Weird Whiney Noise When Driving

[5803emma]

Hi guys,

It's been ages since I was on the site, it looks great, very professional!

I've been happy out with my Manual GPX Mivec, not a single problem with her since I got the gearbox reconditioned last year. However, recently, I've been hearing a weird whining noise coming from what seems moreso to be the right side of the car as you're siting in the drivers seat. This sound isn't present when the car is idling, just when accelerating, driving and sometimes slowing down. It hasn't affected the drive at all but it's quite a noticeable sound so I want to get it sorted asap. The air-intake looks a little bit dusty so we're goin' to take it out this evening and clear it but i doubt it could make that noise. Someone said to me it might be an engine bearing, does that sound likely? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm a complete novice!

Also, one of my Xenon heads isn't working, the bulb is fine but the current to the bulb is stopping somewhere just behind the headlight. It's an aftermarket light conversion. Checked all the fuses, all seem to be grand. Anyone any good with these awkward feckers?

Thanks in advance

Emma

[Bernard]

The whining noise could be a wheel bearing, do you notice it more on one side than the other?

[5803emma]

Yeah definitely moreso on the right side, would that be expensive to fix?
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

[colm_mcm]

Best way to check what it is is to get the car up to speed. then put the car in neutral so the engine revs fall. if the whining noise stays the same, then it's not an engine bearing.

As for the HID, it could be the ballast. are you certain it's an aftermarket HID unit? Some FTOs have them from factory with the ballast mounded underneath the headlight. aftermarket ones are square boxes.

[Bernard]

Not sure about fitting but the part itself is cheap enough, assuming that's what's wrong.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m3b0s12p167

[5803emma]

Thanks guys, very helpful!

I'll try that this evening so Colm, if the whining noise stays the same or falls gradually as the car slows, I can rule out an engine bearing so is it likely to be a wheel bearing? (Thanks for the link Bernard!)

I'm 95% certain the lights are an aftermarket addition. The box is square and the bulbs I'm using are similar to these:
http://www.svetila.com/de/osram-leuchte ... 1-506.html (flippin' expensive yokes!)

Thank god for this site!!

[crayzidane]

Does it sound like squealing brakes by chance? cos thats a sound i get now and then, when im not pressing the brakes, it happens when im turning corners the odd time no matter how slight or tight the corner is.
Would this be bearings aswell?

[colm_mcm]

If your passenger side bulb is working fine then try this:

unplug all the HID plugs on the drivers side. these are as follows:
1) connecting the HID ballast to the car's wiring loom
2) connecting the HID bulb - terminal to the ballast
3) connecting the HID bulb + terminal to the ballast

Of these 3, the first one is the one that is likely to be the problem. this is the biggest of the 3 plugs and is a very tight fit. I always keep this one secure with a cable tie, and wrapped in insulating tape.

If this doesn't fix it, then the next step is to figure out if the bulb on the drivers side is blown. Unplug the 2 smaller plugs connected to the HID bulb, and try the drivers side bulb on the passenger side.
If the bulb is ok, then you've either got a problem with the ballast, or one of the plugs isn't connected properly.

If in any doubt, try the drivers side ballast on the passenger side, and see if it works, Ballasts are handy enough to get hold of anyway.

to give you an idea of the plugs, here's the set I got for the blue FTO, they're all pretty much the same anyway.

[5803emma]

Ha, thanks Colm, looks like I have a busy evening ahead of me! I'll let ye know how we get on anyway, with the lights AND the whine!.

Does it sound like squealing brakes by chance? cos thats a sound i get now and then, when im not pressing the brakes, it happens when im turning corners the odd time no matter how slight or tight the corner is.
Would this be bearings aswell?

Well now that you mention it I have that sound too! Exactly as you describe it! it comes and goes, seems like its worse in wet weather. It sometimes sounds like there's a very opinionated tropical bird nesting in the exhaust! I spoke to my mechanic about it and he said it was something to do with the fact that asbestos is no longer used in brake pads......is that a load of codswallop?

[crayzidane]

very opinionated tropical bird nesting in the exhaust

Nail on the head with that one emma

[Myfeckin FTO]

very opinionated tropical bird nesting in the exhaust

Nail on the head with that one emma

Are you sure the source of your problems is with the FTO itself? - I've often had whining noises coming from the passenger side from very opinionated birds

[Aido C]

Are you sure the source of your problems is with the FTO itself? - I've often had whining noises coming from the passenger side from very opinionated birds

Yea, the only way to fix that is by installing an ejector seat. A good big subwoofer will cover it up temporarily though

Good one MFFTO!

[optical illusion]

Well now that you mention it I have that sound too! Exactly as you describe it! it comes and goes, seems like its worse in wet weather. It sometimes sounds like there's a very opinionated tropical bird nesting in the exhaust! I spoke to my mechanic about it and he said it was something to do with the fact that asbestos is no longer used in brake pads......is that a load of codswallop?

Don't think it's anything to do with brake pads, sounds to me Emma like it's your alternator belt, esp. since you mention wet weather. Will screech like a cat being strangled when weather is wet or if you get a bit of oil on it. Bit of powder would sort that for you. If it's happening on a regular basis and just not going away, may be worth getting the belt changed.

If you are in Limerick some day give me a shout and I'll have a gawk.

Laura

[5803emma]

Ha I walked into that one MFFTO!

Best way to check what it is is to get the car up to speed. then put the car in neutral so the engine revs fall. if the whining noise stays the same, then it's not an engine bearing.

Colm I tried that yesterday evening, and driving to work this morning, I think it could be bad news cause the whining noise seems to disappear quickly when the engine is in neutral at speed. Its more noticeable in lower gears at high revs too, it stops almost immediately when I put it in neutral, don't know if that means anything! It could be that I just don't hear the whine as well in fifth gear on the motorway with the V6 and the lashing rain competing for attention! If it turns out that it is an engine bearing, is that a big nasty wallet bashing job? The noise also tends to come and go, should probably have mentioned that earlier at some point!!

Don't think it's anything to do with brake pads, sounds to me Emma like it's your alternator belt, esp. since you mention wet weather. Will screech like a cat being strangled when weather is wet or if you get a bit of oil on it. Bit of powder would sort that for you. If it's happening on a regular basis and just not going away, may be worth getting the belt changed.

If you are in Limerick some day give me a shout and I'll have a gawk.

Laura

That'd be brilliant Laura, can't get over how helpful everyone here is! TopCat offered to take a look at her too re the whine! I'll be working in Limerick on the 9th and the 11th so if either of those days are good for ye let me know and I'll PM you my number. Otherwise i'd be happy to travel down anytime that suits ye.

I always end up writing a flippin novel on my posts!!

Thanks a million guys an gals!!

[Aido C]

Does it do it when you rev it in neutral? Try revving it in gear with your foot on the clutch too.

[5803emma]

I'll try that at lunch! Thanks Aido Ah I reckon I'm gonna hav to spend some spondoolies on her one way or the other, I just hope it isn't something huge!!

[Black Magic]

Sorry to get off topic but you might remember me emma, coming to view your car whilst on sale back in jan/feb. Remember I rang and asked your dad to open the oil cap and look for any white, and asked was there any leaks anywhere or damage to the body?

Remember he kindly re-checked this and 100% assured me there wasn't?

Remember how he again re-assured me of this, before I filled up with petrol and drove from Dublin?

Remember I opened the bonnet and immediately you could see there was oil everywhere, your head was obviously leaking with your mayonaise filled oil cap, not to mention the body in bits, hun??

Just wanted to say THANKS HUN!!
Good to know theres sound, honest people like you out there.

[optical illusion]

Tom, how is Friday evening for you, I'm due a trip out to you at this stage!

[Sebastian]

emma check the tensioner wheel (aircon/power steering)
i'm almost sure that's the cause of the noise.
(is it like an old radio wining noise ? )

If you will lift the car on a ramp you should be able to identify where is the fault

[5803emma]

emma check the tensioner wheel (aircon/power steering)
i'm almost sure that's the cause of the noise.
(is it like an old radio wining noise ? )

If you will lift the car on a ramp you should be able to identify where is the fault

Thanks Seb, I'll get himself to have a look, fingers crossed that's all it is!!

Sorry to get off topic but you might remember me emma, coming to view your car whilst on sale back in jan/feb. Remember I rang and asked your dad to open the oil cap and look for any white, and asked was there any leaks anywhere or damage to the body?

Remember he kindly re-checked this and 100% assured me there wasn't?

Remember how he again re-assured me of this, before I filled up with petrol and drove from Dublin?

Remember I opened the bonnet and immediately you could see there was oil everywhere, your head was obviously leaking with your mayonaise filled oil cap, not to mention the body in bits, hun??

Just wanted to say THANKS HUN!!
Good to know theres sound, honest people like you out there.

"Black Magic" I remember you and your girlfriend only too well, you in particular were one of the rudest people I've met in a long time.

Don't you think I would have had the wherewithal to wipe the oil cap were I trying to get one over on you? I know next to nothing about cars and genuinely, none of us knew there was anything wrong.

The problem with the head cost a hundred euro to fix, three hundred altogether if you count fixing the back bumper and the respray, which, incidentally, you were made aware of before you came down to look at the car.

We may not know as much as you do about cars but its no substitute for being a nice person. Cop on to yourself.

[colm_mcm]

I'd be upset if I had asked specific questions about a car and to end up disappoinded. The amount of FTOs I've gone to see in the last few years that aren't as described is ridiculous.
Maybe some people aren't as particular as others about bodywork etc, but to me bodywork flaws are obvious enough, as are oil leaks and gunk under the oil cap.

[5803emma]

I'd be upset if I had asked specific questions about a car and to end up disappoinded. The amount of FTOs I've gone to see in the last few years that aren't as described is ridiculous.
Maybe some people aren't as particular as others about bodywork etc, but to me bodywork flaws are obvious enough, as are oil leaks and gunk under the oil cap.

Point taken, but this couple were rude from the offset, before he even looked at the car. As I said already, they were made aware of the back bumper needing work when they rang and still chose to make the journey down. The damage to the head was minimal and easily fixed. The car was fairly priced because I took into account that the body wasn't in perfect condition, and informed him of same. I don't appreciate being called dishonest, I would never try to pull a fast one on anyone.

[Black Magic]

I know a lot of people dont know about cars, but its a bit hard not to know what you're looking for when I gave your dad clear step by step instructions over the phone- while he looked was at your car. Especially with oil all over your engine and gunk in your oil cap that is so OBVIOUS. The white colour in your oil cap, which I asked him about while he held it in his hand, whilst on the phone is very straightforward. Children from a few months old learn how to distingush between black and white. You dont have to know about cars to see that.

This is after a 2.5hr drive- a drive which I informed your dad that I was about to take, and he 100% assured me that there were no such issues.

I also seem to re-call that he told me you had the car a couple of weeks, and you couldnt get insured on it, and were never able to drive it, and that was the reason for the sale.
Obviously, from your previous posts, this was also a cock and bull story that was fed to me.

You've been trying to sell that since July 2008! Seems that anyone else that has come to view it has seen its OBVIOUS problems.

Rude from the offset?

Well maybe because the first thing we did was open the bonnet, to see straightaway that what we were assured was fine, was most certainly not.

Sorry if you think this is rude, but if I ask very simple straight questions with clear direction, I expect straight answers.

Excuse my manners for wanting to leave straight away to head back on a long wasted journey. As I was quite angry and disapointed, driving away peacefully was politest I could possibly be. Trust me.

You're just full of crap.

I hope you sleep well at night with the knowledge that you are a good honest person.

Well done.

(Apologies to other club members, didnt want to get into this on a technical page but I just cant stand liars)

[CJ]

Guys, please take your argument offline, this thread is going way off topic.

CJ

[Kace]

Whiney noise could also be a sign of the alternator on its way out - this was very noticeable on mine when this was the case.

I know you have lots of things to test from previous posts but this one is easy - start the car, then disconnect the negative battery terminal. If the car stalls, your alternator is failing.