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Whinge about whine

J

j1mw1ll1s

New member
Hi Everyone

My C4 manual has developed a pronounced whine which is pretty loud in the cabin, and is present all the time. The noise is road-speed (rather than engine-rev) related; if I free-wheel, in neutral and/or with the clutch disengaged, it's still there. If it was a rumble, I'd immediately suspect wheel bearing; but a whine?! Anyone come across this one? Would be very grateful for any guidance.

Thanks

James
 
Might be a stone caught between a brake disc and backing plate or a handbrake shoe binding inside a disc (usually caused by a retaining spring breaking). Jack up each corner and investigate.
 
James,

I hope its not a big problem and its something simple.

I would jack car up and check all wheel bearing,check drive shafts,gearbox oil level, etc
The next stage would be to get an expert to look at it. It unfortunatly could also be the diff, I hope not.

Best of luck

Tim
 
Guys,

Thanks for your input. Think I'll get an expert to do the investigating. Tim, I too hope it's not a diff issue...sounds like that could be expensive!
Could a wheel bearing whine (rather than rumble)?

James (PCGB member- how do I get the forum to recognise me?!)
 
James,

It is possible for the wheel bearing to whine but from my experiance they nomally rumble. Does the noise go away/improve when you go round a corner?? if it does then i would suspect a wheel bearing. I have the c2 so am not 100% sure on the c4 system but you will have diffs for front/rear and also a tube joining the 2 together. It maybe that its a worn bearing in the diff/drive shatf or low oil (these gearboxes dont get checked often). Its just if's and but's so I would get someone to look into it further.It maybe a easy fix so I would not panic at the moment.

Tim
 
Tim

The noise is constant- no change on cornering, tho' it rises and falls with road speed. On the over-run, it's just like the falling note of an aircraft jet after switch-off. Very strange! How easy is it to check the gear-box oil?

Thanks

James
ORIGINAL: tim_haskins

James,

It is possible for the wheel bearing to whine but from my experiance they nomally rumble. Does the noise go away/improve when you go round a corner?? if it does then i would suspect a wheel bearing. I have the c2 so am not 100% sure on the c4 system but you will have diffs for front/rear and also a tube joining the 2 together. It maybe that its a worn bearing in the diff/drive shatf or low oil (these gearboxes dont get checked often). Its just if's and but's so I would get someone to look into it further.It maybe a easy fix so I would not panic at the moment.

Tim
Click to expand...
 
James,

To check the gearbox oil you need to raise the front/rear and remove the engine and gearbox undertrays.
There is an allen key type bolt in the side and on the bottom of the gearbox case. The bottom one is the drain and the side one is the fill. I would recommend draining the oil and then refilling.I think is a 10mm allen key

To do this undo the bottom sump bolt on the gearbox and drain all the gearbox oil, refit sump bolt (you should fit new washer!).

next remove the allen bolt in the side of the gearbox. You need to fill the gearbox through this hole until oil begins to come out of it. You will need a squeezable bottle with a tube on it to get the oil in.

Its easy to do but do make sure the car is level and correctly supported before going underneath. If in unsure take it to your local garage as it should only cost 1 hours labour charge max if they have ramps etc+ oil. It should be the same for the front diff.

Worth doing but damage may already be done. I am just changing the oil in my gearbox at the moment as I dont have any record of it being done on my last 24000 mile service by the OPC!! or any of the other services!. Got to be worth a try IMO.

Tim

 
James

Just to add to Tims instructions on changing the fluid. Undo the 10mm allen bolt on the side (refill one) first to make sure you can undo it. It's in an awkward position and if you can't get it open after draining you may be in trouble!

Rob
 
Rob,

I agree is is very imporant to check the fill plug first. Mine was very tight but I did manage to undo it without to much struggle. I have read about people really struggling after they had drained out the oil.

Tim
 
Guys

Thanks for all the help & advice. Looks like it's check all 4 corners followed by gear-box oil change, followed by..... hopefully nothing!! Will report back in due course. Thanks again

James
 
I would also check/change the oil on you front diff. Same procedure as above but you will need to remove front undertrays

Tim
 
ORIGINAL: j1mw1ll1s

Tim

The noise is constant- no change on cornering, tho' it rises and falls with road speed. On the over-run, it's just like the falling note of an aircraft jet after switch-off. Very strange! How easy is it to check the gear-box oil?

Thanks

James
Click to expand...

I alwasy thought the 'aircraft' noise WAS a wheel bearing especially as it rises and falls with road speed.

Just my 2p - hope its nothing too expensive/serious
 
Before you go to far just check for uneven tyre where if you feel the tyre with the flat of your hand round the tyre you can sometimes feel like steps in the tread, this can sound very much like a wheel bearing. Berny.
 
Well, the saga finally ends and the problem is solved; but not without grief, pain and a very large bill. Progressive investigation & dismantling finally revealed that the whine was coming from the ball bearing which sits just inside the opening of the transfer housing, with which the output shaft engages; which was shot. For anyone interested, it's on page 198 (section 34-10) of the "Technical Data Without Guesswork" manual. Engine out. Gearbox out. Cost of bearing: £14.54. Cost of labour: approximately fifty times that! OUCCCHHHHH!!!

James
 
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