Help Diagnosing Noise

Skilid

Skilid

Skilid

Soldato
Joined
20 Sep 2006
Posts
2,828
Location
Hampshire
My girlfriends Clio has been making a weird whistling noise which has been getting worse as it gets colder. The engine runs a little rough (which I have been told is normal for this engine) and the noise goes away once warm. The noise never happens under load, only when letting off the throttle or when first starting.

I have uploaded a ~2min audio clip to YouTube. I'd be grateful if you could give it a listen and give your opinions? I reckon it's a vacuum leak, but I can't find one. It isn't the belts as they have all been changed and the noise existed before, too.

Sorry for the choppy audio, I used Windows Movie Maker :rolleyes:


Cheers!
 
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Dump valve? lol in all serious some definite air leak somewhere. Inlet manifold, throttle body, intake pipe or something if someones had it off for an air filter change? Could be something simple.
 
Sounds like the aux belt slipping to me. (There's probably a slightly different level of tension on it when on overrun etc.)


Even though you're saying it's not, I accept that, but that's still what it sounds like. (to me)
 
I just feel that a belt is more of a squeal than a whistle... It had all belts and tensioners change a few months back by Renault.
 
sounds like belt squeal, were the belts sliipping badly before being changed? Could be a worn pulley.
Can you remove the belts and run the engine for a short time?
That's the easiest way of ruling in/out.

I did this on my old mk2 golf, turned out the alternator pulley was worn and no matter how tight the belt, it would still slip. One new pulley and no more slip.
 
The noise at 0:07 is very similar to the noise my girlfriend's old 207's engine (1.4 8v POS) used to make, except not when starting it, all the time. It'd rise and fall with revs and I couldn't ever work out whether it was just an air leak / induction noise characteristic or if something was either slipping or worn out. I'd heard plenty of other 207s and Citroen C3s (presumably with the same awful boat anchor engine) make the same noise so I thought meh.

The noise at 0:35, however, I am fairly sure is a belt slipping or worn pulley.
 
Sounds like a belt noise to me?

For a petrol engine it sounds really rough, it is a petrol engine isn't it?
 
All belts and pulleys were replaced less than 2 months ago and the noise existed before and after.

Yeah, it's a petrol. The reason it sounds rough is because my phone was under the bonnet recording so it's literally right next to the engine.
 
Has the water pump been changed/is it due to be changed? Not your typical noise but had a similar noise in the GF's Aygo and then it became more of a whine and then it eventually failed and threw the belt.
 
Alternator? Use a long screwdriver to touch on various parts around the pulleys and press your ear against the handle to listen for where the sound is loudest. Obviously be careful you don't get wrapped around something.
 
Waterpump was replaced at the same time as the belts.

Sound only happens when driving, hence the difficulty in locating the source of the noise :(
 
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