Hi, I hope someone can help me!

I own a 51 plate fiat punto ELX, 1.2 8 valve. I have read through previous threads, but different ones seem to conflict with my experiences. I have recently, last 4 - 6 months, had a strange whining noise when travelling above 50 miles an hour, it is intermittent, but more often that not regular on long car journeys.

Recently, on a few seperate occasions, after coming to a stop from doing over 50 mph, for example at lights, it makes a very loud horrible groaning noise, that lasts about 10 - 30 seconds and decreases in noise till stopping. Today, this happened twice, the first occasion the clutch was depressed, but the second I had parked the car and the engine was turned off.

I have described this to a friend who used to work for Fiat (not a mech) and she suggested it could be the cam belt, so on saturday I had it in for its mot, which was due in August anyway. They found nothing wrong and the car flew through its mot.

My friend suggested the cam belt could be going, but the garage said this wasn't the case and it could be the wheel bearing/s, but they said this wouldn't happen at a standstill. They also said it would be fine to do a 400 mile round trip this coming weekend.

The noise doesn't happen all the time, so it is difficult to get someone qualified to check it, because the noise is hard to describe. The car was serviced back in January as well as just have its mot, and then all that was highlighted was the oil was overdue for a change.

I have had the bonnet open and listened, but cannot really identify anything, but then im useless with cars, so don't really know what I am looking at!

I am really paranoid that it could be something serious and the car could go on me while on the motorway next weekend!!! Does anyone know what this noise might be?

A few different threads have mentioned the fan, which seems to run fine, the alternator belt, which seems ok, the cam belt, which I dont know as I was told by the garage they would have to open something to identify if that was the case?!? Not really sure what else to do?!

as it happens when the engine is off and mainly on long trips it could be an airlock in the cooling system, what is the temp gauge reading.
what part of the engine bay does the noise come from

Thanks for your reply

My temp gauge, and I dont know if this is also odd, always reads exactly the same, it never goes above half way. Not to say it starts like that, but it never has exceeded it.

Also, the noise happened today and I had only been driving 20 minutes, but it was on a motorway.

The noise seems to be coming front the front right, but the couple of times it has happened, I haven't been able to get the bonnet open and have more of a check before it has stopped, so I could be wrong. I can say though that it seems a lot louder inside the car, than what it appears out, but don't know if that helps?!?

Really do appreciate your help

could be the cooling fan is on the way out as the temp has never gone past half way
do you mean right side as in looking at the front (nearside) or from sitting in the car (offside)

That does tie in with what another post mentioned, I am taking comfort from the fact that as the engine is off, it should not be the cam belt or alternator (? Is that right?)

The noise appears to be the front right when sat in the driver seat, but it is difficult to pinpoint without hearing it with the bonnet up.

However, I have had the engione running, with the bonnet up and had no noise come from the fan, if it is only occasional, could it just be coincidence that it only happens when I am at a standstill?!

i would say its the fan as the engine heats up rapidly when at standstill and its the only thing that would run when the engine is off.
the radiator is at the offside of the car where the soud is comming from

Really really appreciate all your help, I will get a new fan put in and just to be on the safe side, I will also bleed the radiator, just in case that is the problem.

Thanks again!

Hello I am new here but had to post as I am having the same noise, whining at around 50 miles an hour. Give or take 10mph, it is not the fan. I am wondering if it is a speedo cable.

I also have a 1.2 8v from 2002 which has done 90k. I am pretty sure it is not the cam belt as that was done a little while a go and the noise doesn't change with revs just with speed.

Doesnt seem to bother it we just did 2000 miles in it last week and everything was grand.

If you fix it let me know what did it.

Thanks

Jon

No speedo cable on these cars.

@ templeja welcome to the forum
does the sound increase with speed or rpm