Hi, my 02 Mini Cooper has a noticable tapping sound coming from under the bonnet when the revs are increased. The car has never been driven higher than 50mph, as i live near to my workplace. I've had the car for about 6 months and so far the tapping isn't causing any additional problems. Steering, breaks, gearbox and clutch are all rock-solid, and i checked to see if there was a problem with the aftermarket Pipercross Air Filter that the previous owner fitted. The car passed it's MOT last august and is now up for it's next MOT the first week of september. If the car has a fault that is going to cause it to fail, i'd really like to get it identified and sorted out prior to that.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheers,

Mick.

Might just be a sticky or worn hydraulic tappet?
Occasionally its good to take the car for a good blast for a few miles to get the oil properly circulated and thoroughly warmed up, just tootling around at 50 everywhere doesnt always give it the good clear out it needs and they tend to get clogged up?

Might just be a sticky or worn hydraulic tappet?
Occasionally its good to take the car for a good blast for a few miles to get the oil properly circulated and thoroughly warmed up, just tootling around at 50 everywhere doesnt always give it the good clear out it needs and they tend to get clogged up?

Thanks for the advice. According to the paperwork from the car's last MOT august 2011, 4 spark plugs were replaced along with a couple of very minor other bits. I'm failry confident that seeing as the car has only been driven a very short distance (mainly for runs out, as work is 20 minutes on foot away) that my car will pass it's MOT. It certainly doesn't have the Airbag warning light problem, touch wood.

Check your oil!

i second that... run the engine until at operating temperature, turn off the engine let it sit for a moment or so and then check the oil. Mine gets a bit tappety when the oil gets low.

i second that... run the engine until at operating temperature, turn off the engine let it sit for a moment or so and then check the oil. Mine gets a bit tappety when the oil gets low.

Thanks Bax, i did that and the sound persists. The fluid levels in the car are all at the required mark, so that's not the problem. The tapping sound is coming from the right-hand side of the engine compartment, same side as the car battery. Like i said, it's not impairing the driving efficiency of the car in any way, i.e no side effects. Looks like i'm going to have to take it to a mechanic. :frown:

When was its last service? It could just need an oil change and filter change.

What grade petrol do you use? Try a higher octane although the minis have tapping sensors on them or something and adjust to the fuel. Or something like that.

When was its last service? It could just need an oil change and filter change.

Liam, the car passed it's MOT in August last year, undergoing a service at the same time. The tapping sound from under the bonnet increases rapidly the more i increase the revs from the engine, so that at 2000rpm it is a steady tapping sound, and by the time it increases to 3000rpm it is a steady 'buzzing' sound.

The car really hasn't been driven that far since it was purchased (i actually bought it in October after a friend was made redundant) and as i said before, there have been absolutely zero problems connected with it. Could it be the drivebelt?

So no-one has any idea of what the problem could be with the 'initially' tapping sound at 2000rpm that becomes a 'burring' sound at 3000rpm? I'd rather have some idea of what may be wrong with it before i pay a mechanic the guts of £40+ to look at thr car. As i said, i can't find any adverse effects otherwise in the driving of the car, but i seldom if ever take it above 40mph...

Id just say take it to any mechanic (preferably one you know) and just start it for him and see what he thinks it may be, you might get the same ideas as people have offered on here, but they certainly wouldnt charge you for listening to the noise and suggesting a potential problem. sounds to me like the tappets.

Id just say take it to any mechanic (preferably one you know) and just start it for him and see what he thinks it may be, you might get the same ideas as people have offered on here, but they certainly wouldnt charge you for listening to the noise and suggesting a potential problem. sounds to me like the tappets.

Thanks Adam, appreciate that, as i do with everyone else who has contributed towards resolving the problem. I'm going to bite the bullet and take it to a garage in the Northampton area.

Obvious question... but have you checked that it isn't something resonating in the engine bay? For example, check the coil pack is secure and isn't rattling around, or the bonnet latch, or exhaust manifold cover, etc...

But if its inside the engine I'd get it checked out by a garage for sure. As Mike says, they should be able to have a look for nothing.

Do report back and let us know what they find...!