Mini Cooper Forums - Mini Cooper Enthusiast Forums

Hi Guys,
This is my first post here. Looks like a great community!
I have a 2009 Clubman JCW R55.
I've been hearing a whining noise the past 1.5 years and I finally have a couple of weeks to figure out the problem.
I initially thought it was the friction pulley. The one that works off the crankshaft pulley and engages the water pump. Well if you disengage the friction pully with the pull strap, start the car and push the pulley a little to the left it doesn't hit the crank therefore doesn't spin. The sound is still audible in this case. Unfortunate!

The free spinning of the belt tensioner seemed to be ok.
Those were ruled out. My water pump and A/C compressor are new so I highly that would be the issue.
So I took the belt completely off and started the car. The only thing running was the crank pulley. Low and behold the whining sound is still there. So it's the crankshaft pully!
But I thought the crankshaft pully has no bearings to run off it. Would it be the seal? Something internal?
Any ideas on this one would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!