Noise Diagnosis (with video)

[andrewparker]

Hi guys, I was hoping someone might be able to tell me what this noise is, before I take my car down to the local VW garage.

It has became quite persistent over the last few weeks. In the video the car's engine is up to temperature having been driven approximately 10 miles in 30 - 40mph traffic. The car is an 06 GTi, and has covered nearly 32K miles.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

[Garth]

Definately a family of mice in there somewhere!

[titchy]

sounds like a belt tensioner try taking the drive belt off see if it goes

[andrewparker]

Haha, I'm no mechanic, I just don't want VW charging me a fortune if it's something relatively simple.

[Richn83]

In my non expert opinion it sounds like a pulley wheel, or a slipping belt. I certainly wouldnt want to be taking any belts off and then starting the engine, but Ive never played with the engine in any great details.  Hopefully an experienced mechanic will be alone with an expert opinion soon.

I would hope a VW garage would be able to have a mechanic come out and listen to give an initial diagnosis of the problem if asked nicely, especially if they serviced or sold you the car.

BUMP

[Russ_leeds]

i had a similar noise, no where near as bad as that tho, it turned out to be the cambelt tensioner, and had cambelt and such done under warranty

[JLCoad]

Ditto Russ

[gazbutS3]

cambelt tensioner for me not un-common

[andrewparker]

So new cambelt? I think the VW price is £285 and the car has just turned 4 years old, the time they recommend a change.

[Saint Steve]

As above and as on GolfGTi thread chap

[Neimad]

Mine does this too, but it stops after the car has warmed up.

On one visit to my dealer I mentioned it to them and they actually fixed it... although their fix lasted only 24 hours.  At the time they told me that something was catching on the engine cover.

The next time I had my car in I re-raised the issue, told them that they'd fixed it previously and asked them to look in to it again.  This time they professed they couldn't hear anything and couldn't find the problem at all.  Then they said that if I wanted they would keep the car overnight and look at it again in the morning if I wanted (due to me telling them it was related to engine temperature) but since the dealer I use is near my office, which is 40 miles from my house, and they didn't have any spare courtesy cars it never happened.

Since then my car has gone out of warranty so I guess I'll be paying for that out of my own pocket, although since my car is about due it's cambelt change anyway I guess it will get sorted one way or the other...

[andrewparker]

Cheers for all your responses guys. The car is booked in for a cambelt change next Friday.

Incidentally, are there any other items than need attention around the 4 year mark? How long does the diverter valve last?

[Matt23]

I too get this noise but only on start up from cold and soon disappears should i be worried and get it changed ?

If your car is a dsg the gearbox needs oil and filter change. Other members have had the water pump done too when having the cambelt sorted as its in the same area and cambelt needs to be removed to get at the water pump i think.

[andrewparker]

A few other people have suggested it might be the aux belt that is causing the noise.

Is this it pictured? Because that is exactly where the squeaking noise is coming from.

[PDT]

Sounds like the Alternator (aux) belt tensioner. They quieten down when they warm up as the grease (they are a sealed for life bearing) warms and gets a bit thinner so it lubricates a bit better.

The tensioner is directly at 10 o'clock in the pic you have posted. I have seen the cambelt tensioner make a similar noise but my guess is the aux belt