Technical High-pitched whining sound

[Reanswolf]

Thanks very much both.

Ok just been for run, did what you suggested and only had to use brakes once, but this time the nuts on the front wheels were quite cool, so they were obviously heated by me using brakes a lot on my first run.

So do you think this rules out an issue with the wheel bearings?

 

[AndyRKett]

It means your brakes likely aren’t the problem.

The wheel bearings send to make a rumble, a very low resonance that will over time become more and more intrusive. It won’t tend to make a whining noise.

Does the noise increase with road speed or engine speed.

 

[Reanswolf]

Ok that's helpful, many thanks.

Yes the whining only kicks in at over 50mph, and increases not in volume but in pitch, correlating directly with any increase or decrease speed. Comparable to how an airliner engine starts up and increases or increases in pitch upon start-up or final run down.

Its certainly a strange one.

 

[varesecrazy]

Dip the clutch ..briefly..where safe to do so @60 mph

Does the whine change?

Steer a little..left and right...any change?

Very lightly apply brakes.. just for a second.. change tone.??

Thats wheel bearing and brakes

 

[Reanswolf]

Ok, just been out, in stead of going into town, I went out on a quiet country road, and was able to do 60mph within 2 minutes of starting the engine/leaving my house. I rarely do that, nearly always driving initially on congested roads and rarely getting above 30-40mph.

Interestingly, just now, the sound only suddenly started after about 10 minutes. That suggests that whatever is making this sound has to warm up. So I was driving 60mph-65mph with no sound for 10 minutes.

I got onto the motorway again, tried all the things: -

Turned a bit either way - no change in the sound.
Applied break - no change except the sound lowered in pitch soon afterwards as the break inevitably slowed the car (the sound decreases in pitch with speed decreasing), but it didn't change instantly as I braked, so I don't think its linked.
Gear/depressed clutch - no change in the sound at all as I did so, it just continued the same throughout the gear change/clutch depression, as I maintained 65mph in either 4th or 5th gear. No change in sound at all whilst changing gear.

It makes you think its tyre sound, once they have warmed up.
I don't think its wind whistle as it took 10-15 minutes to happen.
I don't think its brakes or wheel bearings based on what you say about what to listen for.
I don't think its any belts, as the sound would change when changing gear (Is that correct?).

That's me guessing, as a non-mechanical person.

Thx again, so indebted to you both for your help here.

 

[varesecrazy]

Our panda had a rubbing right brake..

Took a while to squeak..at 60

But brake pressure changed the tone.

 

[AndyRKett]

Probably best to try and record the sound in a video, it’s sometimes much easier to diagnose if you can hear it

 

[dumbledore]

Also forgot to add, I was taking the family to Wales in August when we got run off the inside lane of a dual carriageway by a lorry, thankfully there was a run off space and very little contact except a slight bump and loss of rear wheel trim, which I still haven't replaced. Other than that, it appears there was no damage but I wonder if that has something to do with wheel bearing damage.

Missing wheel arch trim is possible to cause noises at speed. So I would check the trim all around for missing mounting screws. Weather condition like wind speed and direction can affect when the noise is triggered. Any dents in the body can do this as well, as it interferes with the car aerodynamics at high speeds.