Hi guys, My friends Mini R series N18 JCW got problem.It's low mileage car. Less than 30K. When car is deaccelerating it is making strange metallic sound. Only when car is on gear and moving. The noise is appearing from about 3500 rpm to about 1500 rpm. When accelerator is touched even in the lightest way the noise stops and get back when let go. When sport mode is ON it's 95% of the time. When the sport mode is off there are some days that the this sound is not appearing. Doesn't matter if engine is hot or cold. The mini service said that they hear it but it's normal... which surely is not.

Any suggestions?

 

a lot of people who had something similar found the turbo heat shield loose.

 

Trying to diagnose a strange noise over the internet is like trying to tell a blind person what an apple looks like.

If you don't like what your service adviser said about the noise, time to find an independent shop and have them ride along. Same reason you would get a second opinion when you visit a doctor.

 

I had something similar, turned out to be a loose ABS sensor rubbing on something. Caught it before it got destroyed. But that doesn't sound like your friends issue. Often times it is very oddball.

 

Thank you for suggestions, I think it can be the shield, can it be replaced "at home" or some special tools are needed?

 

If it turned out to be that, you can tighten it rather than replacing it. It can be done at home and no special tools are needed.

if you can also post a short audio/video of the noise, that will help us greatly.

 

I got new portion of informations including recording. It seems that the turbo heat shield seems tight. From information received, it seems that it's more correlated to sport mode. It happens that when sport mode is off, everything is ok. After turning on sport button, the metallic sound appears (during deaccelerations) but after turning off sport mode the metallic sound is not disappearing. It disappears after the longer period when car was not used.

 

New informations. Car went to Mini service again. Again they said that metallic sound in this engine is normal, just this particular is louder than others. Can anyone confirm any sound while deaccelerating in their Mini?

 

Sounds like you talking about the exhaust burbles on deceleration when in Sport mode?

 

I wouldn't have any objections but this is metallic sound even with sport mode off

 

they said it's the wastegate turbo valve sound, it's louder than others but it keeps norm :( and that is ridiculous I wrote to BMW about norms, where can I find them, and they said that there is no standards for noise level of this valve. One thing I am certain, I will never ever go for BMW/Mini again