NEW noise of the day...
- Thread starter Maniac
- Start date
Maniac, just to make sure we're focusing on the same thing, are we talking about the "whining" sound that varies with engine rpm....?
I know you say "....and barely notable in the engine bay" so is everything in that area completely ruled out?
Alternator bearings, air con compressor, oil pump and anything else driven by the engine itself? Heating / cooling fan receiving a fluctuating voltage? Any change with it all switched off?
I found a cheap stethoscope from Machine Mart surprisingly effective in looking for this kind of issue.
Likewise a written checklist of everything that spins when your foot goes on the accelerator pedal, then mark them off one by one when checked. Maybe a bit of a stretch but free software like "Audacity" can be useful to slow a recorded sound down and see if it's continuous or pulsing. It doesn't sound like an injector though.
Is the sound always present or just under certain conditions like the cold start you mention? Present on hard acceleration? Present on over run? Steady coasting at different speeds? Anything creating a sound bridge from A to B like the steering column? Does the sound change with your hands on the wheel or off?
I'm trying to think of thought starters and apply a bit of logic really. Maybe a list of "what it's not" and a list a list of "what it could be" is sometimes useful.
Perhaps you've done all this stuff but there's a cause there somewhere. Unaccounted for noises and squeaks drive me to distraction.
Just trying to help.
I know you say "....and barely notable in the engine bay" so is everything in that area completely ruled out?
Alternator bearings, air con compressor, oil pump and anything else driven by the engine itself? Heating / cooling fan receiving a fluctuating voltage? Any change with it all switched off?
I found a cheap stethoscope from Machine Mart surprisingly effective in looking for this kind of issue.
Likewise a written checklist of everything that spins when your foot goes on the accelerator pedal, then mark them off one by one when checked. Maybe a bit of a stretch but free software like "Audacity" can be useful to slow a recorded sound down and see if it's continuous or pulsing. It doesn't sound like an injector though.
Is the sound always present or just under certain conditions like the cold start you mention? Present on hard acceleration? Present on over run? Steady coasting at different speeds? Anything creating a sound bridge from A to B like the steering column? Does the sound change with your hands on the wheel or off?
I'm trying to think of thought starters and apply a bit of logic really. Maybe a list of "what it's not" and a list a list of "what it could be" is sometimes useful.
Perhaps you've done all this stuff but there's a cause there somewhere. Unaccounted for noises and squeaks drive me to distraction.
Just trying to help.