High pitched whine on my S2
Discussion
Very new to this Lotus thing (day number three and counting), but so far loving it - had a fantastic blast to Henley yesterday (lycra-clad bronzed rowers at the women's regatta 
, sunburn 
).
Quick question, though - there's a constant very high frequency whine coming from somewhere. It's probably about 15kHz or something. Only happens when the engine's actually on (not with just the ignition) and is constant pitch. Switching on headlights makes no difference, and it's exactly the same at idle in neutal as it is going through the gears.
It's not very loud and you might not even notice it, but once you have it's rather annoying. Anyone got any ideas what it might be?
I'm off for another
. Just can't help myself...
, sunburn ). Quick question, though - there's a constant very high frequency whine coming from somewhere. It's probably about 15kHz or something. Only happens when the engine's actually on (not with just the ignition) and is constant pitch. Switching on headlights makes no difference, and it's exactly the same at idle in neutal as it is going through the gears.
It's not very loud and you might not even notice it, but once you have it's rather annoying. Anyone got any ideas what it might be?
I'm off for another
. Just can't help myself...Hi. Just checked your profile, saw you have a long tail roof so think u have a similar age car to me (2002 S2). It could be a plethora of things that I know nothing about so thought I would draw from relevant experience. Hope it helps. Someone more knowledgable is bound to be along shortly.
It could be the alternator or the bearings on the belt, they are known to wear I think. Mine has a similar noise, Sinclaires noted it at last service (which was a C) and said to be aware but it didnt need replacing just yet. If it helps its almost a turbo like whine, i.e high pitched (sorry not great with frequencies).
Stuart
It could be the alternator or the bearings on the belt, they are known to wear I think. Mine has a similar noise, Sinclaires noted it at last service (which was a C) and said to be aware but it didnt need replacing just yet. If it helps its almost a turbo like whine, i.e high pitched (sorry not great with frequencies).
Stuart
Cheers Andy, but the stereo's definitely off. Need to check, but it might be the same frequency you get when you first of all turn the ignition on. Could it be the fuel pump, maybe (see this post)?
It seems more electrical in sound than something mechanical like an alternator bearing. Besides, that would alter pitch with engine RPM, no? It's quite hard to tell, but I think it might be altering pitch slightly when I use the indicators. It doesn't seem to when I switch the headlights on and off, though, so I might be imagining things...
You're hearing the power rectifiers in the alternator working. Heard it on my car all the time and indeed you can hear the pitch change a little with changes in electric load.
Easy to hear if you let it idle and press the brake pedal. You can hear the pitch of the sound lower as the brake lights come on. After the initial voltage dip it re-stabilises again and the noise goes back to the original pitch.
Quite normal.. But a lot of people don't hear high frequencies (15Khz to 20Khz), so they don't notice it at all. Or if they once did they have now grown too old to hear it
If you can hear the high pitched 15Khz sound a TV makes then you can probably hear the sound in the Elise...
Bye, Arno.
Easy to hear if you let it idle and press the brake pedal. You can hear the pitch of the sound lower as the brake lights come on. After the initial voltage dip it re-stabilises again and the noise goes back to the original pitch.
Quite normal.. But a lot of people don't hear high frequencies (15Khz to 20Khz), so they don't notice it at all. Or if they once did they have now grown too old to hear it
If you can hear the high pitched 15Khz sound a TV makes then you can probably hear the sound in the Elise...
Bye, Arno.
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