Hi everyone -

About 4 weeks ago I noticed a fairly loud viration in the engine when I first start out in the cold. I didn't hear it until about 3k RPM. As the engine warms up, it gradually goes away.

I took it in and they said it was a bad vacum pump, which they replaced. This weekend I drove the car and the noise is back (or may have never gone away as I haven't driven it since I drove it home from the dealer on a fairly mild day. My wife has been driving it since the repair and she wouldn't notice if she were driving on 4 flat tires....but I digress)

The car is an '07 MCS with 29K. At 19K I had the tensioner replaced due to the infamous "death rattle" Because I don't hear the noise until about 3k rpm (as opposed to idle), I really don't think it's that problem again; and the noise is not the same - it's more of a loud vibration. What does the vacum pump sound like when it's failing....Could I possibly have another bad vacum pump. I understand a failed vacum pump is catostrophic to the engine.

Any thoughts???.....I'm still about 8 months from warranty expiration, so utlimately I know I'll be back at the dealer, but I just wanted to get some input from the "experts" here....Thanks!

 

Had the chain/tensioner replaced. This is the second replacement for the tensioner and the first time the chain, rails, etc. have been replaced...

Hopefully this is the end of it...

 

Why are you reving the engine to or above 3K rpm when the engine is cold?

Doesn't the manual say to start the car and drive gently until it's warmed up?

 

just curious: at what point do you deem it ok to take the engine to 3k? 1 minute; 5 minutes?; 10 munutes? Or, have you installed a temp gauge and you wait until it gets to a particular temp?

 

I drive gently until the water temp is above 200F. I won't hammer on it until it's been 220 for a few minutes.

In my M3, it usually takes 15 minutes for the oil temp to reach 150F and probably another 10 for it to stabilize at it's normal operating temp of 200F. The Mini runs hotter than the M3 so it warms up more quickly.

But that's just me.