Hello all. I joined this forum because of a noise. Had this car for about 2 months now. I see in service records that the waterpump was replaced under extended CPO warranty by the dealership. I started getting a whistling noise at low speed and idle just after starting the car and did my research and found a TSB for the R56 up to 2009 that pretty much described this problem. Either Waterpump or friction wheel. OK, so I brought it to a MINI certified independant and he did the friction wheel but said "there's some glazing on the rubber of the waterpump pulley and I sprayed some deglazer on it to clean it up. But if the noise comes back that's probably going to need to be replaced too." I go to start the car and the battery is dead. so he jumps me and says, "let that idle a good hour or two to charge up the battery. My guys must have left the accessories on while the worked on it." At this point I'm thinking this shop is not going to touch my car again because 1st, if there's a problem with the waterpump pulley replace it while you are in there, 2nd Don't EVER spray crap on the belt rubber or pulley rubber, and 3rd they killed my battery while it was being worked on. What?! Needless to say the noise came back with vengeance and the battery wouldn't hold a charge after freezing over the weekend. Enter shop #2...

Second shop got in there and noted shop #1 had the wrong size oil filter on it somehow(yes shop 1 did an oil change too), there was no/low coolant that was "the wrong color" whatever that means, and that the friction wheel was aftermarket and locked up and burned, which destroyed the rubber s-belt and the rubber on the water pump pulley. He got the local parts shop to replace the aftermarket friction wheel, replaced the s-belt and waterpump pulley, did a free oil change, replaced a seal in the radiator, replaced the coolant, free wiper blades... some other stuff. Really solid guy. The next day the noise comes back, but then goes away... so I hold my breath that its phantom. But it eventually is whistle/screeching from the waterpump area regularly on start-up. I bring it back to shop #2 with the TSB regarding the friction wheel and waterpump noise... and say if his parts look ok it might be the waterpump. SO he replaces the friction wheel with an OEM one as warranty for his earlier work, free as in beer. I'm happy and give him a case of switchback just to keep the relationship chummy. next day, start the car and the GD NOISE IS BACK! So I video it, and send it to the mechanic. He's like I don't know what to say we can try replacing the water pump, but it turns feely and was just replaced 2 years ago... SO I say... let me post it to a forum and see what some of the experts have for advice.

Link to video I made of the noise.

 

Welcome to NAM. Moved you to the Gen2 Stock Problems/Issues forums where you should find some advice.

 

how many miles?
auto or manual?

can you hear it by the turbo?
can you hear it by the transmission pan?

does it get louder with rpm or steady noise?

 

how many miles? 84,497
auto or manual? Automatic

can you hear it by the turbo? Uncertain, definitely passenger side of engine. Seems to come from everywhere at it's loudest.
can you hear it by the transmission pan? I don't actually know where this is off the top of my head.

does it get louder with rpm or steady noise? goes away as rpms increase, comes back as the decrease. Loudest at idle, gone once underway for a minute or two.

 

is the noise present when you turn on the AC?

did you try running the engine without the serpentine belt?

is the alternator charging the battery or you have to jump start the car every now and then?

 

is the noise present when you turn on the AC? It is present both when the A/C is on and when it is off, and in all interior climate control fan speeds.

did you try running the engine without the serpentine belt? No, I just talked to my mechanic(shop #2) about this and it is not a test he's comfortable performing.

is the alternator charging the battery or you have to jump start the car every now and then? Yes the alternator works fine, just had that checked out during the cold snap we had this winter. Alternator fine, battery frozen while discharged caused it to swell and crack. Battery had been admittedly discharged by Shop #1 somehow while they were changing the oil... They wouldn't say how, but just said, "Yeah... it's likely that it was discharged while we worked on the oil change. Sorry about that" -but I digress.

It's difficult to nail down, as the noise only occurs intermittently and only when it's first started. But it's happened enough that I have been able to test whether or not acceleration in neutral, or in gear make a difference, braking, fan speed, a/c, etc. So far it happens between say 500 and 1500 rpms when it first starts and the only thing that effects it is rpms. It doesn't change pitch at all, it's just there or not. It sort of fades in when I first start the car, and when accelerating above 1000-1500 rpms it fades out quickly. If I let the car sit and idle at about 800 RPMs, it will build volume until the level it is in that video and linger there as long as I let it idle. Once I start driving it goes away.

 

It's a long shot but there is a belt tensioner with a plastic wheel and a bearing in the center, i have never heard of one going bad with your mileage but you have covered all the usual suspects. Mine made this noise and it turned out to be the valve cover expensive item and should no OBDII codes go figure.

 

Thanks to both of you who've replied to this.
I had read some forum posts about the valve cover gasket whistling noise as well. Also, heard of the water pumps failing after only a few thousand miles... so even though it was replaced in 2016, I suppose it's possible it is failing. (although shop #2 says it doesn't turn like a failing WP and there's no sign of leaking)

 

What did you find was your issue with the whistling? This is exact issue I'm having on my 2011 N18. I just bought it 10 days back. Figure I'll look into the belt tensioner first, then valve cover. I was told the valve cover gasket was replaced a week before I bought it, but it perhaps they missed a crack or it's a PCV issue. Whistling completely stops after it warms up for a few minutes. Never changes pitch or intensity, goes away with higher RPMs, then return when the lower. After about 5-7 minutes the whistling stops completely. I only have about 10 days experience with the MINI but so far love the car. #drinkingfromaFireHose

 

+

Mine ended up being the valve cover gasket. The local MINI Dealer finally solved the problem. 1st they replaced some faulty turbo vacuum hoses/parts and updated software... noise was back the next day when I picked it up! 2nd they took it overnight so they could diagnose it after cold start... they called me an I ran over quickly and they showed that they could press on one corner of the valve cover and the noise would go away and come back when they released pressure. So, I think that's a relatively simple diagnostic test for somebody with a relatively decent mechanical inclination.

No Problems since, except on my way to CA right around Tahoe in the Sierra Nevadas it misfired and went into limp mode. I made it down to Sacramento and after a few days it was fine. Then it came back with vengeance and we towed it to the local Dealer here and they R&R the 4 coil packs. It's too fun to drive to give up though. Before we bought it a friend who owns a VW R32, a Porsche and a MINI (supercharged S) says it's his favorite to drive, but that the only good thing about MINI is how fun it is to drive! haha.