Technical Wierd noise... 04 Punto

[vikerina19]

My beloved Punto is a tad poorly

It's making a wierd 'droning' noise - i'm convinced it's either from the front or middle of the car, definately not the back. It only happens when moving, I can sit in stationery traffic with the car ticking over and all sounds fine.

When it decides to make the noise (can be at any speed), it can be heard over the radio, or can be barely heard at all - I can be doing 60mph and all of a sudden the noise goes away
One thing I noticed though is that when I braked and dropped a gear to go round a corner, the noise changed too. If I stop the car (but not turn off the engine), the noise goes away :bang:

The car does have a little oil leak, but it's monitored and topped up regularly. The timing belt was changed at 70k, it's now got 104k on it... it is due a service but other than that i'm clueless, any ideas

 

[Ziggy122]

A noise thats intermitant
But changes noise with speed/gear
Not when stationary

Kinda leads to been a wheel bearing for me
With a wheel jacked up
Wobble the wheel on the
3 and 9 position, it shouldn't move much at all
If it does then check the track rod end, if NOT, then potential wheel bearing

To confirm
12 and 6, if the wheel rocks then its most likely wheel bearing
As it spins it grumbles, odd tho it comes and goes
usually they start making a noise and dont change in voulme

ziggy

 

[s and b]

its possibly the bearing for the timing belt these do go noisy and then go quiet you may have got it too tight when you did the belt a

 

[Stilo man]

I agree with ziggy122. If your stationary and you hold 3000 - 4000 revs and there's no noise then I would say isntn cambelt pulleys.