Where the hell is this Whine!

[roy666]

Couldn't really find a suitable place to stick this one.. so apols if I chose the wrong area. Ok.. for all your Ltus gurus out there.. cry for help: all of a sudden a now have definite medium-high sounding whine. Things I've done to isolate it: travelling at speed..engine off in neutral.. still whines. When I slow done, whine slows done... disappears at around 15 mph. Checked all wheel bearings.. all fine.. no noise or play; checked drive shafts, no obvious signs of leakage; checked tyres.. all look ok. Just don't know what else to do. Where the hell is it coming from?

[Artaban]

Everything points to a wheel bearing in my opinion. Can you confirm whether there is any change in the level of the noise by turning to the left or right as you drive along?
Andy

[Rambo]

My first thoughts would also be wheel bearings, particularly as the noise dies away at very low speeds but is there at high speeds, in or out of gear

PS the only whining I get in my car is my better half telling me not to press the right pedal so hard

[GeoffSmith]

Maybe the jackshaft bearing.

[Rambo]

Yeah, could be Geoff. Hadn't thought of that

[Simon_P]

old tyres? or have you just changed them around?

[lotusflasherman]

Maybe the jackshaft bearing.

though I think more likely a wheel bearing. Not easy to check wheel bearings as it may need weight of car on them to generate the whine but suggest you look very closely at the wheel bearing grease for any metal flakes.

I'd check Jackshaft bearing by supporting car on axle stands with front wheels off and running in gear with more than 15mph on speedo. The other bearings that are always rotating related to road speed are the diff output bearings.

[Simon_P]

You say all of a sudden - What did you do to the car immediately prior to it whining?

Also you don't say if it is front or rear.

[roy666]

Hi Guys... thanks for all your replies. I have done some large turns on the airfield, both ways... no change; the tyres are not so old and I've checked them and changed rear to front... no change, whine still there; Jackshaft?.. I'll take a look at it and do the "put it up on jacks and put the drive on". I didn't really do anything to the car before this all started.. just my average daily trips. The car is used a lot, 55 miles everyday.. and some long runs. I did do a Stamford-Bristol-Stamford.. and then the following day I have the whine. Still there today.. driving me nuts. M

[Simon_P]

How much gearbox oil do you have?
Does it do it in reverse?
Does it make any difference if you brake or accelerate ?

[HJ2]

and: ... Is one of your wheels hotter than the other after a drive?

[roy666]

Hi Guys.. here we go: pretty sure the gearbox oil is ok, no signs of any leaks (oil changed 7 months ago with GTS.. and one just can't fault Gerald!). Can't really get any speed up to hear the noise in reverse. No wheel hubs hotter than any others. And to top it all.. i removed the coolant header tank cap.. just to check it and forgot to put it back on... and left it on the engine sill. Drove to work and only realised once arrived. All ok..except lost the coolant header tank cap. where do you source one of those?? Doh!

[GeoffSmith]

Vauxhall.

[Rambo]

Roy - if you can't source one and are desperate I could always post one to you. I'm sure I have a spare in my boxes ?? Trouble is I won't be back home until Mon 01 August after the Silverstone Classics.

Let me know anyway

[Brit-Car-Nut]

The Coolant Tank Caps (A100K6008F) are STILL available from Lotus and probably SJs, Matty and SW Lotus... Price from a UK dealer is £3.46

[roy666]

Chaps - just to close this off. Car went in for the annual service and MOT with GTS; thankfully, passed with flying colours (ok.. some minor issues, ball joint, drive shaft gaiter).. and of course the whine was found. it was a wheel bearing (o/s ft).. when I checked, seemed ok. Hot start seems to be the problem now... can't seem to be fixed.. so just living with it. M

[Rambo]

Everything points to a wheel bearing in my opinion....

My first thoughts would also be wheel bearings

]

though I think more likely a wheel bearing..

Great minds.....