What do I do?

[LeMans24]

First, sorry for the non Le Mans related topic, but you guys are all car geniuses and I most certainly am not. So figured I would ask. Started hearing a whining noise yesterday coming from my engine. It caught me by surprise, but then it went away. Again this morning heading into work, there is was. I will have to bring it into the garage after work, but I would like to have an idea of what it is before I walk in their clueless and they try to sell me 2 grand of things I don't need.

Any thoughts? Please be cheap thoughts!

[Steve Pyro]

Okay, here's some questioning to try and pin point the issue -

• Is it an engine or gearbox noise.
• Is it continuous or varies with revs.
• High pitched or low pitched.
• Has any thing changes with the car recently.

[smokie]

My car has a whining when I drive too "briskly", but only when the Mrs is with me... :-)

[aricus654]

My car has a whining when I drive too "briskly", but only when the Mrs is with me... :-)

Mine is more of a squeal, even before there is anything coming from the tyres.

Ian

[aricus654]

LM24,

Not easy to diagnose over a forum.

Whining could be gears, belts.  So anything from a belt needs lack taken up to the gearbox or supercharger is about to fail.

Anything from £nothing to £lots.

(Many years ago I had a similar noise. The mechanic put some WD40 on a belt to quieten it. A few days later, the cambelt failed a spaghetti junction and one part of the V6 dropped its valves and left me getting home in a recovery truck).


What's the car?

Aricus

[LeMans24]

My car has a whining when I drive too "briskly", but only when the Mrs is with me... :-)

HAHAHAHAA brilliant! Absolutely the best response and actually made me laugh out loud and shock some people in my office. Thanks for lightening my day chap!

[LeMans24]

LM24,

Not easy to diagnose over a forum.

Whining could be gears, belts.  So anything from a belt needs lack taken up to the gearbox or supercharger is about to fail.

Anything from £nothing to £lots.

(Many years ago I had a similar noise. The mechanic put some WD40 on a belt to quieten it. A few days later, the cambelt failed a spaghetti junction and one part of the V6 dropped its valves and left me getting home in a recovery truck).


What's the car?

Aricus

 

I very much hope this won't be the case. I'm kind of thinking belt as well, but am hoping and praying it is only a belt and nothing else bigger and more expensive going on.

It's a 2005 VW Jetta (A5, Type 1K). Nothing sexy, but it gets me to where I need to go.

[LeMans24]

Okay, here's some questioning to try and pin point the issue -

• Is it an engine or gearbox noise.
• Is it continuous or varies with revs.
• High pitched or low pitched.
• Has any thing changes with the car recently.

It's a high pitched whining and rather continuous, but worse after initially turning on the engine or if I am idling at a stop. Nothing has really changed with the car, except for this terrible shrieking noise.

@Aricus, was your issue with the cambelt high pitched? How much did it cost to replace? I'm looking through online products and found some cambelt kits for less than £50 (like this for VW). Is that about the right price, providing that nothing else is wrong? 

[aricus654]

LM24,

This is a bit like Christmas pin the tail on the donkey, but I would put money on a high pitched shriek being an alternator belt. 

Cambelts and cam chains do fail, but it's very rare. Many manufacturers recommend a change at a certain mileage.  (I would check this) I don't think mine made a high pitched noise, but dont remember.  The failure was a few years ago and resulted in a new engine that was mostly paid for by Vauxhall.

Aricus

[clkgtrlm1]

Sorry - Couldn't resist!

[LeMans24]

LM24,

This is a bit like Christmas pin the tail on the donkey, but I would put money on a high pitched shriek being an alternator belt. 

Cambelts and cam chains do fail, but it's very rare. Many manufacturers recommend a change at a certain mileage.  (I would check this) I don't think mine made a high pitched noise, but dont remember.  The failure was a few years ago and resulted in a new engine that was mostly paid for by Vauxhall.

Aricus

Hmmmm. Ok, thanks for the advice and input. I guess I will wait and see what the Mechanic has to say. Fingers crossed its cheap and easy to fix.

[LeMans24]

Sorry - Couldn't resist!

Lol that's amazing!

[Kev_mk3]

try getting a video up that could help

[Si H]

Where are you in the country LM24?

Only asking as if you're near Sittingbourne, Kent. My brother might be able to take a look and he'll give you an honest opinion on what needs doing.  VW Audi Group cars are his speciality and whilst he does a lot of 'non-standard' stuff to customers cars he'll look at standard things too. (CarbonMotive.co.uk)

[Lorry]

I'd go with the alternator belt as first port of call, especially if its worse on startup or with the lights and heated screen on.  It usually goes after a minute, to start with.  Its an annoying noise too.  Often starts at about 60,000 miles.

Don't put WD40 or oil on belts.  Talcum powder does the trick for a while, but in the long term it needs adjusting, which on modern cars is usually a s0d of a job