Hello Everyone, New to the forum and Minis.
Just picked up a 2009 “justa” hatch with 95,000 miles and it has a curious issue. The engine produces a whining noise. It changes with RPM and sounds much like a typical Power steering or automatic transmission front pump whine. Being that it has electric power steering and a manual trans those aren’t possibilities. It seems louder to my ear on the drivers side near the intake silencer than the accessory belt side. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks

 

Any oil leaks underneath, i.e. from the output-shafts mainly? Could be low gearbox oil if there have been long term leaks (worth changing the gear oil at that mileage anyway even though it says lifetime oil you know that is nonsense). Second choice would be a wheel bearing, more often a grinding sound on turning though. Next would be vacuum pump, this can be starved of oil if car has not been serviced regularly, it is a round silver thing which is driven by a cam shaft, if it fails it can take out the cam/timing and cause catastrophic engine failure. There is not much else going on at that side of the engine on the N12 variant.

 

Thanks Scudder44 for the info. It did have a clutch done shortly before I got it so I should at least confirm it's tranny is full. it could be a wining input shaft bearing. A wheel bearing's out as it makes the noise standing still. The vacuum pump intrigues me. Not familiar with that type of component. I'll have to do some research and additional diagnostics.

 

My 07 "justa" mini does does the same thing. I got underneath it with a stethoscope and I am 98% sure its the oil pump. I dropped the pan and the pump lookes fine and had been replaced recently ( had a manufacturer date of 2017). The chain was loose but that seems to be the norm for those. I am going to change it next oil change (along with the chain) and see if it changes anything.

 

Was it oil pump? Any updates?