whirring noise, could it be the breaks?

[browfish]

I have noticed a whirring noise that is slowly getting worse. the only thing i cna compare it to is the noise of the compressors make when you are sat on one of the old slam door trains.

It only happens when the car has been running for a while and at medium speeds say 20-50. It doenst appear all the time and it dissapears if you put your foot down. I wondered if it could be something rubbing on one of the wheels as it also dissapears when you turn left slightly and if you press the break.

What do you reckon.

[Sy V]

For safety you need to check your brake hoses to check they're not fouling any rotating parts. But, when you've got the front jacked up check the wheels for play (bearings shot) before removing them.
Have a go at this first and get back to us.

Have you got grooved discs and/or excessively worn pads?

[browfish]

DOnt know about the discs as i havent got around to looking yet. SHouldnt though as it was MOT's and serviced just before i bought it and its only done 2500 since june

Will make it a priority to have a look though.

Thanks for the reply

oh yeah, ps. i wondered whehter it was a brake problem as im sure teh breaks have started juddering a little lately and it can pull to the right sometimes.

[Fubar1764]

Where is the sound coming from? Wheel arches or more along the spine? That the noise disappears when you floor it seems odd.

[Candles]

My money is on a wheel bearing. Drive with the roof down in a car park with a passenger and turn both ways. You'll be able to hear the pitch of the whirr change and hence decide which wheel. My wheel bearing did this without any play noticeable. The reason why the noise goes when you floor it is that the engine gets louder.

[ESM]

I agree with wheel bearing and I'll raise it by betting its a rear wheel bearing. They tend to make to kind of noise described - my experience with a failed front was that it went quietly but the rears always whirr for ages before any play/damage is apparent. Its difficult to identify the side, I find if I corner pretty hard the noise can made to disappear entirely or at least diminish when turning in the direction that unloads the affected bearing (i.e. the wheels on the inside of the turn).

[browfish]

thanks for all your help so far.

ITs doesnt exactly disappeat when you floor it, it gradually reduces and stops at speed. Definatley not covered up by the engine noise, it is noisier than that. As i say, it sounds exactly like the compressors on old trains.

It stops instantaneusly if you put any pressure on the breaks. I also noticed that when not whirring there is a constant quiet high pitch noise and the breaks are also queaking when lightly used.

For some reason i have always assumed it was the front right making the noise but i could be wrong, just felt like it was coming from that direction.

[ESM]

Hhhhhmmm the brakes thing points away from wheel bearings - I never found braking affected the noise at all. Try giving it some handbrake to see if rear only braking has any effect. Also feel the temperature of the wheels (esp. fronts) after a journey, if there's a seized caliper then one side will be warmer than the other.

[browfish]

Well i managed a quick inspection yesterday. I failed at the first hurdle and couldnt undo the wheel nuts. However, jacking it up, turning full lock i managed to get my head behind the front fight wheel and noticed the gator seal has come of the wheel bearing and it is full of crap. So would you agree the diagnosis would be knackered bearing.

Do you think taking it out and cleaning it up would help or is it a replacement job?

thanks

[Sy V]

Do you mean the conical concertina rubber boot on the outer end of the drive shaft?

[browfish]

yeah. Was i wrong in thinking that was a gator seal? As you may have realised im no mechanic

[Monty]

the gator seal/CV boot is nothing to do with the wheel bearing, if the Boot isn`t damage reuse it and put new ties/fastners but u`ll have to clean up the spline and joint and use High temp grease. Just keep u`r fingers crossed that u haven`t damaged the driveshaft/joint

[browfish]

A damaged drive shaft joint is expensive then i guess.

[Monty]

A damaged drive shaft joint is expensive then i guess.

I would imagine it would have to be a new drive shaft but IIRC lotus had them on the sale list, cause the previous owner of pinky II replaced both dirveshafts

[Sy V]

I'd suggest a clean, re-grease and a 'universal' boot replacement first to see if that does the job - have a search on the main site, there's a write-up somewhere.
Then, if the symptoms haven't lessened explore the Jan Sales Parts list procurement possibility.

http://www.vickers.eclipse.co.uk/pl1.jpg

http://www.vickers.eclipse.co.uk/pl2.jpg

http://www.vickers.eclipse.co.uk/pl3.jpg

http://www.vickers.eclipse.co.uk/plorder.jpg


The whole three pages and order form (probably best to right click and "Save as").