I have had my 2002 MCS for a couple weeks now and today the SC Whine seems to alot lower. Cars is still running fine but I am not sure if I got use to it, the weather is getting colder and windows are up more or the whine did get lower.

When do you hear the SC the most?
Are you suppose to hear it when just reving the engine?
If the SC went would it be driveable and still run decent?
What mod makes the SC louder?

Thanks in advance...

 

If your car is stock then you will only really hear the supercharger whine @ higher rpms. Also if the intake box, tubing or other such bits aren't super tight together. The noise you are hearing is perfectly normal. Those of us with a CAI hear tons of supercharger sound (not noise to me).

 

Having recently put a 15% pulley and Milltech exhaust on this summer...I was amazed at the Whine increase when the pulley went on...Now that it is colder and The windows are up...whine seems to have increased! SWEEEEET music!

 

I just had my factory S/C die at about 127K miles. The first sign was an intermitten silence, where there should have been S/C whine, as I was going up through the gear box. I put an 15% pulley on the car at 96K miles.

Dealership replacement of the S/C estimate was in the 2100 range. I opted to go another route.....

Be safe and MotorOn!

 

Damn was just feeling good again and Whskysouth got me thinking again. With 21,000 miles it better not be the SC. I think it is fine just got back from driving it around the block and all was OK.

I did just purchase a Alta CAI so hopefull the whine gets louder

When you had intermitent SC Whine did you still have good performance and when it died did the car stop running?

 

First off, its *louder* not *lauder.* (Sorry, I'm picky like that.)

Yes, you will get a LOT more SC noise with that ALTA CAI. It sounds like its wide open. You will absolutely love the ALTA CAI. Especially if you like that SC whine. With the CAI and a reduction pulley, the SC whine will be MUCH more pronounced. But in a GOOD way! I'd have to say 90% of MINI owners with that mod are more than happy with the performance AND the whine. Good luck!

 

Which route was that...

 

Yah, do tell

 

Wow! $2100 to replace a supercharger? That certainly is a sobering figure! Like Mikem, I'd like to know what you did instead of replacing the SC.

Thanks,

Chuck

 

I opted to M62..... This I hope will give me a better base to build upon.

thanks
Jack

 

Back to the first post; with only a couple of weeks driving the MCS you’re not yet used to the sensory inputs so give it some time. When you put on that racket box called the Alta CAI you will be overwhelmed with new noises and your paranoia will skyrocket.

If the supercharger fails completely, that means the shaft is no longer spinning. That could be a spun pulley or lobe seizure, both are rare. More common on the M45 is worn or broken water pump drive gear teeth (no lubricant usually) which will cause unnatural noises. In either case the damage comes from the lack of coolant circulation, which can be minimized by shutting down as soon as overheating or clattering noises are detected. In the case of fried lobes some damage could occur if enough coating or metal debris is ingested but the intercooler core fins usually catch most of that provided the motor is stopped quickly.

As for the high dealership replacement prices, used superchargers routinely go for less than $400 and the SC can be swapped out in less than a day with modicum mechanical skills and a $100 worth of tools.

The Eaton M45 has a hundred thousand mile service life before rebuilding is needed, use beyond that is risky. I’ve seen a scored case and flaking lobes on a M62 with only a few thousand miles of over-revving so that model is not immune from damage either.