Funny squeal from my G60 engine bay: UPDATE

[Tempest 0]

Barely getting to the bottom of one problem, up comes the next, well it was there for some time already.

 

As Jim has also noticed on my G60, whenever I accelerate part throttle, you can hear a squeal sound coming from the engine bay. Push the accelerator softer or harder and the squeal vanishes. It happens in any gear, irrespective of what rpm (1000 up to 3000 typically, but can be avoided by either accelerating a bit harder or softer), if I accelerate gently. It does vanish in each gear, and then stays away.

 

I cannot really place the exact location of the squeal, as it only occurs when driving (not when idling and playing with the accelerator), and then it's difficult to stick an ear into the engine bay :lol:

 

Right, so I thought it would be some pulley. After I have changed all my belts and the timing belt tensioner pulley, checked the two plastic tensioner pulleys on the serpentine belt (they all run nice and loose without resistance with the belt removed), tried different tensioning settings on the timing belt tensioner pulley, the squeal is still there :-(

 

Can't be the brakes, as I've replaced the disks and pads on the front, copperpasted the pads to stop any squeals from that region, and the squeal happens when accelerating gently.

 

Conrod bearing shells? If so, I thought they'd make themselves heard by slight knocking sounds between 2500 and 3000 rpm.

 

Gearbox oil?

 

Any tips welcome.

 

Tempest

[Supercharged 2]

is it a belt squeel or belt rubbing on something?

 

Was gonna suggest the 2 plastic tensioning wheels but you've done that... checked cambelt cover is in place?

[billinjah 0]

sounds like the plastic pulleys even if they feel ok pop their caps off get a load of gt 85 in there then go for a drive if it dissapears get some new ones! i had exactly the same on mine.

[chaz g60 0]

my old one sort of made a sucking high pitched squeal at times

i tightend up the air intake and it stoped.

[Tempest 0]

is it a belt squeel or belt rubbing on something?

 

Nope, definitely not, as I have checked the free-running of all belts. The cambelt covers are also nicely secured and in place as they should.

 

Willt try the GT85-trick next.

 

Went for another drive today (any old excuse), with both windows open in the early evening hours :lol:, and could not place the location of said squeal, other than somewhere from the engine bay.

 

Tempest

[Astrasteve 0]

try the idle control screww at the back of the inlet. my G60 screw had basically came right out and had the same symptoms as u have described. Easiest way to check is to put ur hand down the back of the top of the inlet and feel for air pressure coming out and put ur hand over it to see if the squeeling goes away. a replacement screw and washer costs about 3 or 4 £ from VW

[Tempest 0]

try the idle control screww at the back of the inlet

 

I think I'll try that first, actually. Come to think of it, that squealing sound has only started ever since I had the crankshaft bolt replaced by my garage (as I couldn't get the original darn thing out myself, despite all effort of pressing the brakes, blocking the flywheel et al), who, as mentioned in an earlier post, had bodged it up slightly. they had to take the whole crankshaft sprocket and timing belt off, etc., which then made me as a precaution immediately recheck the ignition timing and also reset the idle. I remember that I was turning the idle screw out quite a bit.

 

So, that could be it, *fingers crossed*, as that would be nice and easy, for once :-)

 

Tempest

[biggrim 0]

This is gonna sound silly so don't laugh. Do you have a boost return kit fitted? It could be that that is squeaking. Or has it only happened recently?

[Jim 1]

I don't think he has a boost return kit. AFAIK the only mod on Erics car engine wise is an RSR outlet on his g-lader - the lader itself isn't even ported or anything, just rebuilt in standard form by G-Werks.

 

It is a very strange sound and as Eric says you only really get it on part throttle - if you give it a slightly heavier squeeze on the throttle the noise vanishes. Very consistant though.

[Tempest 0]

No, no boost return kit, as those things are dangerous to the engine in terms of the ECU not being able to bleed off excess boost in response to knocking.

 

My G60 is more or less tuned for longevity and reliability, not outright performance, hence I also did not go for smaller pulleys. Porting witout a smaller pulley doesn't make that much difference, so I also forewent that option. The RS outlet kit is only there, as I hated that stupid plastic silencer box, that is usually leaking air, a swine to get off etc. :lol:, plus the RS-kit does give the Lader a bit of a sharper sound :lol:

 

Haven't had a chance of driving it yesterday. Tuesday night on my way to Coventry airport to pick up my Mum from Germany, I hadn't noticed any squealing after I had temporarily sealed off the idle screw a bit better. But that may not be the reason. Will have to do more testing.

 

Tempest

[Henny 0]

No, no boost return kit, as those things are dangerous to the engine in terms of the ECU not being able to bleed off excess boost in response to knocking.

 

No they're not... You're thinking of the ISV re-route which is a different matter alltogether... ;) A Boost return kit simply blanks off the return side of the charger, adds a breather pipe to connect to a catch-can, and puts a filter onto the ISV which will still allow it to bleed excess boost... 8)

[Dines 0]

I've got exactly the same problem with exactly the same symptoms. I had G-Werks change my tensioner pulleys - but it's still there!

 

Please let me know if you sort it (and I'll do the same) - It's driving me crazy and I'm conviced there's boost being lost that should be making me go faster :x

[Tempest 0]

Well yesterday the squealing sound had returned in all its glory :-(

 

Might as well try another idel screw and seal, yet to try the GT85-trick, but somehow I just don't think these items are the cause. I'm somehow fearing something in the drive train / gearbox area, as it seemed to just be little louder from the left hand side of the engine bay.

 

Easiest way to check is to put ur hand down the back of the top of the inlet and feel for air pressure coming out and put ur hand over it to see if the squeeling goes away.

 

That won't work in my case, as I mentioned above, the squealing sound is only present under part-acceleration. I cannot get that sound when standing still and playing with the accelerator.

 

Anyone any other ideas, or possibly to lay my fears of drive train related sounds at rest? ;-)

 

Tempest

[Tempest 0]

Right, now that I have my Mum staying with me, I had the chance of driving the Rado a little bit more, and also had my Mum to do the listening whilst I did the driving.

 

After I had checked the ignition timing (wasn't the reason for the squeal), my Mum confirmed the squealing noise coming from the area to the right of the engine block (when standing in front of he engine bay). We have been able to reproduce the squealing sound when pushing the throttle sharply, then letting go again all whilst the engine is idling. The squeal was audible during the sharp throttle kick down.

 

It definitely does NOT come from the idle screw. It seemed to originate from the area where my ABS stuff sits (remember: I have a LHD US-spec Rado :-) ), also where the cruise control pump sits (all hoses sit tight though), and the area lower down where the gearbox sits.

 

Unfortunately I still haven't been able to place the exact location of this rather annoying squeal.

 

Well, I now know it's definitely not any of the pulleys or belts on the left hand side of the engine bay (when standing in front of the engine bay).

 

I will, of course, kindly ask those at the next Midlands Meet to have a listen :-), as it's doing my head in not knowing what causes this squeal.

 

In the meantime if anyone shouts "Eureka, I know what causes that squeal!", do let me know :-)

 

Tempest

[stevemac 0]

Only thing at that side of the engine that's engine rev related is the chankshaft, clutch & gearbox input shaft.

 

If you rev the engine, with the clutch pedal pressed to the floor (to eliminate the gearbox from your list of suspects), does it still "squeal" ?

[Tempest 0]

On the way to the airport this morning in the heavy rain and soaking roads, I didn't notice any squealing, not even when trying to reproduce that sound whilst stationary on the car park at work at 6 am :lol: Tried both with the clutch out and clutch pedal pushed in (to eliminate gearbox etc. (following Steve's advice ).

 

Hmm, strange ...

 

Tempest

[Tempest 0]

This morning probably was the odd one out.

 

Tonight at home I have been able to reproduce this annoying squeal with the engine idling, giving sharp(ish) kicks on the accelerator pedal, and letting go again (squeals only when pressing down the accelerator).

 

When depressing the clutch pedal fully whilst doing the above little manoeuvre, the sound was still there. Moment of relief, as I think I can therefore rule out the gearbox, too.

 

That still leaves me with the question, what causes this annoying squeal?

 

Midland Meet folk: You're going to be the guinea pigs doing the listening this Sunday :lol:

 

Tempest

[vw_john 10]

Sorry for the thread resurrection! But did you/anyne ever find out the source of the problem? I wasn't worried till I stumbled across this, just assumed it was air traveling over the throttle body whistling

Cheers