There are lots of engine noise threads but they don't seem to match mine so...

It's a clicking noise and also a chain like noise from the left side of the engine when looking into the engine compartment. I've got about 6500 miles on and the noise just started.

The best way to describe it is that it sounds similar to my bikes when a valve needed adjustment and the cam chain needed to be tensioned. The noise is most noticeable at idle and louder when the engine is cold. I don't know a lot about this engine, but I thought the valves were hydraulic (no adjustment needed) and I guess I assumed that the cam chain is self tensioned. Anyway, I'm not sure its valve noise but it sounds like it!

Can anyone help? Thanks

 

Don't drive it before talking to your Mini service dept. of choice. It could very well be timing chain related. The chain tensioner spring may be 2 peices now within the plunger. I'm guessing, but you may be also if you continue to run/drive it before flatbeding it to the dealership. Well thats my scary senerio anyway.

 

Mine has done that since birth. I am going to talk to the dealership about it because I am coming up on warranty expiration.

 

We have ~2500 miles on ours and it just started as well..

When it's cold, it does not make the noise, but after it's been driven a while and is warm, it will *sometimes* make this noise when idling.

I've checked the oil and it's fine.

We have an appt. for next Thursday at Rasmussen, so I guess we'll figure it out then.

 

Namwob -Thanks for responding. My gut instinct tells me its not that hairy! The problem is the dealer is 80 miles down the road, which also means a day off work, and of course they're not going to ok a tow based on the engine sounding different than before. The car seems normal and only makes the sound at idle. I was inclined to run it as long as it didn't get worse, at least until I can drive it in and have them listen. I know the clicking is new, but it's possible the chain noise has always been there.

UKSUV - Thank you also! Please post your dealers responce if you can. Since your warranty is almost up I take it you have quite a few miles on your MINI, which makes me feel a little better about driving mine. I have 3500 miles to go until the initial service, and I know I don't want to wait that long.

 

Thats interesting because mine quiets down somewhat as it warms up. It is considerably noisier at cold startup. My oil is also fine, and I changed it myself at 3000 miles and didn't note any metal particles at all in the filter at that time. I'm going to try and find another MINI around here I can listen to, and see if the sound might be normal after breakin. Anyway, sounds like you will beat me to a dealer so keep me posted if you will. Thanks!

 

UKSUV's response definitely drops the paranoia level down considerably:smile: Mine made a rattling noise on startup after switching to royal purple. I ditched it & went to Mobil 1 & it didn't do it again for about 4000mi. Changed the oil then & it was gone again. These oils are so light a viscosity I now add TX7 which bumps up the viscosity a tad & has teflon ground fine enough to go through the best oil filters available. Rattle no mo. Try changing the oil- castrol syn. or better yet mobil 1

 

No problem fellas...I have 43000 miles on the car and have a service appt. for Monday for other things. But, now that you mention this I will address it accordingly. I asked a few other Mini owners who have extensive ownership of Mini's and they said it's not normal. Who knows. Mine has done it for 42570 miles now. I thought it was the transaxle because when I changed the oil....there was none. I was pissed. I have to talk to the dealership about that one too.

 

Well, namwob's response did make me reconsider (not paranoidally though ) so I stopped at Foreign Car Specialists here in Madison just to have them listen. They are hoping to begin more MINI work as warranties around here start to run out. In any case the stethoscope seems to rule out valves or timing chain problems.

The sound seems to be rising more through the intercooler. The sound I thought may be the timing chain is actually better described as a chorus of frogs. The clicking he thought might be injector related. All conjecture of course, but I'm going to drop the MINI off and leave it tomorrow morning so he can start it after it cools down and listen again. This morning it was much louder when cold. In any case, looks like a trip to Milwaukee soon unless he recommends grounding me.

Edit: I used Castrol Syntec when I changed oil.

 

But I don't have an intercooler!

 

Oh, the chorus of frogs sound. Thats easy,thats the broken left rear intercooler mounting tab. Press down on the intercooler while chirping (it chirping, NOT YOU) to verify. Hey it happened to me "chirping friggin toads" Oh,you said frogs-sorry must be something else.

 

42570 mi. with no intercooler! No wonder its making weird noises (let us know what you find out)

 

This is interesting. I dropped dingo off this morning to cool off so Chris, the mech can hear it on a cold start. On arrival I find (what a guy) he had arranged to have another MCS on hand so we could match engine sounds. Sure enough, the chorus of frogs is loud and clear on the control MINI but no loud clicking so we deduce that the chorus of frogs is natural. I had offered to pay for this consultation but he would have none of that so I left a dozen fresh donuts on the seat for their morning break. He thought that was cool.

So I go back tonight after work and find he's ready to do the cold start thing. Sure enough the clicking is quite loud, but no longer actually clicking, more of click-shishing combo. He pokes around under the bonnet for a minute and then tells me its the serpentine belt and he can prove it by squirting a little water on the pulleys one at a time. Sure enough, the second squirt caused an instantaneous cease of the loud click-shishing combo. Wow! The pulleys are fine, the belt is fine, just very noisy! So I guess I carry a squirt bottle around from now on, or at least until my initial service when I'm going to demand a fix.

Anyway, Namwob - thanks for making me paranoid enough to check it out. I feel a lot better now! Of course, now I have to go and press down on the intercooler to see if a mounting tab is broken.

UKSUV - You may not have an intercooler, but I bet you got a serpentine belt. It may need a little squirt of water now and then.



And, I think I know where my MINI's going for service after the warranty expires! I believe Chris at Foreign Car Specialists is about the nicest mechanic I have ever met.

 

Took the car in to Rasmussen yesterday and they identified the noise as the "EWS Control Relay" for the transmission. They ordered the part and it's being replaced today.

Apparently this has to do with the starter/clutch interlock that forces you to depress the clutch before starting the car. The relay failure caused the relay to click/rattle repeatedly when the car was idling in neutral with the clutch out. The noise went away with the clutch depressed.

I'm picking the car up after work this afternoon and will see if that indeed fixed the problem.

 

I hope they got your problem solved ripley. As for mine, I bought a can of belt dressing and sprayed a bit on the other day, it quieted down for one day and then started back up again. Looks like I'll just put up with it until my first service comes due.:impatient

 

Ran, isn't that the shop Peter Egan frequently mentions in his Road & Track columns? I believe he may have worked there at one time. If so, you've probably found the inner sanctum of northwoods British car service.

 

Yep, that's the shop, good pick up TooTall. I've only read a few of his Road and Track columns, but I've enjoyed his Cycle World columns for years. What a writer! If you like his stuff get a copy of his book Leanings, a compilation of his best Cycle World stuff, its a great read. He worked at Foreign Car Specialists for 6 years back in the early seventies. I used to eat breakfast at a restaurant across the street - little did I know.