Whining noise

[Rachel]

Hello.

My 480 has a whine coming from the alternator side of the engine. It happens more if I accelerate hard. It goes up and down with the revs, and is still present with the clutch depressed. It has been like it for a while and before I had a replacement alternator fitted so it's not the alternator. I wonder whether it could be a pulley maybe? Other possibilities I guess could be water pump and steering pump, I have noticed my steering has become a little noisy when parking. I have also noticed the other day that it does seem to be a little more pronounced when turning sharply to the right

Any ideas of what it could be or how I can find out what it is? I had a lot of work done recently and it's driving really nice atm, apart from the whine, makes it sound bad If I drive gently about it doesn't do it, but where's the fun in that?

[Alan 480]

Rachel

Does it sound like a clutch squeal/ fan belt??
I had this for about four months (maybe longer)
I removed the alternator drive belt to confirm my suspisions that it was timing belt related, turned out one of the idler pullies was on its last legs!!!
I can't remember if the fixed one or the adjustable one but they can BOTH be done with the engine in place, fiddly but possible.
no idea of cost of pulley as I had ones from a wreaked engine. (ditto labour cost as did it myself )

[Rachel]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I think it could do with a new drive belt, so I'll get the pulleys done too. Just odd cause it does it more when I turn right. My concern is it could be a pulley for cambelt, pretty sure they were done with cambelt though but I guess you can never be 100% sure when you haven't had it done yourself - previous owner had it done. I'll check receipts.

[r5b18ft]

could be the belt tensioner .. try removing it and see if it turns freely as it should

[Alan 480]

But to remove belt tensioner will require removal of timing cover, and 'possible' loss of timing, not waht you wan tto do unless fairly sure of what is happening. The 480 timing marks are also a bit obscure!! the mark does NOT line up with the pully key way. or need to check that the 8mm long rod DOES go into the correct hole in crankshaft web and not th edrilled balance weight!
If the belt has been replaced AND pulley (s) swapped then it would show up on reciepts? I did not repalce my pulley at last sevice but just the belt but then again I do belts more often than suggested in book, paranoid?

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if the bearing is goosed just by spinning it

[ChrisRidett]

My belt tensioner had been going for a while although I didnt recognise it.
initially it only squeaked at early startup.

Its surprising how much difference it made as the garage kept the old tensioner.
Instead of freely spinning, it was difficult to turn by hand.
When I picked her up after the change the engine revved a lot freer.

I reckon a few more miles and it would have seized completely on the old tensioner.

Separately - and this is just a hunch - the Cambelt had been done a while back ( at about 50k) but the speedo had been playing up since then .
I reckon the idler on that kit was designed with a shorter life then the belt so that it encouraged a complete change before the belt was due to fail.

Although my speedo shows nearly 90k - I reckon her mileage is nearer 110k

[Alan 480]

Yep
ours squealled in the morning (and I guess when wife left work) and I always blamed fan belt.
I would REALLY suggest get it looked at otherwise could be a top end overhaul, (though I think the valves and pistons don't meet on these engines?? )

I ran it tho for longer than I should have, milage was probably around 75 - 80k when it went, no receipts and didn't note when it was done daft I know

As an aside does Chris stil have Se5 / bond etc or were these PREVIOUS cars, I am still running a Scimitar

[chriskay]

(though I think the valves and pistons don't meet on these engines?? )

Wrong I'm afraid; they do.

[ChrisRidett]

As an aside does Chris stil have Se5 / bond etc or were these PREVIOUS cars, I am still running a Scimitar

Afraid not my friend.....Sold my Bond Bug to buy a Scimitar, Sold my Scimitar buy the Carlton. ( Heresy i know ! ) But my mum kept getting a cold leg after I took the passenger Fan blower out to fix and never put it back!

Thankfully I've not had a Cambelt snap on me yet, although I have had a con rod snap.
That was on the Carlton- straight 6 - pulled away at a set of lights - rod snapped and then made a bid for freedom through both sides of the cylinder block and the sump- reminiscent of the scene in 'only fools and horses' when del starts the robin/regal up and the bottom falls out the car.

Just be aware that most garages will quote to include a water pump when they change a cambelt, this is unnecessary with this engine as the water pump is not run on the timing cambelt - its on the alternator belt.

[Rachel]

Hey thanks guys for the help

I think I will get it looked at asap. I do have a slight squeak from that area when I just start it up, but had it with my other 480 too so never really took much notice of it....it quickly goes away. I don't get the impression that it is related to the whining though, but I can't be sure.

I will let you know how I get on

[Alan 480]

Chris

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2 Kings; Chapter 9 Verse 20
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I assume only the last line is pertinant?

[chriskay]

[felyx]

ITS THE CAM BELT BEARINGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have had 12 480's now , i have had this problem twice . i lived with it on one car for 3 months unyil the bearings failed at 60 mph !!

cheers all

[Rachel]

i got to the bottom of this in the end, it was dead simple! Although the steering fluid looked ok it was very slightly low....I topped it up and turned the steering wheel full lock to full lock which released quite a few little bubbles....whine completely gone! just love it when its simple