'All Astras sound like that....'

[Sparkie]

Hello,
I have a 2007 Sri-t, which makes a whirring sound which is quite specific. Sounds a bit like a badly earthed stereo kind of sound. I've taken it to my local garage, who told me after not much investigation, all astras sound like that. That may well be true, but I'm not convinced.

The sound occurs with engine revs, between 1500 and 2700 rpm. The speed of the car doesn't change it, and it occurs at staionary as well. It happens in all gears, and with the clutch in or in neutral. So between those rev ranges, the sound is the same if I'm in 5th on the freeway, or in 3rd in the back steets, or any combination between. Its loud enough that it is louder than the engine.

My thoughts are something that spins is noisy, like a pully etc. Do other owners have similar noise? I'm fine it they do; I'll just turn the stereo up! I just don't want to miss a water pump dying or something. I've had a listen around the engine bay, and the noise is hard to pin point. Has had timing belt done, and new clutch.

Thanks for any help :)

[guy 27]

look up m32 gearbox issues.

[Sparkie]

Thanks Guy. I did start there, but the noise is still present in neutral, and stationary, and in all gears. So I hoped I'd ruled that out. Would the M32 bearings be noisy even in neutral?

[guy 27]

nigelh might be able to shed some light.

Could it also possibly be one of the bearings on alternator or aircon

[Sparkie]

Thanks again Guy. I'll try nigleh

[ope11]

Hey Guy u might be right
.i had similar issue .
thought it was a clutch so i replaced it with a custom clutch
day later and gearbox let go

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[ope11]

I had the same noise sparkie
Sounds like probably something in gearbox rubbing .

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[Sparkie]

Thanks for replying mate. I've researched the gearbox symptoms a bit. I'm hoping the fact it makes the noise in neutral and stationary might let me off the hook. Like you I thought clutch and changed it but still the same. I don't believe the mechanic though. It can't be normal

[Arkos]

Hey man i think i have the same problem. My mechanic said that it is the oil pressure being taken up to the required level. He also said that all Astras sound like that. Here is a video link, hopefully someone more knowledgable can shine some light on this problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDM2fl7fnQA

[Sparkie]

Hey man i think i have the same problem. My mechanic said that it is the oil pressure being taken up to the required level. He also said that all Astras sound like that. Here is a video link, hopefully someone more knowledgable can shine some light on this problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDM2fl7fnQA

That does sound very much like mine; same sort of sound but maybe a little less noisy. I can learn to ignore it if I know it's not something that's about to blow!

[guy 27]

Hey man i think i have the same problem. My mechanic said that it is the oil pressure being taken up to the required level. He also said that all Astras sound like that. Here is a video link, hopefully someone more knowledgable can shine some light on this problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDM2fl7fnQA

yours is the chain tensioner making noise.

[Sparkie]

yours is the chain tensioner making noise.

So is this something that just needs an adjustment, or is it a major ball ache to sort out?

[guy 27]

You should sort it out asap.

If you haven't done the chain kits on yours. It should be done before it goes and then you're up for a rebuild

[Sparkie]

You should sort it out asap.

If you haven't done the chain kits on yours. It should be done before it goes and then you're up for a rebuild

Mmm. According to the book the timing belt/chain was done in 2013 and 10,000 km ago. Might be best to just do it all again so I know what I'm dealing with.

Do people generally import the kits or use aftermarket?

[guy 27]

I've only ever used genuine. I have in the past ordered an aftermarket kit but ended up only using the chain itself from the kit.

contact autovaux in the uk to order kits. (do both timing and balance chain kits)

[Sparkie]

Ok thanks guy. Just got to find someone to do it now. Not my usual mechanic obviously! Cheers for your help

[Sparkie]

Ive used Courtenays before for a clutch kit. Is this what I'm after? $250 to my door

http://www.courtenaysport.co.uk/buy-online/shop-by-category/parts/cambelt-kits/cambelt-and-water-pump-kit-z20leh-z20let-z20lel-z20ler/prod_1270.html

[guy 27]

Sorry got your previous post confused with Arkos.

Can you post a video up of the noise you have.

[Sparkie]

Sorry got your previous post confused with Arkos.

Can you post a video up of the noise you have.

It's essentially the same noise. Mine is a tad quieter but the same noise.

[guy 27]

can you pick out where the noise comes from? near injectors? above the airbox?

[Sparkie]

Not really. It's louder, or at least more isolated from inside the cabin. I did try listening to it via a long screw driver touched on various bits, and if anything it was loudest on the top of the cover that goes over the spark plugs. Like a tappit type sound. But it's more 'whirry' when I drive. And I didn't stick the screw driver down inbetween the belts / pullys

Sorry. I know noises are hard to diagnose if you can't hear them! The video posted earlier is pretty much the sound. Thanks for bearing with me.

[guy 27]

The video posted is of a 2.2. Its a completely different motor to yours.

[Sparkie]

Ahh. Bit of a mistake on my part then. I'll try and record it tomorrow and get a youngster to upload it somewhere, and post it up

[Sparkie]

Ok, I attempted to get a video of the sound. It seems to be coming from the drivers side of the engine bay, probably towards the front. Any clues?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOHkn4KW68A
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD4URRjKz1k

[guy 27]

tighten your exhaust manifold.

Don't over do the nuts otherwise you will snap a stud off.

Exhaust Manifold with turbocharger to cylinder head 8nm

[Sparkie]

Thanks again guy, appreciate your time. I'll give that a go in the morning and see how I go.

[guy 27]

no problem.

Also your injectors are a bit on the noisey side but that is nothing to worry about.

[Sparkie]

Ok. I'll google up about the injectors.
But I'll try not to worry :)

[Sparkie]

Righteo. Eventually got to the manifold and tightened the bolts. Only two moved and only by a mill or so, and the noise remains. I pulled of the auxiliary belt and started it and the noise is still there, so I think I've ruled out pulleys etc on the crank shaft, a/c etc. I pulled the top cover off the timing belt and the noise seems to be coming from the two camshaft cogs at the top. The front one in particular spins pretty wobbly but seems on tight. But it could just be referred noise from lower down in the timing belt area. I haven't pulled the bottom cover of that yet. I guess thats next, but its probably beyond me to do a timing belt. The belt is in good nick. Not sure where to from here

[Arkos]

Been quite busy lately. Just wanted to thank you for letting me know what is the problem with the car.

[Sparkie]

Just an update. Got myself a timing belt kit and put it in. Timing is all good, and it starts fine. The noise is still there though and is worse if anything. Got a bit paranoid and pulled the casing off and had a look at the tensioner. When i set it, i rotated it anticlockwise, and then rotated the engine twice clockwise and readjusted. Re-rotated the enginge again and it was still in position. When i looked at it again tonight after having driven it a bit, the pointer is off the scale to the right (well beyond the 'new belt' position) when the engine is off. Once i run the engine, the pointer moves back to the correct position. Is this right? Or should the pointer always be in the correct position?

[Simonzhan]

For what it's worth, on the z20let I tensioned mine rotating the water pump and the little metal marker ended up at about 11 o'clock and then tightened it up from the tensioner afterwards. Can't say if it's meant to move when the engine is off though sorry, but what I know is the water pump metal knob thing that sits on the outer side is meant to be at around the 11 o'clock since the tensioner can only do so much


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[Sparkie]

.......but what I know is the water pump metal knob thing that sits on the outer side is meant to be at around the 11 o'clock since the tensioner can only do so much
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Thanks mate. My pump went in pretty much as it should, with the lug lined up against the lug on the motor - about 11 o'clock as you say. I followed the correct procedure I think for the tensioner, and after much googling, have come to the conclusion that if its set on a cold engine, with the pullys at TDC, and if after 2 clockwise rotaion its still correct, then its done. Checking again on a hot engine etc does nothing more than introduce doubt!

Regarding the original engine noise, thats still there but now throughout the whole rev range, so I now think thats normal too. Annoyingly, once the motor gets hot I've got some bearing noise from somewhere (maybe alternator) but after 4 days of faffing about I'm so over it I don't care!!

[Bobec]

Sound wouldn't be balancer shaft related would it? I agree it's a common zlet NVH sound but mine doesn't have it and interestingly it has had balance shafts removed.... Though it has excessive harmonics at some higher rpm points

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[Sparkie]

Sound wouldn't be balancer shaft related would it? I agree it's a common zlet NVH sound but mine doesn't have it and interestingly it has had balance shafts removed....
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Could well be. A couple of mates have suggested the same thing, and casual viewing of youtube Astras does make it seem to be a normal Astra sound. I'm happy if it is, I'll just ignore it. Its there through the whole rev range now after the timing belt.

Took it into Holden regarding the bearing grinding after the new belt and they were adamant they couldn't hear it. Oh well. Just going to drive it now and not worry about it. Need some k's under the belt to start to like it again!