Left hand down a bit and.... WHISTLE

[Nuggs]

Chaps

Bit of a conundrum here...

My car's developed an intermittent whistle when the wheels are turned to the left. When I say intermittent, it may do it on one corner and not at all at the next.

I've just taken it out for a two-hour run and it whistled for about 30 seconds in total. The whistling's coming from the front of the car, and I think it's coming from the offside.

Austec have had a poke around and couldn't find anything (or, of course, replicate the noise in the first place). I've had a look around and can't see anything amiss.

So, well and truly confuzzled, I throw it out to the PH collective... Any ideas?

As ever, thanks in advance all

[Ballistic Banana]

leaf in an air duct?

[Nuggs]

Ballistic Banana said:

leaf in an air duct?

I'd thought along those line myself, but why would it only make the noise on a left turn?

[V8 Archie]

Power steering doing something odd? Mine makes vaguely whistling sounds at 0mph.

[Flintstone]

Hydraubollix? Therefore power steering?

[Nuggs]

Thanks for the ideas chaps - I thought about PAS, but the fact that it only does it when the left hand's down makes me doubt it...

Yours,

Confused of Sussex

[davi]

The anti-squeal shim is missing from the brake on the wifes car, on the nearside front, result is a very high pitched whistle sometimes on cornering, just a thought!

[Nuggs]

davi said:

The anti-squeal shim is missing from the brake on the wifes car, on the nearside front, result is a very high pitched whistle sometimes on cornering, just a thought!

Thanks for the tip!

How would I know if I had this or not?

[davi]

between the piston and the pad on the brakes there is often a thin shim of various materials from metal to just a sticky rubber pad, when the brake is not being applied any variation in the disc can make the pad sing in it's holder, the shim stops it doing this. My old Celica used to have a thin metal one, but spat them out quite frequently causing a noise and it appears the wife's car likes to as well, though hers come as part of the pad, just a stuck on rubbery plastic - after a few months rust ingresses behind the finish and the paint comes away complete with rubbery bit!

Easiest way to find out is probably phone TVR and ask if replacements are available!!! (pressuming that's what it's for)

[Nuggs]

Sorry for the bump, but it's still bloody doing it! Any other ideas?

[hugepiece]

you could rule out the brake shim by taking out the pads and adding some copper slip grease (on the caliper side obviously!). Have you also checked your wheel bearings for play?

[biggiles]

Is the squeal when the car is turning ie steering wheel is stationary, or when you are moving the steering wheel?

Just a few thoughts- check for rubbing inside the wheel arch.

Visually check both brakes for wear.

You could switch over the brake discs.. I think that's OK isn't it?

Check the brake hoses- you could do something clever with cable ties to ensure they are held out of the way.

Smear something obvious over prominent surfaces to check for rubbing- e.g. vaseline or even masking tape would show.

[Davi]

biggiles said:

You could switch over the brake discs.. I think that's OK isn't it?

I'd suggest only if you fit new pads, otherwise bedding in old pads to old discs... not my cup of tea, specially on a high performance car!!

[chim666]

Some brake pads have a wear 'indicator' which emits a noise when the pad's worn out (IIRC it's a strip of metal that rubs against the disc), maybe it's just touching the disc when the load goes on one side...though I'd like to think that any good garage would have thought of this.

Edited by chim666 on Tuesday 22 August 19:08

[davi]

chim666 said:

though I'd like to think that any good garage would have thought of this.

Edited by chim666 on Tuesday 22 August 19:08

funnily enough I thought the same thing so didn't mention it, but then, knowing garages....