Intermittent Whine

[Mo]

Hanley, I listened to your video and 14 second into your video sounds like a bushing squeal. Server is back up so I made corrections on my earlier entry...little buttons of phone too small for my aging eyes and bulging fingers.

[67c&ccorv]

Hanley...I don't hear anything unusual in your video.

But my ears are contaminated by 25 years of running trains and blowing horns for grade crossings.

Maybe that is a good thing because I don't hear anything unusual about my 1967 A-4.

[Don Moyer]

Hanley, I read through the whole conversation regarding your whining noise and can't see where you ever considered the water pump. I recall at least one or two Oberdorfer water pumps making a pronounced squealing noise because their shafts were allowed to run dry. These were both rather unique cases in that they were new pumps and the owners had misinterpreted the resistance of the thread-sealing fibers in the last few threads of the new grease cup assembly as indication that they were forcing grease into the shaft, when in fact, they hadn't even gotten to the point where grease would be forced from the cup.

In any case, the water pump is one sauce of a squeal (AKA whine?) that would be easy to check if you have a spare pump laying around; or simply remove the pump for a few seconds since the noise now appears to be constant.

[Mo]

I think close Don

Hanley and Don,

That's the sound I hear around 14 seconds into the video. It does sound like a water pump starting to go out, although, I have never heard one going like that on an A4....but that's the sound the old chevy's would make even before they started to leak....hmmmm.


Edit 1: I listen to the video over and over:

As I listen to those couple of seconds, 13 and 14....it "could" be gear noise...but it would actually be a vibration or rattle...hard to tell.

Edit 2: What ever it is it isn't very much. I'd try the oil change and either you will hear it better with the decreased engine noise ... or it might be gone. I motored home on Sept 4th for 6 1/2 hours straight run...engine is notably quieter with the 15W40 in her as I changed it last week (I think mentioned in one of the threads). You will be pleasantly surprised.

[hanleyclifford]

Thanks to all for your continuing input on this matter. My water pump is a MM 502 and I hate the thought that anything could be wrong with it. I could throw the old Oberdorfer back in just to eliminate it. Next I am going to do the oil change as Mo suggests, then get the Oberdorfer (which is my spare) back on line. 67 - I know what you mean about hearing loss (105s, 8" howitzers, 4 deuce mortars, Grateful Dead concerts).

[Dave Neptune]

$.02

Hanley, I agree with Don that something went through the gears as an isolated event and chewed the gears up a bit. I have worked on many gear driven machines and engines and the noise is not conssitant with anything I've heard.
What Russ said about the ole Chevy water pumps really rings a bell for me. You don't have much more to look at for that type of noise other than the w/pump and the trans. I'd pull the cover on the trans and fish for filings there if the water pump idea is naught. I have heard many sprag units (planetary drives) in automatic transmissions make that type of noise and when pulled not be as loose as some worn ones that were still quiet~~just the nature of a planatary drive.

Dave Neptune

[lat 64]

Actually it was Mo that suggested the water pump, I thought my squeak was from the fuel pump. my squeak ended completely when we poured in more gas.
Some thoughts in this thread make me start to think about noise from harmonics like ringing or wheezing that imitates a mechanical noise.
Just trying to keep the field open.

[ILikeRust]

To me, it sounds more like a whistling noise. Like maybe a leak of secondary air in the manifold, or a restriction or leak in the exhaust causing a whistling sound as the air rushes past.

Very hard to say, of course, from just a recorded audio file heard over the internet. Just a thought.

[hanleyclifford]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ezf0E8YPQo[/YOUTUBE] This is what it sounded like after I tightened up the accessory drive end play to .002". No other changes were made.

[Mo]

Done Deal.

Done deal...good job Hanley.

[Don Moyer]

Hanley, unfortunately I'm still deprived in terms of hearing your audio track. Are you saying that reducing the end play in your accessory drive took care of the whining sound?

[Mo]

I think he got it.

Hi Don,
I couldn't hear it at all on Hanley's latest video.

[hanleyclifford]

The noise changed to a light "clatter" after the reduction of the accessory drive end play but I still hear noise I don't like. The camera is not able to capture the sound well so I am going out and try again with a cell phone as soon as the weather clears. I will do another audio before and after the oil change (15w-40, bought it today). But unless the noise clears to my satisfaction the plan is to take off the gear case for an inspection.

[hanleyclifford]

If it were not for what I am certain are magnetized metal filings on the tooth (circled in yellow) I would be prepared to tolerate the noises. With a thousand mile trip planned I have to do the tear down and be certain. Is it possible that the .016" crankshaft endplay is allowing the crank to go far enough aft to abrade something in the gear casing?

[jpian0923]

Is it possible for you to get a long version of the noise? A couple of minutes perhaps? Can you get some video, or is that out of your realm? If it's possible, can you get a 360 video/audio view of the engine/noise? Sort of walk around the engine with the camera going?

I think what I'm hearing from the others on this forum (without them saying it) is that they don't have enough info (audio/video) to go on.

Also, in the above picture, what I see might just be a lighting trick/issue. Towards the back of the gear I see a bright glint/glitter that I'm not certain isn't just the flash angle focusing in on that spot causing it to be brighter than everywhere else.