1st Gen R53 Cooper S [Help] Unknown Engine Bay Whistle

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by melvinyip, Dec 13, 2015.

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  1. melvinyip

    melvinyip New Member

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    #1 melvinyip, Dec 13, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 17, 2015
    Mini Cooper S R53 2006, checkmate edition 6 speed automatic transmission
    I've had this odd whistling sound since 2 days back. I couldn't trace the source of the sound but it seems to be coming from the pulley side of the engine. Vision checks on all my pulley, nothing seems out of order or wobbly, every pulley has been changed recently. The high pitch whistle (not sure if it's audible in the video below) increases in volume as I rev the engine. Anyone has any idea or experience with this? Thank you in advance for your replies and feedback

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DP-4w3inI"]High pitch whistle MINI R53 2006 - YouTube[/ame]
     
  2. BlimeyCabrio

    BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIs
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    #2 BlimeyCabrio, Dec 13, 2015
    The sound I'm hearing sounds more like a high pitched whine, than a whistle.

    While I know you said you just changed them, I suspect a bad idler pulley. Or the bearing may be adjusted too tightly.
     
  3. melvinyip

    melvinyip New Member

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    #3 melvinyip, Dec 17, 2015
    Thanks for the tip blimey. It sounded almost like a pulley spinning and grinding making the whining noise. More prominent when cold, and increases with revs. Idler pulley replaced barely over a month ago. The noise seems to be coming from the supercharger pulley though. I'm on 17% reduction WMW pulley
     
  4. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #4 BruceK, Dec 17, 2015
    Does this sound similar? This is the noise my '02 Cooper S engine made about 3 years ago when I had a maddening whistle/tone. (apologies for the vertical video, I was intent on recording sound, not concerned with images when I took it).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6PgZkUPlejc

    I could get the noise to change tone by gently pulling/pushing on the flexible parts of the intake tract. So I narrowed it down to a component or a joint before the hard-mounted supercharger. After many, many hours spent digging for the source, (and that involved putting the car into service mode) I finally found it was at tab on the little green gasket that where the plastic intake tract joins the bottom of the supercharger housing. The tab was accidently folded back when reassembled after supercharger maintenance months before, and the noise didn't appear until ambient temperatures got warmer in the Springtime. I put a new gasket in and that solved the problem.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #5 BruceK, Dec 17, 2015
    (deleted duplicate post)
     
  6. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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    #6 Firebro17, Dec 17, 2015
    Been there and done that Bruce. That's a great bit of info you just shared.
     
  7. melvinyip

    melvinyip New Member

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    #7 melvinyip, Dec 27, 2015
    Thanks for the tip bruce! I'll check it out.
     
  8. melvinyip

    melvinyip New Member

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    #8 melvinyip, Jan 18, 2016
    I can't seem to locate the noise exact position. But I am pretty sure it's coming from the pulley area. Not the intake / Waterpump side
    Here's another clip
    [ame="http://youtu.be/_ETkwv1WzAQ"]http://youtu.be/_ETkwv1WzAQ[/ame]
     
  9. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #9 MCS02, Jan 18, 2016
    My Mini has always done that. Great something els to hunt down.
     
  10. nkfry

    nkfry New Member
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    #10 nkfry, Jan 18, 2016
    Why did you rebuild the SC snout Melvin? And how did you go about doing so?

    If you aren't getting any air leaks from the intake tract and you have ruled out the idler pulley& tensioner, I would suspect something going on with the snout rebuild.
     

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