My Z (2+2 TT man) since i have owned it (bought 2 months ago) makes a loud buzzing whirring whining noise which appears to come from the front of the engine (yes I have checked the belts). It starts (fades in) about 20sec after you start the engine from cool and then stops (fades out) after another several minutes. It is quite loud and sounds a bit like if the fan was hitting some plastic (although this is not the cause).

Any ideas, it is driving me mad. could it be a bearing? waterpump? I am worried it could be something in the timing belt area. could it be the variable valse timing thingy?

slikzx

when was the timingbelt replaced ?

if the noise comes from the middle of the engine, behind the black covers..it could be that it's one of the tensioner pulleys.

 

see if you can locate the source of the noise more accurately with a stethoscope (or long screwdriver)

 

-Eric

 

 

[This message has been edited by lymon (edited 02-02-2002).]

it could be the bearing/clutch on the viscous fan on its way out.

A remote possibility is low on power steering fluid - but you should have a warning light for this, (if its working)

 

Simon

actaully, thinking about it a bit more, this sounds like the same noise i have...

 

it began just when starting, then gradually got longer and longer lasting....

 

now it stays until the car is warmed up fully....

 

last time Dazz the mechanic had a listen, we thought it might be the varibale cam timing mechanism not working properly, or not getting enough oil.

it definitely sounds like it comes from that area

 

sounds like a plastic clattering sound, like fan hitting something, as you say.

 

I have had the noise now for over year....

but at 145k miles, i know it will need a rebuild if i start looking into it....

..is it a whining sound or a clattering sound ?

I recently replaced the timingbelt in my NA and used the old auto-tensioner cause it still looked ok.

Well..after a few days the car started to make loud clatterish sound, which went away after the engine warmed up.

It turned out to be the old tensioner was NOT ok, causing a small amount of play on the belt, which caused it to slap against the inside of the plastic timingbelt-covers..(in the area of the upper tensioner-pulley)

Replaced the auto-tensioner with a brand new one and no more clattering ..

 

so if the clattering sound comes from this area (see yellow arrow in picture) you probably have the same problem.

 

-Eric

 

 

 

 

Eric,

 

we thought it might have been that originally, but wondered how it could make that sort of noise...

which is why we thought it might be something more mechanical.....

 

as he said, until you take it apart, you dont really know, unless you have had the same thing happen before

 

how much was the tensioner ?

how much do i need to remove to get to it and change it?

 

cheers Eric, i will mention that when i see him next.

 

 

Craig,

 

The tensioner is $127.79 from Courtesy, I replaced mine when doing the cambelt (the auto tensioner that is, there are also two other idler pulleys that can be replaced if they are suspect).

 

You'd have to take off the radiator, fan, fan clutch, upper and lower radiator pipes, cambelt covers, then you'd have access to the tensioner..

 

I imagine if you were *really* careful, you could do the tensioner without doing the cambelt.. but since you're 99% of the way there you might as well do the belt at the same time IMHO..

 

Az

Just a thought as you have describe what appears to be a strict on and off patern for the noise - It could be ..... The Aux fan for the AC matrix it shouldn't come on under thos conditions buy mayeb doing if you have a problem somewhere.

 

Remove the Coolant Temp sensor and see if the noise starts up ( yellow plug sensor on coolant pipe at front of engine bay) and then stops when you put it back on !

 

Its a long shot i know - but its easy to test and the main part of diagnostics is eliminating options.

 

 

 

------------------

Z ya

 

Nico91TT

 

 

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