Technical High oil level and engine loud whirring 1.2

[andybass]

Evening all,
2012 panda lounge 1.2 8v FIRE. Strange problem I have not yet had the chance to investigate but wondered if it has been seen before.
Cambelt, water pump and aux belt changed 5k miles ago, oil changed recently, after maybe 18k on the same oil. Oil level is correct and grade is 5w40
On 3 cold starts now (before and after the recent oil change, outside temp over 10 deg C) it has made a nasty loud whirring noise, definately connected to engine RPM. I stopped the engine and checked the oil - it sounded like a dry camshaft destroying itself!
The oil level was halfway up the dipstick, but obviously not that high. After starting it, the whirring was gone and (when stopped), the oil level was correct again.
Today I noticed the whirring over the stereo as i was driving away and pulled over. It gradually got quieter and cleared, almost like the head was starved of oil somehow.
Could a blocked pickup strainer cause this?
Andy.

 

[UKRMedic]

Evening all,
2012 panda lounge 1.2 8v FIRE. Strange problem I have not yet had the chance to investigate but wondered if it has been seen before.
Cambelt, water pump and aux belt changed 5k miles ago, oil changed recently, after maybe 18k on the same oil. Oil level is correct and grade is 5w40
On 3 cold starts now (before and after the recent oil change, outside temp over 10 deg C) it has made a nasty loud whirring noise, definately connected to engine RPM. I stopped the engine and checked the oil - it sounded like a dry camshaft destroying itself!
The oil level was halfway up the dipstick, but obviously not that high. After starting it, the whirring was gone and (when stopped), the oil level was correct again.
Today I noticed the whirring over the stereo as i was driving away and pulled over. It gradually got quieter and cleared, almost like the head was starved of oil somehow.
Could a blocked pickup strainer cause this?
Andy.

Presuming the oil is oil colour, and not milky / clotted cream, and presuming it's not been over filled...

I'd think oil pressure is so high the oil is travelling up the filler hole / daft dipstick thing.

Whirring - belts ok?

All guess work from me in lieu of someone who knows better...

 

[koalar]

Blocked strainer equals oil warning light on

Are we sure it’s oil related

Where the noise coming from, top, bottom, left or right

Checking the oil level does depend on the car being level

Normally the oil level is slightly lower straight after the car been stopped until the oil from the top drains back down

 

[koalar]

If I was to hazard a wild guess

Either the idle pulley bearing, alternator bearing or release bearing has dried out

Flip the aux belt off to eliminate first two

Last one would alter as you push the clutch pedal down

 

[andybass]

I appreciate the replies. Car has done 65k miles by the way. Oil light did not come on.
Car was level. I was in a panic at the times it happened, so cannot say for sure the origin. Maybe top end, right hand side looking forward when driving. It does kinda sound like a bearing to be fair, and the car does have aircon which could be a suspect. It does endlessly cycle when it is on.
Release bearing was changed 10k ago along with the clutch and gearbox!
It is only intermittent though, so is going to be tough to diagnose. The oil was over 100mm higher on the dipstick straight after stopping it when it made the noise. After starting it up again, and the noise stopped, so engine stopped again, the oil level was correct again.
I'll dig into it this weekend to have a looksee, but it is a simple engine really. The Oil pump sucks on the strainer tube in the oil pan and pumps it up the oil channels.

 

[koalar]

After stopping the car you have to wipe the dipstick clean before you can take a reading. You may have to do this a few times.

When the engine is running a small amount of oil finds its way down the dipstick tube and the level will read wrong. This oil needs clearing out of the tube before an accurate reading can be taken.

Best reading is after a few minutes and all the oil has run back to the sump

Just had a look in the 2007 owners manual and the operation of wiping the dipstick first before taking a reading is missing

 

[RalphM]

As others have said the dip stick thing is likely a wrong reading,
on start up especially a cold start is when the alternator and its
drive are working hardest, so trying it with the drive belt off may
tell you something, you could try changing the load on it by putting
the head lights and heated window on, see if anything changes,
could the starter be sticking in gear? rare these days but never say never.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

You’ve given a clue here. You say the air con endlessly cycles. I’d suspect the air con pump (which won’t engage if aircon set to ‘off’ so should be easy to test - turn it off and see if the noise stops). . The pump is in effect lubricated by the gas, so maybe that’s escaped.

 

[andybass]

It has only happened 3 times so far, and the car was fine today. The aircon does have charge in it but it does need looking at. If it does it again, i will quickly stop and pop the bonnet open and see if i can see where it is coming from, it might be obvious! I will record it if i can, and write a follow up once i get it sorted.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Our 169 started doing what you describe after being driven through floods. It really sounded horrible. I had all sorts of fears about it. In the end I decided it was probably an an alternator bearing and flooded the bearings with every typre of lube spray I have. This went on for weeks. Intermittent periods of screetching. Sometimes the bearings seemed to run smooth sometimes not. It didnt seem to have any bad effect on anything thankfully. I kept soaking the alternator bearings and the air con pump bearings (or behind the pulley at any rate). with lube and in the end it stopped doing it. I am none the wiser but think this was alternator related. Its been some months since the last time and it seems to be cured. WD40. PTFE penetrating oil, silcon spray, 3in 1 spray oil all used to drowning. Possible not wise but no harm seems to have been done. It is important to shield the belt and pulleys or no doubt it will slip and require replacement,

 

[andybass]

Our 169 started doing what you describe after being driven through floods. It really sounded horrible. I had all sorts of fears about it. In the end I decided it was probably an an alternator bearing and flooded the bearings with every typre of lube spray I have. This went on for weeks. Intermittent periods of screetching. Sometimes the bearings seemed to run smooth sometimes not. It didnt seem to have any bad effect on anything thankfully. I kept soaking the alternator bearings and the air con pump bearings (or behind the pulley at any rate). with lube and in the end it stopped doing it. I am none the wise but think this was alternator related. Its been some months since the last time and it seems to be cured. WD40. PTFE penetrating oil, silcon spray, 3in 1 spray oil all used to drowning.. Possible not wise but nom harm seems to have been done. It is important to shied the belt and pulleus or no doubt it will slip and require replacement,

Nice one, I will have a good look at it tomorrow

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Thinking about it, my 4x4 does this too after being driven through floodwaters - not seen many of them recently
I’ve always assumed it’s sand or grit on the brushes, rather than a bearing, and usually it stops after a day or two.

 

[andybass]

I caught it! Looks like it is the bearings to the AC going south. I can smell something getting hot when it makes the noise too.

 

[koalar]

Yep sounds like a bearing

Aux belt looks burnt ?

Still could be a few things

AC compressor
Alternator
Idler pulley

Either use a mechanics stethoscope/electronic stethoscope or simply flick the belt off and spin each part by hand.

I can’t tell from the video which one as they are all above each other

 

[andybass]

I can borrow a mechanics stethoscope, and investigate further / pop the belt off etc ... later this week.
Will report back incase anybody is interested / to add a resolution to this thread.
AC

 

[Leroypanda]

Dodgy timing belt tensioner? Had this on a Mitsubishi and 30 minutes after fitting it broke wiping the engine out.