Squeaking/twittering noise from cold startup at idle.

[jasonblake7]

Hi Guys.

Ive recently noticed upon starting up from cold when the car is left over night at idle that there is an audible "twittering/squeaking" noise coming from what I think is the Alternator/fan belt area I think its also known as the PolyV belt. About 5 miles down the road the noise stops. I had the fanbelt replaced at a bmw/mini dealer in November of last year.

Anyone have any ideas of the cause or any tests to try to diagnose the issue further.
Does the belt need retensioning ? or is it some sort of bearing issue ??
the car is a r50 53 plate mini cooper petrol.

thanks for any responses. I can do a recording of the noise if that would be any help with my mobile and put it on youtube.

[Keano]

Not sure about your noise but this photo shows the tension in your belt - in the photo is how it should look - if the metal prong with a twisted end has recessed into the spring then the belt has stretched/tension is low...

Your belt shouldnt have stretched already if you only got it changed at the end of last year...

Sorry cant really help you...

[jasonblake7]

Hi Keano.

Thanks for the picture of the spring. Where can I view this spring from ? does the car need to be on a ramp ?

[Keano]

No its very easy no ramp needed, just look down the drivers side of your engine where the supercharger is and you will see the spring...

[jasonblake7]

Ive just started the car, the noise is there. IF you apply some revs the noise disappears. As soon as the car goes back to normal idle rpm the noise comes back. IS this a tension issue ? Also Keano its only a Cooper so does not have a supercharger so I think your picture shows the tensioner spring for the supercharger belt ??

[Keano]

My appologies - I read your original post too quick and didnt spot that!! Sorry dude. I had a similar noise on my S which went after changing the belt so incorrectly applied it to your car... my bad

[Lucky Dave]

You may have a dry or worn bearing on one of the tensioner pulleys

[c.gray2008]

i have this problem quite often especially after rain.
try starting the car and dropping some talken power on it, in my case the noice instantly stops.
and its much cheaper than taking it to a garage

[5meodmt]

yeh mine too been doing it for year and a half, ever since i bought it second hand 53 plate cooper, dissapears pretty quickly by driving or the stereo masking it

35500 on the clock so im a long way off inspection2 where the aux belt gets changed?, im ignoring it.

[jasonblake7]

Vines BMW in Crawley looked at my mini sat as they were the ones who replaced the belt originally. When i came to pick the car up was told that they have taken the belt off and done some tests and the noise is coming from the alternator. They quoted me around £500 to change it.
I said to the guy, I cant see it being the alternator myself as why if you spray some WD40 onto the belt and alternator pulley as its going round does it stop straight away. the response "was maybe the oil is getting into the bearings inside the alternator and is lubricating them".... Yeah right


On sunday me and a friend managed to get some talcon powder onto the inside of the belt via a syringe and some rubber tubing, hey presto this morning when starting from cold no noise...
IS it the alternator now...... I think not.

[MINI-Morgan]

Maybe what they mean is the alternator is dry and causing increased drag which is causing the squeek when first turning over??

[Patchoulian]

Quote: Originally Posted by jasonblake7 (original)

Hi Guys.

Ive recently noticed upon starting up from cold when the car is left over night at idle that there is an audible "twittering/squeaking" noise coming from what I think is the Alternator/fan belt area I think its also known as the PolyV belt. About 5 miles down the road the noise stops. I had the fanbelt replaced at a bmw/mini dealer in November of last year.

Anyone have any ideas of the cause or any tests to try to diagnose the issue further.
Does the belt need retensioning ? or is it some sort of bearing issue ??
the car is a r50 53 plate mini cooper petrol.

thanks for any responses. I can do a recording of the noise if that would be any help with my mobile and put it on youtube.

FWIW my 2004 MCS/33000mls does this, and has done for the past 6 months. Service not due until October - I'll wait until then. I've just read an article in Practical Mechanics that says this is a symptom of a worn 'serpentine belt', although I do have a niggling concern that it could be the water pump bearing.

Rob

[jasonblake7]

I have had the belt replaced by a local garage to where I work 2 weeks ago. No noise since so definately was the belt.

So BMW three bridges saying its definately the alternator and wanting 500 to change it was completely wrong. Im going to try and get the money back on the belt out of principal now.