Strange noises in the mornings

[soritong]

Hi all. I'm new to driving manuals, having driven one for only a few months regularly now, but I've quickly gotten the hang of it. Recently in the morning the car seems to be making some strange noises. The AC is on when I start the car and I let it sit for a few minutes before driving it off to let it warm up. The problem still exists without the AC on as well.

When I drive it off in the mornings, it sounds like there is a grumbling/gurgling noise coming from the engine. It seems like I can only hear the noise from the inside, as when I open my windows I don't really hear it all that well (unless I'm passing very closely to a car, but at that point, it sounds like the "cold car" noise).

On top of this issue, occasionally coasting or just driving slowly in 2nd gear I will hear a revving noise, almost as if I'm hitting a limiter, until I change gears. It only seems to happen in 2nd gear and once I switch to 3rd it goes away. One the car has driven for a few miles, the issues tend to subside (at least the first one, I still hear the revving noise in second if I'm driving slowly with traffic).

Anyone have any suggestions on what it could be?

[AHTOXA]

Any other info you can provide? I sense that the reason you aren't getting responses is because some of us are at a loss. I am, based on description.

[IMBoring25]

Are you running anything off the cigarette lighter? With some combinations of cars, phones, and chargers, I've experienced a whining noise that seemed to be an interaction of the phone charger with the alternator that expressed itself as a whine through the radio proportional to RPM.

[Rope-Pusher]

Yes, a demanding public demands to hear more about it. If you coast in 2nd with the clutch pedal depressed, does it still make the noise, or only when your foot is off the clutch? Does it matter or change when you go from coast to drive (letting off the throttle or tipping into the throttle)? Were there any "Events" that precipitated the onset of these noises?

[theholycow]

I guess I'll give you the thoughts I had too, although they aren't very helpful.

The most likely gurgling noise I can think of is air in the cooling system. If your description is abnormal for the sound you hear, perhaps you could be hearing piston slap, which can sound like a diesel engine and can happen during the time you say it happens.

The revving noise I can think of would be a clutch fan, which can be loud when you first start the vehicle, but your mini cooper almost certainly has an electric fan instead.