Ominous noise - anyone got any ideas?

[Scrooloose]

My 99 4.5 has recently started making a strange engine noise.

It's a bit like a squeaky metal on metal sound, but not particularly nasty.

Rises and falls in pitch with revs and changes slightly when clutch is depressed.

The sound is the same whether engine is hot or cold.

Oil is checked regularly, so it's not that.

It is due a 12k service anytime now, but isn't overdue.....

Anyone got any ideas? I'm not going to drive it any further until i figure it out!

[Steve_T]

Release bearing?

[marcus1970]

Steve_T said:

Release bearing?

What's a release bearing?

MB

[ancol]

sounds like your clutch release bearing, its the bearing which presses against the fingers on the pressure plate which disenguages the clutch over time they can get dust and crap on and in them and this can cause squeeks etc and other banshee type noises sometimes when you press the clutch the noise will change because the bearing is under load

[alinton]

Or it could be, like mine, the air con belt tensioning pulley.

The bearing in my car, a 99 4.5 like yours, is knackered and started making a noise like you describe.

Easy to check - just take the belt off. I've got to look for a replacement tensioning pulley now.

Andy.

[Scrooloose]

Am I correct in thinking that it's the belt right at the front of the engine?

My aircon is disconnected anyway, so that could be a nice cheap fix!

Does the belt drive anything else?

[alinton]

Nope thats all it does. Just slip the belt off and see if your noise goes away!

Mine did!

rgds

Andy.

[Cyclone1]

Scrooloose said:

Am I correct in thinking that it's the belt right at the front of the engine?

My aircon is disconnected anyway, so that could be a nice cheap fix!

Does the belt drive anything else?

It could be.......but like has already been said, from the symptoms you have described it sounds like the clutch release bearing.

[marcus1970]

alinton said:

Nope thats all it does. Just slip the belt off and see if your noise goes away!

Mine did!

rgds

Andy.

Any pics before I take mine off?

MB

[BLUETHUNDER]

If the noise changes when the clutch is depressed then it definatley is the thrust bearing.Mines been like this for 8 months.

[Scrooloose]

BLUETHUNDER said:

If the noise changes when the clutch is depressed then it definatley is the thrust bearing.Mines been like this for 8 months.

The noise only changes very slightly. Could this be because there's less load on the engine with the clutch pedal depressed?

[BLUETHUNDER]

Scrooloose said:

BLUETHUNDER said:

If the noise changes when the clutch is depressed then it definatley is the thrust bearing.Mines been like this for 8 months.

The noise only changes very slightly. Could this be because there's less load on the engine with the clutch pedal depressed?

With no pedal pressed the noise is there.If you push and hold the clutch down the noise dissapears.Release the clutch,and the noise returns.

[Scrooloose]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Scrooloose said:

BLUETHUNDER said:

If the noise changes when the clutch is depressed then it definatley is the thrust bearing.Mines been like this for 8 months.

The noise only changes very slightly. Could this be because there's less load on the engine with the clutch pedal depressed?

With no pedal pressed the noise is there.If you push and hold the clutch down the noise dissapears.Release the clutch,and the noise returns.

Nope - my noise is there all the time, regardless of pedal position.....

[Scrooloose]

I've removed the aircon belt - no change. Sounds like it could be coming from the lefthand rocker cover.....

[ancol]

my monies still on the release bearing