High pitched tapping/ringing
 

Hi,

I'm hoping one of you might be able to point me in the right direction as this is driving me crazy!

My car has been making a slight noise when at normal speeds, it's kind of a fast tapping/ringing. It appears to only be when going at a fairly slow speed in gear, and goes when I accelerate or coast.
I had a garage take a look last month and they ended up replacing the alternator belt and air con belt (the air con belt was a little loose) along with a service, and the noise went away until the past week or so. The belts seem to be about right for tension still.

I've uploaded a video with audio to YouTube, first the audio is untouched, the second I've tried to reduce the other sounds, but it's the high pitched tapping/ringing between about 19 seconds and 26 seconds in the video, apologies that the ringing is quiet, it's hard to pick it up on audio, and is only a little louder in person, but it is there. You can't hear it over exhaust/engine noise when stopped, but it may be that it simply doesn't happen at such low RPM, and revving the car just creates too much noise to hear anything.

Open to any suggestions before I lose my mind! :)

I have to turn my speakers basically to full volume to hear it in the videos, if you do the same please remember to turn them back down afterwards! A notification came in on my PC and now I need some clean underwear.

Car is a 2006 WRX

Went out today to try to capture some better audio (dashcam doesn't have the best mic), it's more audible here (the video contains unedited audio, and some audio were I've taken the same clip and got rid of the rumble to make the ringing I'm talking about more clear).

Any ideas at all? One thing I noticed, as soon as I press the clutch in the noise stops, even if I'm moving at the same rate. It might be linked to engine speed, but I can't hear it when not moving but at the same RPM (maybe 1500-2000RPM when driving), possibly due to the noise of the exhaust.

I listened to the audio but couldn't make out much... But I'm pretty sure I've read threads in the past about noisy injectors.. might be worth searching for those.

Hope it helps,

Chris.

Just had a thought, wouldn't injectors cause the noise all the time? This noise seems to stop the second I push the clutch in, I have very little knowledge of engines so happy to be wrong! :)

Just search for noisy injectors on here, most seem to think it's normal. Some have got video clips for you to compare... Not saying it is injectors in your case, but seems to be a common theme...

Chris.

There are some threads that seem to suggest auxiliary belt/tensioner. Unfortunately it's just a case of digging for something that sounds similar to yours, and even then not guaranteed to be the same for you. There are plenty of threads about random noises though!

Good luck!

Chris.

Thanks, will watch through any sound/videos I can find, it seems like Subarus like making new and off noises :)

Clutch release bearing?

Rear transfer box diff bearings

Cheers for the suggestions, I'm thinking of trying to rule out the simple things first, such as the AC tensioner/pulley as I did have a problem with the car squeeling a while back if I used the power steering just after starting the car.

Does anyone know if it's OK to run the car without the AC belt on? Not sure if it runs anything else. Will leave the alternator/power steering belt on obviously.

if the noise stops when clutch is pushed in its unlikely a.c. compressor as this runs all the time

Replaced the pulley, that has reduced some of the noise I was getting, but it shows there must have been 2 noises, and that has made the main noise easier to hear. I've been watching some videos and it does sound like clutch release bearing to me, but I'm certainly no mechanic, so I have some questions if I may?

1, Does clutch release bearing sound likely? Some people seem to say this bearing would only make noise if the clutch was pressed, mine only happens when clutch isn't pressed (in any gear, including neutral).
2. Presumably this is a fair bit of work to change (I don't have the skills, so will be using a mobile mechanic most likely), is there anything I can consider tying in with this work to change it? I'm thinking new clutch, but anything else?

Thanks again for all your help!