Really odd one. As the car increases speed a whirring noise not disimilar to a noisey fan gets louder. Below 20mph it's pretty much non existant. If I knock it into neutral noise remains but decreases with reduction in speed. Louder with roof up but still there when down (probably less aparent due to wind noise). Engine running fine, belts all good and electric fan kicking in as usual. No obvious loose body work. Jacked it up checked bearings, all seem good, no movement and wheels spinning freely with no obvious noise. Tyres all good and balanced. Tilted front wheels on both locks and cv's seem okay too. It's definitley something though and not just wind noise. Any ideas however daft sounding would be appreciated! Thankyou
Could it be one of the bearings inside the Gearbox? First motion shaft bearing? With the engine not running that wouldn't be going round though? Was the car in neutral?
Is there a specific side or ares the noise comes from? It may still be the CV joints, as you said that under 20mph there's bugger all noise - I suppose you can't jack up the front and let her rip?
Not if the car was in neutral when you switched the engine off. It sounds like a wheel bearing to me. Jacking the car up and feeling for roughness or noise when turning the wheels doesn't always show a dicky bearing. You haven't got the bearing under load when the wheel is off the ground so they can appear ok. Does the noise get worse or change tone when going around bends? If it does it is almost certainly a bearing. Is the noise coming from one of the corners of the car or from under the bonnet? If it's from under the bonnet it could be an over tightened belt putting pressure on a pulley bearing.
Yeah DaG, I was thinking that. Not had many bearings go but when I did they didn't make much sound going straight but when turned they made more noise but no noise turning the other way (possibly if it got worse but they got repaired before that). Go round an island with a tight lock and slow.
I've been very unlucky with wheel bearings had to change them on many cars over the years. Never had a rear bearing go though. A wheel bearing went last year on the wife's car. It whirred away merrily and sounded like it was from the near side. It was the offside that had gone. Aye the best test is to go around a curved road to put the weight of the car onto one side. If the noise gets worse that's the dodgy bearing.
Thank you for the responses. It was in neutral so that puts my mind to rest on that. Belts haven't been adjusted since the wife has had it (18 months) so I'm pretty sure it isn't them... and, having found an empty car park and made some tight turns it does increase in intensity. Guess I'll be shopping for some new bearings this weekend. In other news just briefly, I have a Kinugawa turbo unused (after two mechanics advised that turbo blown I set about taking it apart to find a split in the intercooler pipe!!) Cost me $915 which at todays exchange would be GBP 545 If anyones interested let me know. Again thankyou all for the help.
DaG, well I'm not saying you've owned a car for many many more years than I have. So you may have had 100s of wheel bearing problems Actual I've had 2 and both on the rear, same car, same side.
Haven't had hundreds go but I've had a good few go. Always managed to change them myself though, so a cheap repair for only the cost of the bearings. I've got acces to fly presses but never had to use one. I've always drifted the bearings in or out using a large socket or a bit of tube. If the OP is ok with working on cars he should have a go himself. It's very therapeutic. The one I mentioned in the wife's car, I told her I'd fix it for her when I got a minute. A few weeks later I got in the car and noticed the noise had gone. She'd took the car to a garage and got them to do it. I think she's lost faith in me
Whoa! Didn't realise this problem started so long ago! Anyway to wrap it up.... Bearings Bought a new set and got to it. Needed puller to seperate sections of the hub (even had to use it to take off brake disc). Was very carefull with ABS sensor. Hit the first hurdle when I realised I needed a press to remove the bearing. I tried the vice, a socket and a big hammer technique but quite frankly this scared me a bit, so I took them to our local mechanic in Woombye who was happy to pop out the old ones and press in the new ones for $65 (roughly 40quid) He also straightened out the ABS ring that I'd whacked with the hammer! All back together and all is quiet again
