Hi all,

Just joined the mini crowd:
Bought a second hand r52 cooper S last week.
After a week the car started to have a slight "ticking" noise when cold.
The sound goes away when you press the clutch.
If the car is even slightly warm the sound is not there which makes it hard to demonstrate at the garage.

I've been searching for what it could be.
It sounds a bit like a flywheel issue but it is not clear to me if that goes away when the car heats up like my car.

Is there anyone who can tell what's wrong wrong and if I should get something replaced?

Thx,
Robert

 

Probably the sound of the dual mass flywheel. How many miles?

 

It has done 52K miles.
If it is the flywheel shouldn't the sound continue even when car is warm?

From what I have read the flywheel issue is not really something to be worried about / is somewhat normal. Is this a correct assumption?

 

My 2002 MCS also has flywheel rattle. It is not consistent. Regardless of temperature it may or may not make noise at low RPM in neutral. I find that I can get it to stop by pressing in the clutch and then slowly releasing it again. Quick releases seem to set off the rattle.

The rattle is normal in the sense that the DM flywheel internal spring system is prone to failure. It will not self destruct instantaneously but its purpose was to reduce vibration so over time is may lead to other issues. Otherwise your car will just sound like a diesel...

Many people just do an early clutch job with a single mass flywheel conversion (ie Valeo).

 

Thx Fizzy,

I'll leave it for now.
I've not heard the rattle for some days, which seems consistent with your experience. As long as it does not get worse I will just replace it if/when the clutch goes..

 

One of the many common noises for the gen1 Coopers. Drive it til it breaks.
Greg

 

Keep an eye on it. If anything maybe do a service on the transmission fluid and see if it changes anything as just a preventative maintenance suggestion. Read more about it and the life time fluid here.

-Luccia