in frequency with increases in rpm. I'm getting the noise at pretty much any rpm while driving although It goes away when I let off the throttle or put in the clutch. I can not hear the noise as I coast until I get close to stopping 10mph-0mph. I can't here any noise while idling in neutral or when I rev the car in neutral. The noise is most pronounced at low rpm especially in higher gears and lessons as rpms increase (although this may just be because the frequency of the putters increases) The noise seems to be getting worse at a fairly fast pace although it may be that I'm just noticing it more now that it is worrying me. I got a new clutch kit, master, and slave about 12k ago and I believe they resurfaced the flywheel although it may have been replaced. The only recent changes I have done is changing oil/filter. I thought at first cv's but it does not seem to increase while turning. I'm afraid it may be trans related but I have seen a fair amount of people with the damper problem although they seem to hear the noise only at mid-high rpms so I don't know. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

lower the windows and drive by a wall or fence on passenger side and see if sound is from passenger side . also it may be more pronounced between 3 and 4 thousand rpms when accelerating in third . if all above are correct then it is likely the harmonic damper going south .

 

Thanks for the reply. The noise seems much louder at lower rmps around 2000. It is also louder when I'm driving than when I'm in the passenger seat. I've read about the damper and I'm not sure if that is it or not I'm not smelling any rubber either. Is there anything else it might be?