Stop the whining!!!

[gogo34]

Team Rover:

My '66 IIa has developed a whine over the last few months and I can't diagnose the problem. I realize, as a Rover owner, I must be accepting of some level of whining, coming from parts unknown but, because it's a new noise, I'm hoping I can get it to stop. It only occurs after I've been driving for 5 mins and only when I let off the gas. Once it starts, I can regulate the pitch of the whine based on how hard I depress the gas pedal. I've checked all the blogs and most whines are attributable to worn bearings, low oil levels, and/or bad thrust washers in the transfer box. It's possible, my problem is also connected to one of those maladies but, I've checked all those items. Because the whine happens regardless of what gear I'm in, is more time (theoretically heat) dependent (because it doesn't start until 5 mins into a ride), and stops abruptly when I turn off the ignition, I'm struggling to diagnose it. When I lift the bonnet and listen for it, I think it's coming from the top of the engine somewhere. The fact that it stops abruptly once the ignition is shut off makes me wonder if it could be something with the distributor although, I'm not sure why I can regulate the pitch by pressing the gas.

Any ideas?

Gogo34

[SafeAirOne]

Do you have an oil cooler setup installed? Those are known to "groan" sometimes.

[gogo34]

Do you have an oil cooler setup installed? Those are known to "groan" sometimes.

No, no oil cooler. Standard setup for a '66 IIa except for a Petronix conversion.

[ignotus]

You can try pinning it down with a mechanics stethoscope, or a long stiff tube held up to yer ear. Place it on various parts you think the noise might be coming from and narrow it down. Be careful of moving parts! Also listen from underneath the vehicle.

[o2batsea]

On the bright side, you now know that sooner or later something is going to blow up. Just drive it until the whine turns to a sickening stomach churning grumble like rocks in the dryer.

[I Leak Oil]

Alternator/generator? Water pump? Belt?

[slowmo]

First off, congratulations for still having your hearing after driving a Series Rover! That you can hear a whining at all is a feat in and of itself!

I would agree that since the whining begins after 5 minutes it seems lubrication dependent, with heat playing role. You note a correlation between engine RPM and the whining. The 'ol hose in the ear method recommended by ignotus is the ticket. I am going to go out on a limb and propose that it is the generator bearing. I have had the exact same issue on my TR3.

Another hypothesis, and let's hope it is not this one, is the clutch, and more precisely the throw out bearing. Again, the hose in the ear should lead you to the source.

The final hypothesis is your wife. I know mine begins whining after exactly 5 minutes of riding in the Series Rover. It begins with a constant whine, but after a few minutes I can't hear it anymore, though I am sure the source of the whining has not stopped.

Good luck in your search.

[cedryck]

Good one, Slo mo. My wife and kids whine when (and it is rare) when they ride in my series. "It's too loud, It's too hot (summer time whine), It's too cold ( the wintertime whine), it's too bumpy (the summertime off road whine), It's too slow (the anytime of year whine),,,,

[ZonkinKC]

gogo...did you ever find a solution to this? I've got the same exact whine & cannot diagnose.

-zonk

[gogo34]

Sorry for the delayed response. You know, I never was able to pinpoint the exact cause of the whining. I tinkered with just about every moving part under the hood and it has quieted down a good bit but, I don't know what to attribute it to. Every once in a while, it'll whine a little but, nothing like before and it doesn't seem to get louder or quieter as I press the gas pedal like before.

If you figure out out what it is, please let me know.

Gogo34

[01birddog]

At least in a series Rover it eliminated the use of a phone while driving or anyone in the vehicle for that matter.......have you checked the alternator or if still a generator if it still has this for a slight warmup then bearing whine esp. since you said it might come from top of engine. Also make sure you have no vacuum leak from carb. area of your advance hose which could show up as a whine and RPM affected.

[ZonkinKC]

Thanks Gogo & Birddog. Tried to diagnose a little more. It seemed more like a very loud, high pitched noise...maybe not a whine, but almost like a scream. It started after the rover warmed up (3-5 minutes), was intermittent, and sounded just like a bad bearing metal on metal. Used a stethoscope looking all over for the noise which was so loud it hurt your ears but the stethoscope never pointed to the problem.

Yesterday we tried again to find the problem and pinpointed the carburetor. It turns out that the squeal was actually a WHISTLE coming from a leak at the base of the weber. We removed the carb and re-sealed it, tightened the bolts, and the issue is finally resolved.

I appreciate you guys getting back quickly. Birddog nailed it! It was a vacuum leak!