constant whine when driving?
 

Hi,

Just picked up my first ever boxster - 2001 S with auto gearbox.

I've noticed a few noises and I'd like to understand whats causing them so I can fix or live with them.

first is a constant whistly/whoosy whine from behind me when I'm driving along. Increases in pitch with engine revs pretty linearly. Sounds a bit like a noise I had in my Z4 auto when pulling away from lights etc (torque converter?) but that went away once I was out of 2nd gear into the 'proper' gears. Any thoughts? Only had the car a few days but its already starting to be quite annoying.



Second is a more metallic whine that comes on at about 4k revs and goes away around 5k. That one seems to come more from the front of the car, under the dash somewhere.

Lastly is a squeak on starting. That seems to be the starter motor which the dealer has pointed out and will look at if I ask him to. Just want to get the other things understood before going back to him.

Most common source of constant whining is usually a wife! :D

However if she's not in the car, then a whine proportional to the speed would be cause to look at all of the following usual suspects: wheel bearing, CV joints, or tranny.

With that being said, there seems to be about a million things that cause weird whines on these cars ranging from the fuel vent to the engine compartment fan to a tire/road combination.

Can you do some investigation and give us a little more detail or info to go on? Thanks.

I've got a 01 base with auto box.

I've gone a whining noise as well, but I figured that it's not the wheel bearing or cv as I get that whine even when I rev the engine when stationary. It got better when I replace the serpentine belt but it's still there. It's louder when cold and seems to go when the engine gets really warmed up.

It's noticeable at the lower rpms, gets drowned out or goes away at higher revs (can't tell).

I'd always thought that it was normal, since alot of people have described the noise of the pre '03 cars to be as exciting as a washing machine.... It does sound like one sometimes !! (of course, I'm still on stock exhaust, but with a bmc filter and ipd plenum, the intake noise is now more exciting !)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVXpmAEmRjo
(hmm, don't know why that doesn't show up properly..)

Not great, but a quick video taken in my work carpark. Whine seems to be engine rev related, not road speed related. If you need something clearer I'll try and grab something with my better camera this afternoon.

Main thing stopping me thinking its 'normal' is that when driving normally in traffic around town at low revs (i.e not pushing the throttle hard and under 3k revs), the car sounds more like a vaccuum cleaner than a flat-6.

The next thing I would do is take the serpentine belt off, start it (not too long)and see if you still have the whine. If not then one of the bearings of either a component(a/c,alter,power steering,water pump) or the belt tensioner and idler pulleys is the culprit. I you still have it it could be the timing chains.

Is it possible some of the noise is normal? It took me a while to get use to the engine sounds from behind me when I first bought my Boxster. Loud belts/Idler pulleys, etc. will be more obvious than a front engine car.

no idea as its my first boxster, but it can't be all normal, it sounds like a hoover unless I'm over 4-5k :P

I have the same car 2001S - tiptronic with 60k miles. I had a similar sound on start up. I concure with harrycb, take off the serpentine belt and start the motor. That's what I did, and the whining stopped. I turned off the engine and turned the alternater, power steering pump, water pump, A/C, and pulleys by hand. Everything felt fine, no funny noises. I put the belt back on and started the engine. Then I used the old mechnic's trick of using a large screwdriver as a stethescope. Put the tip of the screwdriver on the side of the alternator, power steering pump, A/C, and water pump, and put your ear on the handle of the screwdriver. BE CAREFUL!! Don't wear anything loose that could get caught in the serpentine belt. The water pump was making a random ticking sound that I could not hear without using the screwdriver/stethescope. I replaced the waterpump and put in the L/N low temp thermostat. (I recommend taking two days to replace the water pump. The first day to remove it. By the time you get it out, you will be cranky. Trust me. I followed both the Bently manual and 101 projects. I used radiator hose pinch off clamps so I didn't have to drain the cooling system. Once the bolts that hold the water pump are loosened up, coolant starts running out of the block, if you are under the car, there will be coolant running down your arms all the way to your arm pits. Your hands will be sticky and oddly the handles on wrenches will be slick. There is not a lot of room to work. By the time I got it out, my language was not fit for civilized people. The next day, I put it all together, added coolant, and purged the cooling system. ) There were no visible signs the water pump was going. After I removed the water pump, I held it up and looked behind water pump pulley and I could see where collant had been weeping out at the pump shaft. Impossible to see this with the water pump in situ. The whining noise, from the motor, is gone. :cheers:

Was this ever resolved?? I have a very similar sound in my 99, and although I found and replaced a bad idler pulley bearing, the sound remains.

I had a constant whine in mine until I made my mother in law get out and walk home.

+1 :D.
Problem solved.