Technical Whirling noise at high speeds and when slowing down it slowly goes away?

[lowaaa]

Hi there how is everyone doing? I have a fiat punto mk2 2004, 8v.

I've got an issue, which I noticed 3 months ago. As I'm driving at high speeds, the car will begin to do some sort of whirling noise from the drivers side of the engine bay and as I slow down, the whirling noise starts to slowly fade away until it's gone. I changed the timing belt, and I didn't hear anything for possibly 1month, and now it's back. It sounds like a tiny horn but at the same time a fan spinning?

The timing belt, water pump and the alternator belt have all been replaced and are brand new. The alternator belt was changed maybe 7-8months ago and the timing and water pump only last month, or two.

Just to note this noise isn't always there but sometimes. Recently it's appeared quite often.

I've read somewhere, it may be the steering pump, or the wheels not on properly. I believe the wheels on perfectly fine? Regarding the steering pump, I do occasionally get the red steering wheel symbol on the dashboard and all I do is turn the car off and turn it on again. I've seen some people on youtube just take the fuse out and then turn the engine on and then put the steering pump fuse back in. Someone else said change the relay fuses and it'll solve it for two years. I also saw someone say fill it up, but how would I do that? and where would i remove the old liquid?

I also feel like it could be the alternator? The problem is I can't actually identify it because it happens at specific speeds. Last week, I heard a louder noise at 10mph. It weren't a metal on metal sound, neither anything sounding like it was hitting it just seemed like a weird screaming noise? But this sounded differently to the whirling noise.

I honestly don't know what it could be.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Any chance of recording the noise and posting it on here?

 

[judderbar]

I think this has been reported before and is caused by air vibrating something at the front of the car?

Steering is electric so there is no oil filled pump or any oil needing maintenance

 

[lowaaa]

Here is the sound @judderbar & @Pugglt Auld Jock This isn't the sound of driving at high speeds and it dimming away as I slow down, that's a separate noise that I can't really get a clear sound of. This is just a weird sound that came first and occasionally gets loud. I don't think it's the the fan either, the fan has never sounded like that . Any clues on what this could be?

 

[lowaaa]

I think this has been reported before and is caused by air vibrating something at the front of the car?

Steering is electric so there is no oil filled pump or any oil needing maintenance

Vibration at the front of the car? hmm.. of what though ? I replaced the air filter with a cold air intake, (sound was happening before and surprisingly louder too before the swap).

 

[lowaaa]

Any chance of recording the noise and posting it on here?

It's above my reply Can't get a clear sound of the noise where it sounds like it's winding down when i start to slow down though

 

[chris3234]

The high pitch noise at the end?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Reminds me of the sound track to a '60's Sci-Fi movie, when the aliens first appear?

Sorry man, I've no idea what that might be.

 

[lowaaa]

Reminds me of the sound track to a '60's Sci-Fi movie, when the aliens first appear?

Sorry man, I've no idea what that might be.

This weekends coming to an end so I'll look into it further next weekend I'll start with the alternator, testing it to make sure the voltages are correct and maybe some how finding out if it's the bearing on the alternator. (Battery has died a few times now so I had to separately charge it with one of those plug in wall chargers from back in the day).

I'll also loosen the belt a bit if it seems too tight.

If none of that helps, i'll look into the fan and see if maybe the bearing on the fans busted.

I'll try and post my results next weekend and fingers crossed it's one of these issues

 

[judderbar]

That must be metal on metal.

1. Turn the engine off with the car in neutral. What happens?

2. disconnect the alternator belt and drive the car. What happens?

 

[lowaaa]

That must be metal on metal.

1. Turn the engine off with the car in neutral. What happens?

2. disconnect the alternator belt and drive the car. What happens?

Turning the engine off with the car in neutral, nothing happens, it just turns off, no abnormal noises, everything is fine.

I'll give the belt removal a go tomorrow or later this week, although I did hear the noise and quickly hopped out and noticed it was near the alternator before it quickly faded away, so i'm guessing its that.. but we'll see.

 

[judderbar]

I was meaning you are driving along and you get that horrible noise so you put the car in neutral and turn it off. So you can find if the noise is coming from wheels driveshafts brakes gearbox or engine.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I was meaning you are driving along and you get that horrible noise so you put the car in neutral and turn it off. So you can find if the noise is coming from wheels driveshafts brakes gearbox or engine.

But watch out for the steering lock engaging - can give you more excitement than you'd want.

 

[Mike1alike]

It sounds like either alternator or gearbox bearing. Next time you hear the sound and the car isn't moving, just engine turned on, press down the clutch pedal and keep it pressed for a little while. If the sound stops it's the gearbox.

 

[judderbar]

But watch out for the steering lock engaging - can give you more excitement than you'd want.

i had not even thought of that. scary thought.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

i had not even thought of that. scary thought.

Guess why I mentioned it?!! Actually now a days most steering locks will not allow the pawl to engage until you remove the key from the lock - wasn't always so though

 

[judderbar]

Guess why I mentioned it?!! Actually now a days most steering locks will not allow the pawl to engage until you remove the key from the lock - wasn't always so though

i have often turned the car off to see what happens for one reason or another. After you mentioned it i was thinking i am going to test that somehow but then i was thinking maybe not a good idea.

 

[Mike1alike]

Not at all!
Don't test that at home and especially, don't test it on the road!

 

[lowaaa]

Still no clue :s It's either the fan or the alternator. Definitely not the engine. It just sounds like a loose bearing somewhere. Thing is, when I turn the engine off, it stays for a little bit and then goes away, but i wouldn't say it winds down. So it makes me think it's not the alternator but the fan, as the fan stays on even when the engine's cut out right?

 

[lowaaa]

it was the fan I'm going to take it off and clean out the bearing. If still no luck, just replace it for a better one.