I gots a bit of an issue and I am cunfuzzled and angry. I bought a 2008 mini cooper S (Automatic) about a month ago with 65k miles on it and I had to replace a couple burnt valves, so when putting it together again I replaced my timing chain, and all respective parts( bolts, tensioner, exhaust sprocket, guides, seals) about three days ago. I have a damn knocking that sounds very similar to the death rattle with some exceptions. At first, when it came up earlier today, there was a knocking sound ONLY when I put the car in gear. However, now if I let the car sit for about a minute or two it will begin to start knocking but not quite as loud. I am in denial that this is the infamous death rattle.
If I am wrong that well **** I'm wrong and I need to redo the timing chain. BUT if anyone has any ideas I need to hear it!
Thanks Guys!

 

ladies and gents I am ashamed to admit it but I left my crankshaft pulley loose, I tightened it up today and shes set! please don't tell anyone I want to hide under a rock.

 

Thank you for sharing this!

Do you have a soundfile or video from the knocking sound? Mine also has a slight knocking sound when idling which I think got less after I changed the crank pulley.

Greetings to beautiful Washington state!

 

A common source of a knocking sound on our minis outside the timing chain is the belt tensioner or the water pump friction pulley. I advise you either use a stethoscope or a long screw driver to listen to each pulley on the belt drive. I don't own a stethoscope but I use a big screw driver, setting the bit somewhere relatively safe on the pulley and your ear on the end of the handle. After listening to all the pulleys if one of them portrays the knocking noise much louder than the rest then that's your problem child. You should also consider pulling the belt itself off and just inspecting it for some abnormal wear. If you can't find it in the belt drive system then its possibly internal, or maybe it's one of the accessories on the end of the cams (the fuel pump or the vacuum pump). Those are all the suggestions I can think of off the top of my head! Keep me posted George, I'm interested. It's a common issue on any car with a few miles to have a belt tensioner go out and it sounds like from what I've read, a Mini's belt tensioner will start knocking and the arm will start jumping up and down.
Greetings to the home country of our cars!

 

I haven''t been able to locate the noise precisely using a screwdriver and it's there with the belt removed. Besides, the belt, friction pulley assembly, waterpump pulley and crank pulley are all new (there was melted belt rubber in the crank pulley tracks that caused vibration of the friction wheel/water pump noise). The slight knocking sound does not seem to come from the timing chain side or the vacuum pump. In fact, I'm not even sure it is abnormal.