Loud Grinding in Engine

[Notsosane 0]

I Have a loud grinding/squeeling in my engine. It's coming from the lower crankcase on the pulley side of the engine. I was wodering if by chance it could be the oil pump (wishful thinking) or what it could be. Thanks.

[16VG60 1]

Grinding and Sqealing when used together in the same sentance to describe the sound of any engine makes my teeth curl! You say it is comming from the pulley end of the lower engine, are you sure this is an internal fault? Check all the external pulleys and components first. It could be a loose pulley creating the grinding and the loss of belt tension the squealing. This noise could also be attributed to a shot water pump and the grinding would be caused by the pump impeller against the pump body and again the squealing the loss of belt tension. If it is being caused by the oil pump it would be a first for this kind of failure in my experience, but hey there's a first for everything. If it is the oil pump then do not run the engine any more, because a seized oil pump will lock it's cam belt driven pulley and then strip the cam belt and in turn destroy your engine. I am assuming you drive a 4 cylinder engine Corrado, the consequences are simmillar but not the same for the VR6. Good luck with finding your problem.

[Roger Blassberg 0]

I would think that its more likely to be the water pump, or perhaps the power steering pump, the grinding being the pump bearings and the squeeling being the drive belt slipping on the pulley as it gradually seizes up.

 

So far as I know, the oil pump just wears out as clearances increase but won't get noisy - it is after all bathed in oil the whole time. Are there any symptoms of low oil pressure, such as the warning light flashing on during normal running?

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Notsosane 0]

The oil light doesn't come on or anything. the squeeling sound doesn't sound like a loose belt. it sounds lioke metal on metal and it actually sounds a bit louder when you remove the oil cap. Engine rebuild time?

[Banana Man 0]

I would hazard a guessn at the power steering pump as well check to make sure it has fluid in it first and turn the steering lock to lock while stationary and engine running, if it gets worse when you do this then that will be your problem power pumps are easy enough to change and get hold of second hand so not too bad.