Squeak...squeak...squeak from the engine bay?

[v8voodoo]

I've done a squeak search but can only find squeeky seats, so can anyone help me out..?

I've got a squeak from the engine bay of my MCS,it's NOT fanbelt. At idle, I'm getting roughly two squeaks per second, which increase when revs increase. Sounds a bit like a squeaky hamster wheel...!!

Anyone experienced the same..?

Nige,
Dover.

[baradona]

Quote: Originally Posted by v8voodoo

I've done a squeak search but can only find squeeky seats, so can anyone help me out..?

I've got a squeak from the engine bay of my MCS,it's NOT fanbelt. At idle, I'm getting roughly two squeaks per second, which increase when revs increase. Sounds a bit like a squeaky hamster wheel...!!

Anyone experienced the same..?

Nige,
Dover.

Sorry mate, never had the noise (but lots of others). Doesn't sound likely to be a pully if it only squeaks that rarely. Do you know which part of the bay it comes from? Does it increase in frequency if you rev the engine but leave the car parked in neutral?
It might be drivetrain related.... I had squeaky brakepads for example, and helped to establish the cause by noticing the area that the noise came from and that although frequency increased at speed, it didn't occur when stationary.

[v8voodoo]

Frequency (as in pitch..) remains the same, it increases to be a constant whistle at higher revs. It's only noticeable outside the car on idle (exhaust drowns it out after that). Thinking about it, it may be a sort of pulley squeak.
The hamster wheel squeak is the closest I can think of. As the wheel gets faster, its squeaks more....

Nige.

[baradona]

Quote: Originally Posted by v8voodoo

Frequency (as in pitch..) remains the same

Nige.

sorry Nige, I meant how often it squeaks (squeaks per second, hz, actually result in pitch....).
Have you seen this spray that you can get to spray onto belts to stop them squeaking byt the way? I always used WD40 for pulleys and assumed that if I didn't mean to overspray onto the belt, and then did by accident, nothing would happen.

Adam

[Tom D]

If it is louder on the right side of the car (drivers side in the UK), it is almost certainly the supercharger belt. Mine does it when the humidity is high. If you want to prove it, get a can of belt dressing at your autoparts store and spray a bit on the belt when the engine is at idle. It can be annoying but does not seem to cause any problem other than the noise. I had my dealer check the tensioner and they said it is OK. If it happens here in the Spring again I will ask them to replace the belt.

[v8voodoo]

Hmmm...
I'll have a play with my can of WD40 tomorrow morning and have a listen....
Cheers chaps :O)

Merry Xmas,
Nige.

[markjenn]

I don't think you want to be putting WD40 on your belts. It may quiet them down momentarily, but cause them to fail or slip later. I'd use plain old water in a mister to check to see if belt rub is the problem. Belt dressing? I've never seen it, but if it says its Ok for belts, then you can probably use it. But not WD40 which is kerosene and a light lubricant, neither good for the belt.

- Mark

[tavis1]

Some "home remidy" belt dressing you can use is tooth paste. Belt dressing is used to remove the glaze on the belt rideing surface and tooh paste is "grity" enough to do the same job. Just don't forget to floss afterward .
Tavis1

[CurtP]

Quote: Originally Posted by markjenn

I don't think you want to be putting WD40 on your belts. It may quiet them down momentarily, but cause them to fail or slip later. I'd use plain old water in a mister to check to see if belt rub is the problem. Belt dressing? I've never seen it, but if it says its Ok for belts, then you can probably use it. But not WD40 which is kerosene and a light lubricant, neither good for the belt.

- Mark

That was the old, flamable WD-40. The new non-flamable version uses a vegatable-based carrier. As of such, it has a bad tendancy to gum up the works. WD-40 is bad.

The squeaky belt trick that was taught to me from an old friend who was a mechanic was to use spray silicone on the belt to see if that would make the noise go away. Questioning his sanity on using a lubricant on something that relied heavily on friction to function, his response was that the lubricant was only to see if it shut it up; it would wear away quickly and not cause a problem. If it did in fact quiet the belt, then he would replace it -- all the dressings in the world won't fix a bad belt. He used brake cleaner on all the pullies before installing a new belt to make sure any contaminates would be removed as not to foul the new belt. He'd also eyeball the pullies to make sure they were lined up correctly. I've used this method for a long time, and it has always worked for me. Just don't douse the belt with silicone spray...

[baradona]

Sorry guys, I should have been clearer. WD40 won't cause the belt to slip as it only quietens the belt for a few minutes before evaporating - it doesn't get between the belt and the pulley.

It is diagnostic only- if only because you don't want to pull over every ten minutes to re-apply! I'm interested to hear about the gunking though...
Seriously though, once the squeak is located mini should do what is necessary to fix it permanently

Merry X-mas all!

[OregonCooper]

One word: hamsters. (sorry, couldn't resist)

[markjenn]

I still disagree about using WD40. It doesn't completely evaporate away - it lives a light oily lubricant behind after the carrier evaporates. As someone else has said, you don't want lubrication of any sort on your belts, particularly a light oil.

- Mark

[Root Ginger]

Sounds like the alternator pulley. I had a problem in my Cooper with it but haven't heard about it on the S. The squeak squeak you here is the bearing everytime the pulley spins round.

[emma1981]

Nigel
Getting back to your problem with the squeeky noise, we took our Cooper S into the mini garage with the same high pitch noise sounding like a bird tweating..............very annoying.
They changed the fan belt but we knew it wasnt that and the problem continued.
Then we took it back for its service and mentioned it, their explaination was something to do with the power steering pipe/cable catching on another componant making that annoting sound, never did find out the exact cause but it has solved the problem.

Try pointing your dealer in that direction.
Emma

[Root Ginger]

Quote: Originally Posted by emma1981

Nigel
Getting back to your problem with the squeeky noise, we took our Cooper S into the mini garage with the same high pitch noise sounding like a bird tweating..............very annoying.
They changed the fan belt but we knew it wasnt that and the problem continued.
Then we took it back for its service and mentioned it, their explaination was something to do with the power steering pipe/cable catching on another componant making that annoting sound, never did find out the exact cause but it has solved the problem.

Try pointing your dealer in that direction.
Emma

Welcome Emma. Congrats on your first post. The first of many I hope!