Grinding when sitting idle

[daniell0017]

Hi guys! Just bought a 2006 Mini Cooper, everything seems fine apart from a loud metallic grinding noise when sitting idle and the engine is warm. It seems to only happen when the fan comes on, I'm hoping it's not a gearbox problem as I know these are prone. The car has done 55,000 miles! Help?

Thanks!😊

[brad___smith]

Hey, mines does the same/similar ('54 Cooper, 67,000 miles), the local specialist tells me it's the flywheel that's on it's way out. Sometimes it just rattles, which he says isn't really doing any harm, other times it makes a grinding. If it only does it when you bring your foot off the clutch, it's likely to be this. If it does it when your foot is on the clutch, I'm not sure.

Probably time for a new clutch/flywheel.

[emicen]

Not really seeing why the clutch would only do something when the fan is on.

Have you tried getting the car up to temp and letting it sit idling with the bonnet open to get a better idea where the noise is coming from?