Engine Whine! :(

[RCA]

Hello all, hope you are all coming to VW on Sunday, if so see you there (hopefully!!)
Yesterday the chimaera started to make a small whine from the engine bay which sounded as if it could maybe be the belt??
Today however it has got worse, it is definately coming from the engine bay not gearbox and goes in time with the revs, i.e. louder/quieter
Has anyone got any ideas on what this could be??
Any help would be most appreciated
cheers
Richard

[shadowninja]

my alternator makes that but apparently its only cos its new (previous one died) and is getting quieter as i put the miles on... so could be your alternator playing up?

[dan]

My Griff does this occasionally, I've tried to locate it, but with your head under the bonnet it's practically impossible to hear. As you say it sounds like a belt, but they all look ok.

Sorry not much help

[RCA]

Who says main dealers are expensive!!!!, Have just spent 2 hours at TMS, went to buy spark plugs and asked if someone could have a quick listen to see if they knew what it was, I top bloke came out and spent about an hour and a half playing with it testing things and even changing the belt on it for nothing!!!!
Turns out it is the water pump that is not very happy with me at the moment
Nevermind it had better cheer up, its going to VW tomorrow!!!!!!

[RCA]

Out of interest, does anyone here know how much a water pump is??, have looked on TMS website but can't find it!!!!

[2 sheds]

Try rpiv8.com , 01603 891209 water pumps are from £50
Tim

[JamieBeeston]

Now thats what TVR ownership iSHOULD BE about, Dealers treating owners with RESPECT and not trying to shaft them, but instead cultivating a relationship which will far exceed the revenue from one quick shaft.


Dealers, TAKE NOTE

>> Edited by JamieBeeston on Saturday 19th October 16:08

[shpub]

Make sure you get the right one as there are a lot of variations - around 12 at the last count!

[beljames]

Had same thing on mine. Bit of spray grease on the pump spindle shut it up.

(Tip no. 147 from the 'TVR Bodgers short term solution handbook'....)

[2 sheds]

On the subject of quick tips, if you have a noisy belt (which can sound like a worn pump) try applying french chalk to the belt, available from most hardware stores, but don't loose your fingers applying it, works like magic !
Tim.

[RCA]

Definately pump!!, we took the belt off and spun it by hand, it sounded like there was a cat inside it!!!!
Thanks very much for the info on where to get a pump from!!! and will try the grease thing tomorrow to try and make sure it gets me to VW and back!!!!!

[2 sheds]

If you phone RPI ask for Chris, he was on the phone to me as i typed on this tread, whats the chance of that happening ??? mention piston heads & Me, you should get a good deal ! as Steve says take care to get the correct pump, let us know how you get on. in the mean'time keep the revs down.
Tim

[RCA]

Keeping revs down is against my religion!!!!

[RCA]

Cheers Tim, rang RPI, Chris was not there but ordered a new water pump, should be here Thursday!!, Anyone done a water pump before, whats it like???

[RCA]

Water pump came early so attempted it this afternoon, very easy!!!!!, Took two hours from start to finish which I was pleased with, which included a complete mission to remove the old gasket from the engine!!!, needed to scrap it for ages and then sand it all down with wet and dry!!!!

cheers for the help all, I do not know what I would do without this website!!!

Richard

[RCA]

Ok, I'm back again!!!!
Now really confused, started it up tonight after filling up with water and antifreeze, started it up and it was mint, turned it off to check something and when I started it up again it started to whine again!!!
Left it a few mins and it went quite so I thought thats fine then but after taking it on a quick test run it started up again!!!!!
Now I am sure it must be the water pump because it went away when I put the new one on, I did not touch anything else.
Anyone with any idea/words of wisdom????????

cheers
Richard

[2 sheds]

Does this one feel ok when you spin it by hand ? , if so maybe although the other one felt rough it was never the water pump that made the whine, is the noise exactly the same ?, you may need to use a stethoscope, most mechanics should have one.
Tim

[RCA]

When I spun the old one on the car it made a funny noise, the new one when fitted made the noise go away but it came back shortly, sprayed a bit of grease on the back of the pullies and it went away for a bit. Just spoken to someone at RPI who seems to think that it could be a tensioner (sp) which has gone, about to check it!!!

[plotloss]

Richard,

Mine has just had exactly the same thing done. My car was in for a rebuild at TVR Power last week and as part of the rebuild they fitted a brand new water pump. On starting the car with a brand new water pump it made this horrible whining noise. Doesnt help much I know but it does seem possible for the new part to be knackered out of the box as this was the case with mine.

Matt.

[beljames]

you may need to use a stethoscope, most mechanics should have one.

A crude alternative is a suitably long screwdriver (preferably one where the metal body runs all the way through the handle). Place the blade on the suspect are and apply ear to end of handle.

It really does work. You'll rapidly become addicted to this and start applying the screwdriver to all sorts of parts of the engine to hear what they sound like 'inside'. Obviously this will lead to more worry and paranoia....