STI 7 whining noise
21 May 2002, 02:58 AM
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Now that UK has got their STI, let me ask this again please. MY01 JDM STI RA 22000kms.
I get a whining/whurring type noise emitting from the engine bay area. It only occurs between 3600-4000rpm on my car. It is inaudible from the engine bay if you open it and listen, but
audible from the cabin, most prominently in gears 1 and 2. 3rd gear and above the road noise masks it.
Here's what i DO know.
1. It is purely engine speed related. Clutch in/out does not change the volume or quality of the noise. Neither does gear position, nor does road speed.
2. It comes on the loudest after a long drive. I typically
hear it loudest when i reach work (half an hour, constant 60-70mph). When the engine is cold, or when the car has been parked for an hour or so before being driven, the noise takes around 10mins to be audible again.
3. For my car, it occurs between 3600 and 4000rpm. Above or below that, it disappears. On another JDM STI I tried, I heard it loudest
between 3900 and 4300rpm.
4. I have disconnected power steering, aircon and alternator belts to eliminate them as a possible cause. I drove the car for 15mins with these disconnected. The noise was still there, unchanged.
5. I have a strong suspicion that the cambelt's the culprit (it has already been changed to the STI performace item with no change in noise).
However, I note the fact that this noise is very audible from the cabin, but not audible at all when standing over the opened engine bay. These leads me to think that it could possibly be the flywheel (?), as this component is nearest the cabin while still being purely crankshaft rpm driven (independant of clutch position and gear selection). I do know that different flywheels produce significantly different noise signatures. Suprisingly so.
Comments, observations please!
I get a whining/whurring type noise emitting from the engine bay area. It only occurs between 3600-4000rpm on my car. It is inaudible from the engine bay if you open it and listen, but
audible from the cabin, most prominently in gears 1 and 2. 3rd gear and above the road noise masks it.
Here's what i DO know.
1. It is purely engine speed related. Clutch in/out does not change the volume or quality of the noise. Neither does gear position, nor does road speed.
2. It comes on the loudest after a long drive. I typically
hear it loudest when i reach work (half an hour, constant 60-70mph). When the engine is cold, or when the car has been parked for an hour or so before being driven, the noise takes around 10mins to be audible again.
3. For my car, it occurs between 3600 and 4000rpm. Above or below that, it disappears. On another JDM STI I tried, I heard it loudest
between 3900 and 4300rpm.
4. I have disconnected power steering, aircon and alternator belts to eliminate them as a possible cause. I drove the car for 15mins with these disconnected. The noise was still there, unchanged.
5. I have a strong suspicion that the cambelt's the culprit (it has already been changed to the STI performace item with no change in noise).
However, I note the fact that this noise is very audible from the cabin, but not audible at all when standing over the opened engine bay. These leads me to think that it could possibly be the flywheel (?), as this component is nearest the cabin while still being purely crankshaft rpm driven (independant of clutch position and gear selection). I do know that different flywheels produce significantly different noise signatures. Suprisingly so.
Comments, observations please!
21 May 2002, 06:28 AM
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Own an STi 7.
I have a similar noise, and I'm pretty sure it's just the diff whining
It is only audible at lower rpm, in low gears.
But it is obviously not your noise...the car has to be moving in my case...and I only hear it when cold.
I have a similar noise, and I'm pretty sure it's just the diff whining
It is only audible at lower rpm, in low gears.
But it is obviously not your noise...the car has to be moving in my case...and I only hear it when cold.
21 May 2002, 08:24 AM
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RT
Yep, got exactly the same on both our STi's. Sounds almost like a faint fire/police siren.
Can hear it in the background when driving along at fairly constant speed at lower revs, and goes up and down with the revs.
I suspected it was either a belt or one of the components they drive - alternator, power steering etc, but then re-read your post and you have tried disconnecting them.
[Edited by Dave T-S - 5/21/2002 8:27:06 AM]
Yep, got exactly the same on both our STi's. Sounds almost like a faint fire/police siren.
Can hear it in the background when driving along at fairly constant speed at lower revs, and goes up and down with the revs.
I suspected it was either a belt or one of the components they drive - alternator, power steering etc, but then re-read your post and you have tried disconnecting them.
[Edited by Dave T-S - 5/21/2002 8:27:06 AM]
21 May 2002, 09:38 AM
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Matt:
Yes, if I hold the rev's steady while stationary at 3600-4000rpm, its there. As said before, (even in this state) clutching in/out or engaging gears (with clutch depressed) does not change the noise volume or quality. Therefore its definitely coming from something forward of the flywheel.
Dave:
Can you notice specifically the rev range in which you hear the noise the loudest? Is it typically around 4000rpm? Also, do your STIs do it from cold, or only after 10mins+ of driving?
Many tks chaps!
Yes, if I hold the rev's steady while stationary at 3600-4000rpm, its there. As said before, (even in this state) clutching in/out or engaging gears (with clutch depressed) does not change the noise volume or quality. Therefore its definitely coming from something forward of the flywheel.
Dave:
Can you notice specifically the rev range in which you hear the noise the loudest? Is it typically around 4000rpm? Also, do your STIs do it from cold, or only after 10mins+ of driving?
Many tks chaps!
21 May 2002, 01:29 PM
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Hey Dave, you know what? On the way home in the car, I was thinking of your fire/police siren description. It fits the "whining" noise exactly! Never thought before of describing it that way...
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21 May 2002, 04:51 PM
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...and now that Dave describes it as such, I caught myself looking round in angst on my test drive of an STi for the copper I thought was about to pull me that I hadn't seen.....
Matt
Matt
22 May 2002, 01:35 AM
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Dave,
Do you get it from cold, or does it only come on after 10mins of driving?
Sieze,
I doubt its the turbo bearings. I say this because it whines with the exact same quality whether or not the car is under load, and in any gear (even neutral). Surely under these different circumstances, the turbocharger is doing different things...
Do you get it from cold, or does it only come on after 10mins of driving?
Sieze,
I doubt its the turbo bearings. I say this because it whines with the exact same quality whether or not the car is under load, and in any gear (even neutral). Surely under these different circumstances, the turbocharger is doing different things...
22 May 2002, 08:58 AM
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RT
It's worse on my car than Carolyn's, and noticed it on mine when cold last night. Will try and check it out a bit more diligently - once I established I wasn't being chased by the police, I kind of ignored it
It's worse on my car than Carolyn's, and noticed it on mine when cold last night. Will try and check it out a bit more diligently - once I established I wasn't being chased by the police, I kind of ignored it
23 May 2002, 07:17 PM
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I noticed a similar noise (thought it was a distant police siren too) on my MY99 when it had the standard exhaust system. I was pretty sure it was the turbo spooling up. I pick up my Sti7 on Saturday and will listen for a similar sound on that.
Alan
Alan
23 May 2002, 09:05 PM
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RT
I have an MY01 WRX with a full Decat.
When I first had the car I remember the odd sound of what I thought was a Police siren and admit to also checking my mirrors. When I had the car fully decated the whining noise became more of buzzing noise. I emailed Pete Croney of Scoobysport and he replied with the following
I dont know if this helps at all?
Nathan..
I have an MY01 WRX with a full Decat.
When I first had the car I remember the odd sound of what I thought was a Police siren and admit to also checking my mirrors. When I had the car fully decated the whining noise became more of buzzing noise. I emailed Pete Croney of Scoobysport and he replied with the following
I'll be certain that the whine you can hear is the turbo spooling up and the buzzing is the wastegate starting to open at 2500. The wastegate vibrates against the turbo casing as it first starts to open. It was doing exactly the same before, but the OE downpipe is so heavily lagged that you just can't hear it. When the turbo is fully spooled, the wastegate is right open, so no chatter and the frequency of the spin is beyond that of human hearing.
Nathan..
23 May 2002, 11:46 PM
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Nathan, tks for the reply. I know the sound of the turbo spooling and the wastegate chatter, and this is not it. As many have said before, a distant police/fire siren is quite an accurate description.
24 May 2002, 12:26 AM
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My MY00 Euro/UK spec turbo has made the police/fire siren faint sound at those revs, 2500 to 2800, from brand new mainly from cold and even at normal temps, but not always. Sometimes it's more noticeable than other times. When I first heard it, basically the first time I drove it, I was looking in the rear view mirror to see if an emergency vehicle was coming, 
so I could move out of it's way. It sounded far away. I then realised it was the car. 13000 miles later, it still does it and there has been no problems. I never really worried about it. I just thought it was normal. Sometimes when I can't hear it I think something is wrong. This is the first time I have heard of anyone else mentioning it.
Mine does not have the standard exhaust system. The car made the noise when the car was standard and it still does it with quite a few mods, exhaust, cold air induction, electronic boost controller, blow off valve, etc. No roller bearing turbos on the MY99/00 euro spec cars either.
When Beastie (scoobynet member) was over here for holidays last year, I took him for a wrap in my car and I asked him if he could hear the faint sound. When I told him it sounded like a police siren, that's when he heard it, cos he knew what to listen for. We concluded it was just normal. Maybe something to do with the turbo blades?
Cheers,
Wrexy.
so I could move out of it's way. It sounded far away. I then realised it was the car. 13000 miles later, it still does it and there has been no problems. I never really worried about it. I just thought it was normal. Sometimes when I can't hear it I think something is wrong. This is the first time I have heard of anyone else mentioning it.Mine does not have the standard exhaust system. The car made the noise when the car was standard and it still does it with quite a few mods, exhaust, cold air induction, electronic boost controller, blow off valve, etc. No roller bearing turbos on the MY99/00 euro spec cars either.
When Beastie (scoobynet member) was over here for holidays last year, I took him for a wrap in my car and I asked him if he could hear the faint sound. When I told him it sounded like a police siren, that's when he heard it, cos he knew what to listen for. We concluded it was just normal. Maybe something to do with the turbo blades?
Cheers,
Wrexy.
24 May 2002, 01:42 AM
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Can we each list WHAT car it is that we've heard it on?
RT - MY01 JDM STI RA 22000km
Nathan - MY01 WRX
WREXY - MY00 Turbo
ScottishMenance - ?
Lemmy - Previously MY99, now MY01 STI 7 euro?
Dave T-S - MY01 STI 7 Euro
Carolyn - MY01 STI 7 Euro
Matt - ?
Juliano (from other thread) - Catalunya?
Please correct as necessary...
With the different mod spec-levels, I'm pretty sure its not exhaust related. Also, the fact that it is only reliant on engine speed and nothing else leads me to think that its not the turbo (we all know that turbo *whistle*, not siren-whine), or clutch, or gearbox, or differential, or ICE, or driver, or power windows (RA has none), or ...... *You understand my frustration at not being able to pinpoint it!*
Probably just an irritating harmonic note coming out of the engine block.
RT - MY01 JDM STI RA 22000km
Nathan - MY01 WRX
WREXY - MY00 Turbo
ScottishMenance - ?
Lemmy - Previously MY99, now MY01 STI 7 euro?
Dave T-S - MY01 STI 7 Euro
Carolyn - MY01 STI 7 Euro
Matt - ?
Juliano (from other thread) - Catalunya?
Please correct as necessary...
With the different mod spec-levels, I'm pretty sure its not exhaust related. Also, the fact that it is only reliant on engine speed and nothing else leads me to think that its not the turbo (we all know that turbo *whistle*, not siren-whine), or clutch, or gearbox, or differential, or ICE, or driver, or power windows (RA has none), or ...... *You understand my frustration at not being able to pinpoint it!*
Probably just an irritating harmonic note coming out of the engine block.
02 October 2002, 03:25 PM
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Finally, a lead!
About 10 days ago, I had my oil cooler repositioned. Previously, both the inlet and outlet ports to the oil cooler were mounted at the bottom (this was how the previous owner fixed it). I had it turned 90deg, so that the inlet and outlet ports are at the side now, with the outlet port at the top edge. This should theoretically minimise the possiblity of an air-lock in the cooler.
Since then, the whining noise has much reduced in volume. It has reduced to the point that if it wasn't there before, I would not have noticed it. There is still a very faint whurr (now "loudest" @ 3500rpm), but this is no louder than the other sounds coming from the power steering pump etc.
The only other thing that I changed at that time was the engine oil - to Motul 15W-50. Previously, I had used Mobil1 5W-50, Castrol RS 10W-50 and Motul 15W-60 and the noise had not changed in quality or volume between these oils.
Any thoughts? What are the chances of an air-lock in the oil cooler causing the oil system to whine? Does anyone else who has the "fire siren" whine also have an oil cooler installed?
Cheers all!
About 10 days ago, I had my oil cooler repositioned. Previously, both the inlet and outlet ports to the oil cooler were mounted at the bottom (this was how the previous owner fixed it). I had it turned 90deg, so that the inlet and outlet ports are at the side now, with the outlet port at the top edge. This should theoretically minimise the possiblity of an air-lock in the cooler.
Since then, the whining noise has much reduced in volume. It has reduced to the point that if it wasn't there before, I would not have noticed it. There is still a very faint whurr (now "loudest" @ 3500rpm), but this is no louder than the other sounds coming from the power steering pump etc.
The only other thing that I changed at that time was the engine oil - to Motul 15W-50. Previously, I had used Mobil1 5W-50, Castrol RS 10W-50 and Motul 15W-60 and the noise had not changed in quality or volume between these oils.
Any thoughts? What are the chances of an air-lock in the oil cooler causing the oil system to whine? Does anyone else who has the "fire siren" whine also have an oil cooler installed?
Cheers all!
