I hear a new stupid noise...

[The Horak]

Hey everyone, I know how difficult these threads can be to help with, but I hear a new noise when I drive my car. It sounds similar to the noise you hear when a car needs new brakes. like metal squealing. Not that it has to be metal, but that is the only way I know to explain it. I hear it at any engine speed above 1.5K, at any vehicle speed (including 0 mph), in any gear (including revving in neutral), and whether I'm giving throttle or not. What is interesting, though, is that the sound is not predictable. I have read that it may be either a bad turbo, or an exhaust leak.

Now, I did change the EGR cooler pipes once in the past. Since I did it myself, I may have not done that right and maybe they broke again. I also read it may be a bad EGR Valve? How would I know if that is bad? I did look at that about 3 months ago, and found it to be completely packed with crap. Is that bad?

Where would my time be best spent in troubleshooting this? Thanks in advance!

 

[OnePutt]

EGR packed with gunk restricts air flow. a gunked up EGR also means a gunked up Intake Manifold. Probably time to take the IM and EGR and give it a clean.

Is it a metal on metal noise or a whistle noise?

Whistle noise could be a boost leak. I am guessing this is for your 2004 Jetta? Any mods?
Here's a relatively easy check for boost leaks:
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/boost-leak-tester-DIY-check.htm

 

[Lefty]

I had a squealing noise once that turned out to be the Serpentine belt. I still don't know where the metal came from but after a Timing Belt replacement there were metal shavings stuck in the Serpentine belt. I had it replaced and the noise went away. 3.5 years later(recently) I had to replace the Serpentine belt because it broke. The Idle Pulley and Tensioner both were bad. Don't know if that is were the metal came from years before.

 

[OnePutt]

I had a squealing noise once that turned out to be the Serpentine belt. I still don't know where the metal came from but after a Timing Belt replacement there were metal shavings stuck in the Serpentine belt. I had it replaced and the noise went away. 3.5 years later(recently) I had to replace the Serpentine belt because it broke. The Idle Pulley and Tensioner both were bad. Don't know if that is were the metal came from years before.

A squeely belt would be heard at start up and at idle. The OP said the noise is heard above 1500rpm.

 

[The Horak]

EGR packed with gunk restricts air flow. a gunked up EGR also means a gunked up Intake Manifold. Probably time to take the IM and EGR and give it a clean.

Is it a metal on metal noise or a whistle noise?

Whistle noise could be a boost leak. I am guessing this is for your 2004 Jetta? Any mods?
Here's a relatively easy check for boost leaks:
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/boost-leak-tester-DIY-check.htm

Yes, its for my 2004 Jetta BEW. Sorry that I didn't say that. I have no mods done to the car. Its stock. There are 164000 on the engine. I don't know if its exactly metal noise that I hear. I could try the boost leak check and see what I find. I drove the car today, and I don't hear the noise too much. I heard it, but not very often.

 

[OnePutt]

Yes, its for my 2004 Jetta BEW. Sorry that I didn't say that. I have no mods done to the car. Its stock. There are 164000 on the engine. I don't know if its exactly metal noise that I hear. I could try the boost leak check and see what I find. I drove the car today, and I don't hear the noise too much. I heard it, but not very often.

Yeah...not sure if you have an air compressor or not, but I made the "version 3" from the article I sent in a previous post and used the pressure regulator on the air compressor instead of adding a pressure valve on the boost leak tester
Yeah...go to Home Depot (Not Lowes..they sponsor Jimmy Johnson) and look around the plumbing department for the PVC pipes (I think you need 2 inch for a stock BEW) and then go to the air tools section for the air valve and NPT bits.

You will want to do the test in your garage where it is nice and quiet.

You can also just look at your intercooler piping to see if there are any obvious cracks. Honestly...you should take a look just to see. Last time I had a boost leak, I made the tester and then hooked it up to the car. I found the boost leak immediately, but I could have saved myself a few bucks and some time if I just looked at the piping...it was very obvious.

Anyways...good luck tracking down the noise.

 

[The Horak]

I'm gonna try to find a leak tomorrow evening. I also noticed a little oil leaking from the bottom of my EGR valve and my CCY Valve (Crankcase cover is pretty much new). What might that be?

 

[RT1]

You might want to check the alternator pulley. It will make noise before it fails. Mine made kind of a ratchet squeaking noise intermittently. Easy repair with the right tools.

 

[Frans]

You might want to check the alternator pulley. It will make noise before it fails. Mine made kind of a ratchet squeaking noise intermittently. Easy repair with the right tools.

Indeed, check the freewheel function of the alternator pulley.

 

[Diesel Mania_26]

another infamous one is the alternator tensioner... I have replaced it only to have it fail immediately afterwards.. and last for years sounding terrible... I generally replace it when I replace the timing belt and water pump....

 

[The Horak]

Indeed, check the freewheel function of the alternator pulley.

How would I do that?

 

[Frans]

How would I do that?

Take the belt of. Block the alternator axle with some kind of pin. Turn the pulley. One way should be free, the other way should be blocked. If it's blocked in both ways it's broken. If it's free in both ways it it also broken.