i have a stock MCS, no mods, i'm wondering, whenever i start my car cold, i am hearing some sqealing.. i don't know if it's the belt or the pulleys (i don't know what pulley) but after a minute or so, it disappears.... is that a major problem or what? or is that normal? i never heard this when the car was new before....

-->ed

 

anyone? help help!!!!anyone experienced same problem??

 

I recently repaced someones belt in hopes of curing a once a day cold start 50' from home squeal. No such luck. The newer cars seem to have this problem more than the older ones. It could be a fatigued tensioner spring, leaking tensioner strut,tensioner pulley bearing ,idler pulley bearing, alt. ac.... I've seen multiple complaints but no generic fix.

If you have access to a tensioner tool, a bathroom scale & another S with no squeal issues you could check the spring, which can be shimed after removing the tensioner assembly. Or better yet take it in under warranty & hope you don't get stuck with a humvee

 

Are you in gear or starting to move in first gear when this is happening or is just at idle when you start when you hear this sound?

 

That is your alternator belt. It only squels when the alternator is needing to put a lot of power out. Right when you crank the car it is having to recharge the battery because of the drain from the starter. Whenever the battery is charged a good bit the altenator relaxes a little which means less strain on the belt, and that causes the belt to stop slipping.

Either have your belt changed at the dealer or buy a belt tensioner tool and do it your self.

 

when i start the car in the morinings.... after i start, it sqeals then after 30 seconds to 1 minute, it;s gone....

 

so if it's really the alternator, is it normal???? if not, what's the cure? loose belt? need tightening? my car has just 1200km on the odometer...

 

With that little miles on it (well kilo) I would think that your belt tensioner is not putting enough tension on the belt. The belt should not have worn that quickly. You probably need a new tensioner and a belt.

 

if you have 1200km I'm guessing you have a 2005 MCS, check this out

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=45426

 

i have an 03 mcs

 

the sqeal disappeared!!!! i just lubricated the hydraulic belt tensioner...

->Ed

 

btw, after a while, the noise came back again... but now my problem is solved... i just changed the belt. and i think the old belt was kinda loose... stretched??

 

had the same problem. it went away after we changed the belt too!

 

way to go!!!

 

Lucy (2003 stock MCS) has had a similar problem for at least a year now, only I'll hear a high-pitched whine, which changes in frequency with the RPMs, for about ten minutes after the car is first started (I guess until the car is thoroughly warmed up).

The belt tensioner was replaced under warranty about a month ago, and I no longer heard the high-pitched whine ... until about a week ago. The same whine is back and just as bad and persistent as it was before.

Does this mean the belt tensioner has to be replaced every month??? Lucy didn't produce this high pitched whine for well over a year after I purchased her. I originally bought her in Hawaii, where it is always nice and warm, but transfered to England around 15 months after I bought her. I figured the noise was due to the cold temps and high humidity of the UK, but that's simply a guess based on my experience with this noise.

It sure is embarassing, hearing that noise as I drive around. There aren't many MINI Coopers where I live now, so Lucy attracts a lot of attention, and that whine sounds awful.

Edit: I just read the thread titled "Supercharger Belt Squeel on new MCS?" and I have to add ... when I originally took Lucy to the service shop in Cheltenham, UK last year, they told me that the whine was the supercharger and it was a normal sound. Based on reading this thread and and the above-mentioned thread, and my own experience with this problem, it looks like there is no such thing as a warranty fix for it. :(

 

Don't worry about changing your tensioner every month miniangel. Probably just a faulty part and you'll most likely not see the problem again.

As for the supercharger whine...hope you get used to it, or you're gonna have to drive with a light foot! One of the more endearing characteristics of the MCS

EDIT: Oops, didn't see that you mentioned the noise is back. It shouldn't do that despite the temperture and humidity changes. Hopefully your dealer can get this sorted out for you

 

my '04 MC has just started a belt squeal for the first couple minutes upon starting but I think only if I turn the steering wheel all way....any ideas or recommendations?.....is the belt likely to break and leave me stranded?

 

my '04 MC with 52000 miles also just started a squeal, which sounds like a slipping belt. it mainly happens at cold start up and with A/C on...turn off A/C and noise stops. any idea's or recommendations? how hard is it to change the belt?

 

My '02 MC has started squealing at start up too. I doesn't do it until I pull off. My landlord was putting together a ceiling fan in front of my building the other day, and was asking me about the car. To have it make that ghastly sound in front of him, right after, was so embarrasing!

 

I got this squeal after installing a new belt and Alta 15% SC Pulley, I'm afraid something is broken? Help!

 

Anyone?

 

You may wish to read this thread and figure out what's wrong. Appears this started out as belt squeal.

....Les

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

Recently my MCS has started to squeal at start up. Early '03, 15% pulley, with just over 40K miles on it. 15% has been on since 3000 miles on the clock & never made a peep!

I had a service apt. for other issues & asked that it be checked out. Tech insisted that the problem was 15% reduction pulley & not having a JCW belt - said tensioner was too loose. I was doubtful of his claim, but in order to satisfy the dealer & eliminate the possibility I agreed to have a JCW belt installed (my expense). Guess what... it still squeals AND the belt that came off shows no wear or stretch.

Over the past few weeks the noise appears to be getting worse, both that it lasts longer & seems louder. I also thought I heard a chain-like metalic noise for a moment yesterday at startup.

At this point I believe I will ask the dealer to check the alternator, tensioner, idler pulley & crank pulley. My big fear is that it is the crank pulley or alternator. I don't want to experience a catastrophic failure of the crank pulley, and I certainly don't want to pay out for an alternator. SA implied that if alternator were to die it would be my $ due to 15%

Anyone who's had thier '02/'03 crank pulley swapped out care to comment? I've heard of a few of this vintage breaking appart.

TIA

 

I sure hope for the best man!

My sound disappeared suddenly about a month ago, now I don't hear anything on cold starts.