Whining Grating Sound
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- 480 Is my middle name
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- Location: Chichester, West Sussex
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Whining Grating Sound
When starting my car in the morning, there is a deep whining sound from the engine. This gets louder when first starting off, however goes away over 1350rpm, and after about 1/2 miles driving it goes away completely. It isn't really bothering me, It would just be nice to know more about what it could be. Has anyone else had this?
1996 Mini Classic 1275.
- Ben Harris
- 480 Is my middle name
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- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cambridge, UK
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When it's cold and damp, I get a whining sound from the front right of the engine on one of my 480's, which dissapears above 2000RPM, and also goes away after about 1/2 a mile. In my case, I suspect it's one of the belts slipping slightly, but haven't got round to tightening/replacing (as required) it yet. It's either that, or the alternator/water pump.
Ben.
Ben.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
- chris1roll
- Friend of Club 480 Europe
- Posts: 3927
- Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:50 pm
- Location: Using LOTS of petrol!
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- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 2684
- Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 7:16 pm
- Location: Chichester, West Sussex
- Contact:
I am pretty sure it's oil, I'll go and lick some to see
It surrounds the A/C compressor and alternator so I'd imagine its oil were someone has prbablt ried to quieten it before. Which make me think,
The bracket that the alternator is attached to has been extended by about 2.5cm, probably to tension the belt. It's also at it's maximum adjustment, yet the belt doesn't seem too tight.
It surrounds the A/C compressor and alternator so I'd imagine its oil were someone has prbablt ried to quieten it before. Which make me think,
The bracket that the alternator is attached to has been extended by about 2.5cm, probably to tension the belt. It's also at it's maximum adjustment, yet the belt doesn't seem too tight.
1996 Mini Classic 1275.
- volvofox
- 480 Is my middle name
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- Location: Born, Netherlands
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I had forgotten the refiller cap as I had to throw away the empty oil bottle last summer in the heat of badmoods during my divorce. Had to clean a lot of driveways.
there was indeed a whining sound of the alternator. and it was covered in oil droplets, like the rest of the engine bay
purely instinctive i gabbed this bottle of graphite powder and dusted it over the alternator. Maybe it was bad, but it helped. Thought some how the brushes were made of graphite too. Maybe it can be dangerous,and i was lucky, because graphite conducts electricity. (do it with no runnig engine)
have had no whinings since.
there was indeed a whining sound of the alternator. and it was covered in oil droplets, like the rest of the engine bay
purely instinctive i gabbed this bottle of graphite powder and dusted it over the alternator. Maybe it was bad, but it helped. Thought some how the brushes were made of graphite too. Maybe it can be dangerous,and i was lucky, because graphite conducts electricity. (do it with no runnig engine)
have had no whinings since.
luck,
JPF
Nomen est Omen
JPF
Nomen est Omen
- Ben Harris
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 1163
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cambridge, UK
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I had a look to see what would be involved in replacing the alternator belt on my 2-litre yesterday. I remembered that it looked quite accessible on my 1.7. I took one look under the bonet of the 2-litre, and instantly came to the conclusion that it wasn't going to be anywhere near as easy. The main problem looking like (what I assumed to be) the air conditioning compressor getting in the way. Hopefully it'll be easier on your 1.7, but I seem to remember you've got air-con too so you might find that this a problem on yours. Martin said something about replacing his alternator being a nightmare because of the air-con, so I'm not too hopeful, and might end up paying a garage to do mine. Any one got an idea how many hours it's expected to take a garage?MatBat wrote:Does anyone have any advice on changing the belt?
- Oh, and does the alternator belt drive anyything else at the same time (waterpump possibly)? I'm not too worried about the alternator slipping slightly because it seems to grip again pretty soon, and the worse case scenario would be a flat battery, but if the water pump is also connected, I don't want to risk cooking my engine!
Ben.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
- Ben Harris
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 1163
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:18 pm
- Location: Cambridge, UK
- Contact:
Yours looks far more get-at-able than mine does. You can actually see the belt! I know lots of cars can have different sized belts for the same engine. There were three to choose from when I replaced the belt on my mini, and there was no way of knowing which one you needed. It was a case of having to take off the old one and compare it to one of the three alternative new ones. It could be that that's what's happened in the past with your 480, and someone bought the wrong one and decided to make do.
Ben.
Ben.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)
- martinholmesuk
- Friend of Club 480 Europe
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- Location: West Sussex
- chris1roll
- Friend of Club 480 Europe
- Posts: 3927
- Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:50 pm
- Location: Using LOTS of petrol!