Whirring Noise from E39 Engine (with aircond switched off)

[dzeisen]

actually, any mechanic can solve your problem, as unker Vincent says, Albert will have to diagnose it the whole day.

but as i said, any mechanic can do it, only time and patience..but they wont do it, cos time factor.. maybe one bearing for a mechanic on it a whole day..

what i can help you is unless you are a diy person,
1. remove your clutch fan, the sound will be clearer where to pin point
2. remove your small belt where the ac is, let the big belt run; se still got sound
3. with the clutch fan removed, pour some water on the bearing tensioner pully, if sound goes away, bingo !!

if still got sound, then it's the engine problem ? water pump bearing ?

usually it's the alternator bearing that gives that sound, with high engine loads.. ask our past president.. he had the best experince..

Alamak... I'm not really a DIY person when it come to car =)

As for the alternator bearing suggestion, the sound is also there when there is no load to the engine meaning that as long as the car is in motion (2km/h also can). All I need to get the sound to whirr up & down is to slowly press the pedal.

I do suspect maybe it's something to do with some belt coz belt turns and the whirring sounds from loud to soft is usually as a result of something being turned. Or am I wrong?

 

[fabianyee]

If you're not a DIY person, then no use for us to advise any further... Bring to car to a patient mechanic to troubleshoot.

 

[bimmer73]

Compressor bering, power steering Pump. One of it

 

[dzeisen]

One thing I noticed is that the sound goes away when I engage the reverse gear.

 

[dzeisen]

Compressor bering, power steering Pump. One of it

BMworks did suggest that it could be the Power Steering pump. If so, how can I check?

 

[bimmer73]

leave your car on idle and turn the steering left and right all the way

 

[pussy]

aiyo... send your car to someone who will do the tests for you, dun waste your time asking us here already, as Fabianyee and Unker vincent says, sent to a good mechanic...

everyone here starts giving you other diagnose which will confuse you further, beware of the wrong advise given, then when the actual thing is wrong, dun blame us or the mechanic which says otherwise..
by saving a few hundred by asking in the forum, might cost you more outside !!

that's all...

 

[dzeisen]

aiyo... send your car to someone who will do the tests for you, dun waste your time asking us here already, as Fabianyee and Unker vincent says, sent to a good mechanic...

everyone here starts giving you other diagnose which will confuse you further, beware of the wrong advise given, then when the actual thing is wrong, dun blame us or the mechanic which says otherwise..
by saving a few hundred by asking in the forum, might cost you more outside !!

that's all...

Thanks for all the feedbacks. As mentioned in my first post, I have already sent to 3 mechanics and none seemed to be able to pinpoint the issue. Therefore, I tried my luck to post here and see if any forumers are able to share their previous experiences or perhaps shed a light on what might possibly be wrong.

One of the forummers suggested the water pump and I sent it to Optimum to check on it. Apparently, it was fine. I really appreciate all the feedbacks...

Meanwhile, I also noticed the following:
1. At car idle, I can hear the whirring sound when I step on the pedal slowly.
2. When I turn my steering wheel all the way to the left and step on the pedal, I can also hear the sound
3. When I turn my steering wheel all the way to the right and step on the pedal, I can also hear the sound.
Any ideas if this can pinpoint to the power steering pump?

 

[fabianyee]

since you said you're not mechanically inclined or a DIY person, we can't tell for sure you're describing the right symptoms in the first place.. And we don't get to see your car.. So still mechanic is the best bet...

 

[sting936]

Fan clutch is still the most likely problem. Have you done the fan clutch test.

I recalled someone had changed to a new fan clutch but it seemed to defective.

 

[dzeisen]

Fan clutch is still the most likely problem. Have you done the fan clutch test.

I recalled someone had changed to a new fan clutch but it seemed to defective.

I doubt it's the fan clutch as I have changed the fan clutch to a brand new Behr. Why I say it couldn't be the fan clutch is because Optimum initially gave me Sachs & I thought it was too loud for a fan clutch and then I changed it to Behr. During those times, the whirring sound is still there.

 

[jaleeks23]

aircon fan?

 

[dzeisen]

Albert from WP Auto had a check on my car again. This time, he suggested that it's the Pressure Regulating Valve. He's going to change the valve for me and see if it makes any difference or not. He says it's either the valve or the adjuster unit that could produce the sound that I was describing. Really hoping that this will work!

 

[zidee]

dzeisen,

Do you manage to solve your problem. I had some whining sound as well as what you describe which i'm leaning towards Power Steering Pump. I think I started to have this sound problem after a mechanic change my power steering fluid tank and hoses. I had under carriage oil leaking issue which he pointed at oil sump and gearbox gasket including power steering. Fixed all those leak.

Please update your finding.

 

[James Chun]

My E39 also have this sound when the car is in idle..when gear switch to "D" mode, the sound will become louder...but when switch to "N", the sound dissappear......"R" mode also very loud...

i am tracing this problem for few years already....no way to find it...

 

[IanDaddy]

My E39 also have this sound when the car is in idle..when gear switch to "D" mode, the sound will become louder...but when switch to "N", the sound dissappear......"R" mode also very loud...

i am tracing this problem for few years already....no way to find it...

Noisy torque converter perhaps.

 

[James Chun]

Noisy torque converter perhaps.

Where is the torque converter??

 

[330Ci]

Albert from WP Auto had a check on my car again. This time, he suggested that it's the Pressure Regulating Valve. He's going to change the valve for me and see if it makes any difference or not. He says it's either the valve or the adjuster unit that could produce the sound that I was describing. Really hoping that this will work!

Its been 5 months, did Albert solve it ?

 

[bimmerholic]

Where is the torque converter??

Torque converter is located at the front of your GB.

 

[saifu6556]

Its been 5 months, did Albert solve it ?

Hi dzeisen, any news to share on problem solving?