Cat under the hood?

[The_Edge]

Fairly abstract I know... but...

Been running her round a bit lately, and noticed that when she starts, only for the first minute or two, I occasionally get an intermittent sound like a cat being drowned, just for a second. Not as loud, or as prolongued but its about the best description I can come up with!

I also used to have a Golf Mk IV which were renound for start motors not disengaging well, and it is similar to that...

This is not exactly at start up though - happens after, and intermittently thereafter just for the first minute or two.

Anything by way of slight revs seems to fix - so also seems to be when cold, on idle, and the engine's still "levelling" itself out...

Thinking on it, it could be the sound of something which is turning/spinning, but getting slightly out of line and trying to wobble itself free... but then coming back into line within a second or two, and then straightening out...

After that first minute or two, she runs like a dream though... tight as a nut.

Any thoughts?

>> And apologies for the random, quite bizarre and non-technicaly/mechanical analogies!

[Tanguero]

Alternator belt slipping slightly?

[The_Edge]

Tanguero said:

Alternator belt slipping slightly?

I have no idea... but a belt slipping a little could be a plausible explanation.

p.s. It isn't actually a cat - I checked.

[Steve_T]

Suggest you open the bonnet next time you have the problem and work out where the noise comes from.

Steve

[tejr]

I get a similar noise but only when really really cold out, i assumed it was the A/C pulley complaining.. not sure though, but it goes away fast enough

[Gazzab]

Sounds to me like alternator struggling post start up.
Is the battery connected to a conditioner?

[The_Edge]

Gazzab said:

Sounds to me like alternator struggling post start up.
Is the battery connected to a conditioner?

Yep, she's left on a conditioner nowadays - battery is in tip-top nick... don't get the impression there's any "struggling" going on...

[jammy_basturd]

You know, in trying to think of possible solutions to this problem I realised I'm not sure what a cat drowning exactly sounds like. So that's my evening plans sorted!

[Gazzab]

Does the car start with a really positive and determined spin of the starter?

If so then I guess you are right, the battery is fine, or at least well enough charged for start number one each time?

As said above I guess the prob might be a slipping belt as opposed to screaming bearings.

[gruffalo]

The_Edge said:

sound like a cat being drowned, just for a second. Not as loud, or as prolongued but its about the best description I can come up with!

You sound quite well versed on the sounds a cat make when being drowned, does this come from first hand experience ;-)

[vroom]

Is your wheelie bin water-tight?