Glenn Coombs

I've recently noticed that my car is making a high pitched whining noise. It sounds like it is coming from somewhere in the rear of the car and it is present as soon as I start the engine, with the gearbox in neutral. I can still hear it while I'm driving but it tends to get drowned out at higher speeds.

Anyone have any ideas as to the cause of this noise ? Just hoping it's not something really expensive on its way out...

Edited to add details of my car:

Forgot to say exactly what my car is before. It is an MY99 turbo with 56,000 miles on the clock.


[Edited by Glenn Coombs - 10/07/2003 14:44:32]

iain atkins

Girlfriend shut in the boot?

Seriously though it could be one of many things :-

Diff whine (maybe low on oil)
Wheel bearing (although these tend to be a drone)
Noisy fuel pump


Iain

Glenn Coombs

Any ideas on how to work out which of these is the offending culprit ? Would the diff or wheel bearing whine even whilst stationary in neutral ? I'd have thought they would only do that when the wheels were moving.

Where exactly is the fuel pump ? Can I access it through the boot or only from underneath the vehicle ?

ozzy

Mother-in-law?

Don't think the diff or bearing would make any noise when stationary. The bits would need to be moving to generate any noise IMHO.

As Iain already mentioned, the bearing tends to be a horendous loud droning noise when it's failed. Or so I've been told.

I would reckon it's the fuel pump. It's right behind the rear seats. Lift the carpet and you should see the lump where it's bolt down.

Stefan

iain atkins

Ah lol i missed the stationary bit

In that case it will be the fuel pump, they do buzz a bit

Glenn Coombs

Nope, definitely no girlfriend or mother-in-law trapped in the boot

I have got the rear seats out of the car at the moment whilst I fit some new speakers. That might be allowing me to more clearly hear the fuel pump maybe. Is it normal for it to make this sort of noise or is it likely to need replacing soon ?

ozzy

I wasn't going to mention that small fact Iain

Is the fuel pump on the driver or passenger side? Is there only one pump on an MY99 Impreza?

Stefan

ozzy

I've got a MY99 RB5 with 54K on the clock and mine's never made any noise.

It's not something coming from the rear speakers or ICE install or has it been doing it for a while?

Stefan

iain atkins

It's on the drivers side, and AFAIK they all only have the one.

And Glenn, that'll be the reason matey, 99% sure

johnfelstead

here



with the engine switched off, turn the ignition back on without starting the engine, just so the warning lights come on. Does the whine start and then stop after a few seconds? If it does it is definately the fuel pump. If not, fire it up and with the cover off see if you can hear the whine as it may only be present when the pump is running properly under load.

If it isnt the pump it could be your clutch release bearing or a bearing inside the gearbox, or even something on the engine and the noise is travelling.

hope this helps

[Edited by johnfelstead - 10/07/2003 15:08:47]

Glenn Coombs

I've only noticed it in the last couple of days whilst I've had the seats out. There are no rear speakers installed at all currently so it definitely isn't down to the ICE install.

John,

Cheers for that - a picture is worth a 1000 words. I'll check it out tonight.

greasemonkey

99.9% certainty that everything is fine. Pumps always make that sort of noise, and if you need the seats out to notice it, it's no louder than it should be.

FWIW, if you think the standard one is loud, just wait til you hear somet of the uprate ones that are around...!

Glenn Coombs

Top marks guys for your remote diagnostic skills. It was indeed the fuel pump. When I removed the metal cover from it last night it became quite obvious where the noise was coming from...

Once I fit the new speakers this weekend and put the rear seat back in then it will hopefully go back to being nice and quiet again. Plus the new speakers should be able to comfortably drown it out