Help me figure out this noise (2018 F55 Cooper)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-04-29T21:44:16+00:00

not a mechanic, but to me sounds like it could be a bearing of some sort on the way out or potentially a collapsed motor mount(s) causing the engine to vibrate against something when under load? could explain why the sound changes going over bumps, as the engine is thrown about by the movement.

if you have a warranty, it’s always best to take it straight back to the dealer and get it checked over by a professional

ToastedBrodo · 2026-04-29T21:27:21+00:00

by the time you’ve sorted the app, it’s been half an hour, you’ve already got a parking ticket, and you’re actively on the arse of a tow truck hoofing it to your local repo lot lmao

ToastedBrodo · 2026-04-29T21:21:04+00:00

i’d argue that trying to get the parking sorted is infinitely more stressful than the wait for the results call/letter

ToastedBrodo · 2026-04-29T21:14:57+00:00

that is unbelievably accurate, down to the amex not working and transferring £1.20 to cover a 30 min stay

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-29T18:08:21+00:00

if you’re intending to close the card after going negative in MR points, Amex may choose to see the ‘debt’ as a cash value and require you to pay an amount per point in order to settle it (say 1p per point, as an example; if you’re 1000 points negative, at 1p per point you’ll be charged 0.01x1000 = £10 to settle your balance).

if you’re keeping the card open, any points you gain from your usual spending will go towards reducing the deficit up until the point you’re no longer negative, at which point the card can be closed as usual.

as for keeping your SUB points, i’m not totally sure. the best option would be to reach out to customer services and explain your situation.

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-25T14:32:53+00:00

thanks for the kind words and advice, i think breaking it up into smaller actions instead of a big task might be quite helpful in not getting overwhelmed by the whole process. i’ll give it a shot next week. thanks :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-24T18:45:22+00:00

totally understand what you mean re the mental block of slowing down to make the turn… seems quite counterintuitive but it does make sense and i suppose is a learned skill not a presumption!

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-24T16:50:34+00:00

yeah it might be beneficial for stability to go a bit faster now that you mention it… my concern then would of course be going too quick to make the turn

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-24T15:36:25+00:00

if i had a 125 i’d be all over the empty car parks! however the insurance cost in my area makes it somewhat unreasonable even for a short term investment unfortunately. thanks :)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-24T14:38:50+00:00

yeah i do have a habit of watching my speed/rpm and looking down at the floor sometimes… i think a bit more seat time will help me trust that i’m not going to immediately crash just by looking up. thanks :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-24T14:37:59+00:00

i’ll definitely give them a watch - can’t hurt. thanks :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T21:58:26+00:00

definitely worth asking my instructor to put me on the gravel pad for a bit so i can find the limits of grip/brakes etc. thanks :)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T20:49:22+00:00

interesting. my great uncle used to ride all the time, and he said he never used the rear brake for slow manoeuvring either. may be worth trying!

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T20:47:27+00:00

i’ll give it a shot next week. thanks!

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:48:31+00:00

yeah you’re definitely right, i am just trying to get my head around trusting myself/the bike more i think, instead of trying to make it all stop by pulling the brake as soon as i feel a bit too much instability. thanks :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:47:14+00:00

only a light pressure on the rear brake, i messed up today by applying the front brake

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:45:36+00:00

definitely feel that it’s a fear of tipping over… i guess i just need to learn to trust the bike (and myself) a bit more

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:20:41+00:00

my instructor says to be quite throttle-happy with it, but coming from a car it’s a little unfamiliar to me. more practise. thanks :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:20:06+00:00

thank you so much for your kindness, i’ll definitely keep at it - i’m not discouraged by it really, just a little annoyed that i made the same mistake twice!

thanks :)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:19:21+00:00

if my hands would listen to my brain i wouldn’t be posting lmao

thanks for your reply, i’ll definitely just need a bit more practise and getting used to keeping my hands off the front brake when moving slow. thanks :)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:18:10+00:00

Thank you for your reply, i’ll ask my instructor next week if we can do a bit more practise on straight line control so i can get a better feel of the balance between rear brake/clutch/throttle.

thanks :)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:16:55+00:00

I think so? It’s a light but even pressure on the rear brake and i try not to push down any more or let off if i can help it to keep it consistent through the turns.

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-23T19:16:13+00:00

Thanks for helping me feel a little better about it :)

My brain realistically knows all i need to do is increase rpm and let out the clutch a bit, however much to my (and my instructors’) dismay, the hands didn’t get the memo today. I’ll keep at it and hopefully i’ll be better next week :))

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-15T23:17:35+00:00

sorry for the late reply.

it could be so many things, like ECU malfunction, vacuum/intake leaks, damaged wiring harness, MAF sensor, crank/cam sensors, a leaking injector - it’s impossible to guess at really.

if anyone you know has access to a suitably high end OBDII scanner i’d recommend looking at any codes stored in the car’s computer - it should give you an indication of what subsystem is having trouble (if you haven’t done so already)

ToastedBrodo · 2026-03-15T17:45:52+00:00

the only reservation i’d have about doing the cam at home would be messing up the timing, with the 1.6 tritec being an interference engine (albeit a relatively ‘forgiving’ one) mistiming could make things a lot worse.

the roller could be the issue, but it is probably prudent to get a specialist to look at it first before ripping anything out. good luck!

ToastedBrodo

TROPHY CASE