Hi everyone,

 

My Z has recently developed a whirring noise. It's clearly heard on cold start ups when sitting in the car. Its not constant but on and off with seconds intervals. Once warm, the sound does calm down. Inspection showed that its not coming from the engine itself but at front around the top right cam cover area. Perhaps even behind the cover. The link below has a video of it and you can clearly hear the crackling/whirring as the camera gets close to the cam covers.

 

http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/streetrider007/media/IMG_2624_zps4dab934d.mp4.html

 

Any thoughts on this??

 

Best wishes,

Zee.

Hi everyone,

 

My Z has recently developed a whirring noise. It's clearly heard on cold start ups when sitting in the car. Its not constant but on and off with seconds intervals. Once warm, the sound does calm down. Inspection showed that its not coming from the engine itself but at front around the top right cam cover area. Perhaps even behind the cover. The link below has a video of it and you can clearly hear the crackling/whirring as the camera gets close to the cam covers.

 

http://s1020.photobucket.com/user/streetrider007/media/IMG_2624_zps4dab934d.mp4.html

 

Any thoughts on this??

 

Best wishes,

Zee.

 

sounds like a cambelt idler pully...theres one in the middle on the lower plenum iff you think its from the top.ide get that checked out sooner rather than later as iff a idler bearing goes its going to throw the belt. Also check the belt is not touching the covers or the belt is not running too tight.

Thanks for the input znut :)

 

Dammit. Only got the cambelt done by Zedworld a few months ago and now this. Going to give it a thorough look during the day tomorrow. Hopefully I spot something else. If not, gotta somehow get this 100miles away to Zedworld..:scared:

hope mine dont start making a bloody noise. cas i go fothing nuts. lets hope its something else im sure, have you checked ur alternater mate. or is it deffo comming from that area.

Could be any number of things, If Jeff did the belt then your pretty safe there I reckon as he would change all idlers etc.

Time to get a long screwdriver and the 'hold to your ear' test! (be careful tho'!)

From what I could figure out its up there yes. The belt is not touching as I felt that area of the cover and can't feel any vibration from it. Even forcing the cover back and forth I'm not getting anything I would call a touch on the inside. Alternator would be far lower I would of though. With the engine on it was difficult to pin point it but it seemed like it was somewhere up there or around that area.

 

Same old story where the car is fine one day, and when you come back the next, its got a problem risen out of the blue. I specifically remember it being great one day, parked it up for a week or so in the cold, started it a week later and the noise is there....

Could be any number of things, If Jeff did the belt then your pretty safe there I reckon as he would change all idlers etc.

Time to get a long screwdriver and the 'hold to your ear' test! (be careful tho'!)

 

lol 'hold to your ear test'... please explain..

Really silly suggestion so forgive me, but this rubbing noise has scared me a few times. Fan shroud isn't rubbing on the fan is it?

lol 'hold to your ear test'... please explain..

 

Using a long screwdriver, you place the point onto the metal surface and place the your ear on the handle, therefore acting like a stethoscope to try to locate the source more clearly.

Could be any number of things, If Jeff did the belt then your pretty safe there I reckon as he would change all idlers etc.Time to get a long screwdriver and the 'hold to your ear' test! (be careful tho'!)

 

yea he,s changed enough to have the job well sorted.

Only got the cambelt done by Zedworld a few months ago and now this. Going to give it a thorough look during the day tomorrow. Hopefully I spot something else. If not, gotta somehow get this 100miles away to Zedworld..:scared:

 

Was the cambelt change a 60K or 120K service? Normally idlers would be changed out at 120K, unless there was signs of wear. Your invoice from Zedworld should say what was supplied/changed.

Hey guys,

 

I gave another go on locating what the noise was about and again its hard to locate it due to the engine sound but it seems like the noise is not from the cam cover area but lower around the CAS area. I tried the screwdriver to ear technique and from the CAS unit my hearing senses say I'm getting a grinding kinda noise from it. Does a CAS unit do anything that if gone wrong, could give out a grinding/whirring noise?? Alternator I'm thinking will be more on the left side of the engine so don't think its that. What else at the front of the engine could cause a grinding sound?? I don't know why but I'm also thinking of the water pump and the aircon unit..

Try cancelling A/C out by removing belt,if still there do the same with the others.

While you have the belts off feel all rotating parts by hand for smoothness.

Try cancelling A/C out by removing belt,if still there do the same with the others.

While you have the belts off feel all rotating parts by hand for smoothness.

 

My thoughts entirely On the green Zed I've got a metallic screching noise that sounds like it's coming from the Aircon compressor Jeff says there's a idler pulley in the belt drive system so it's either that or the compressor itself

 

Going to strip the belt off when it's not raining when I'm at home !

My thoughts entirely On the green Zed I've got a metallic screching noise that sounds like it's coming from the Aircon compressor Jeff says there's a idler pulley in the belt drive system so it's either that or the compressor itself

 

Going to strip the belt off when it's not raining when I'm at home !

 

Sounds like a similar issue. Does the AC compressor operate in some sort with the AC off?? It's belt off course rotates. As I've got the noise there with the heater/ac on or off

Sounds like a similar issue. Does the AC compressor operate in some sort with the AC off?? It's belt off course rotates. As I've got the noise there with the heater/ac on or off

 

The compressor isn't working with the A/c off but obviously the pulley and idler are driven,idler wheel is pretty common.......

Guys, on cold starts, especially the first one of the day, what are the points which would lead a Z to rev up and down slightly?? Not major ups and drops. Just slight which settles after about 30-40 seconds or if the fan is put on. Just trying to work out if this would be linked to the original issue this thread of mine states as I'm certain the two issues appeared together.

Well a couple of days ago the noise in the video above turned into a really loud metallic screech.. Turns out it is my air con idler pulley.. It was clearly wobbly when rotating now.. Got a knife through and cut the belt and everything is nice and quiet now.. Still yet to feel air con and idler pulleys by hand but I'm certain it's the idler.. Now I know that my air con compressor did go pop too in its past as when turned on there's a whire/rattle sound from it.. So the fuse has been out for it.. Gotta decide if I need air con or get into weight saving.

Have you actually tried speaking to Jeff about this yet!?

If you need the idler pulley for the air conditioning I have one you are more than welcome to have Zee?

Have you actually tried speaking to Jeff about this yet!?

 

Yes I did get his advice which too was to take belts off to see which one will be the culprit. I did suspect the aircon at the 1st place as the noise was from that area. But recently turned into a metal screech which made me think that's something spinning and touching. Found the idler pulley wobbling. Read some threads here too about a screeching and burning rubber smell which pointed to the pulley too and this I did get occasionally too.

If you need the idler pulley for the air conditioning I have one you are more than welcome to have Zee?

 

Ah you're a star mate. Is it just a matter of taking its nut off and pull it off and replace?

Ah you're a star mate. Is it just a matter of taking its nut off and pull it off and replace?

 

If i remember there is an adjustment bolt that tensions the belt from the back.....

I will go and dig it out of the box it is hiding in and get a picture.....lol

Yep it is just a nut and washer holding her on........... Dug it out and will clean her up tonight and package for you.......

PM me your address and I will post it tomorrow for you........

Russ

Posted out to you today mate first class recorded.....

Russ

Posted out to you today mate first class recorded.....

Russ

 

Like I said to him in the PM, I don't have words for this man's kindness but BIG BIG thank you Russ. :)