This is my second Mini. Both have had a buzzing/whining/whirring noise (turbo I think) when started cold, but it always goes away after a bit.

Well recently my JCW has taken a new twist on this. It's louder than before, doesn't go away after the car warms up, and it gets louder all the way through while accelerating and stays at terminal speed. It's in lock-step with the engine speed, starts around 2k, whines all the way up to shifting, then I shift up, whining goes down and then it whines back up till my next shift. Tested it on the highway at 75 last night and it was a constant whine at that speed.

I hope that was a clear description. Anyways, I recorded some audio of it on my iPhone last night. It's crappy but I can hear it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNGpr...ature=youtu.be

It's the highest frequency tone in there. Almost sounds like a motorcycle. Hear it?

What is this? Am I nuts or is it a problem? It hasn't done this before, and I have to drive from Dallas to Houston next weekend so I'm really worried!

 

Well, how does the JCW make more power? I'm guessing the turbo has better intercooler plumbing and is running more boost, both of those things could account for audible turbo noise. My 2007 has ALTA intercooler hoses and I can hear the same noise.

 

Can't access the video at the moment, but it could be the turbo or possibly your transmission input shaft bearing since you describe the noise as being related to engine rpms.

To do a quick check on the turbo, disconnect the intake from the air filter box so you can see the turbine on the compression side of the turbo. Check for play in the turbine shaft. Anything more than a millimetre play of the compressor/shaft and your turbocharger probably needs a rebuild or replacement.

To be honest, it sounds more to me like it's transmission related. How many miles on that car?

 

Have you investigated the heat shield? Designed to make noise! ;-)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using NAMotoring

 

Hey there. So did you find what was causing the whining noise???

I have just found same noise with same pattern, that goes louder with acceleration, today.

This is making me crazy.

Please let me know if you found the answer.

 

Bumping this thread for similar noise. I'm about %80 certain it's the manual transmission in my '10 Cooper S. My thought is that the gear oil doesn't lubricate as well at the colder winter temperatures here in Michigan. The sound was not present until temps dropped below freezing. I have not done any other modifications since this summer - This is in addition to the sound of my turbo spooling.
Before I replace the gear oil, I thought I would check to see if anyone has had success with a particular gear oil in cold environments.

 

Anyone find out what was going on? I have a bad video of my sound (its towards the end kind of a high pitch grinding that is lock and step with the engine), apologize for poor iPhone quality which doesn't represent it well. Mine also appeared when it became cold out.