What can this be? Has it happened to you?

Blue_Eyes

Hi all, this is a hard one to explain so here it goes …. Three or four miles into my journey a sound comes from the drivers side of the car and it sounds like a bell that has a very high pitch been rung at a very high speed. Maybe the term is squeals but the pitch is deafening and it only lasts for 5 to 8 miles on the motor way at 60mph.
The funny thing is that when im going in a straight line the squeal is there but when there is a slight turn to the left and car moves and does a slight tilt (tilt is too strong of a word) as normal the sound goes away but it doesn’t go away when I turn right. I was thinking it might be the wheel bearings but I just had the MOT done and nothing was said. The only thing it might be is something to do with the rear springs I had replaced. I had a look at them when I had the tracking done and it looks like the springs are not the right ones, as in the thickness of the springs is only ½ to ¾ inches. I did a finger thickness test with the front springs and they feel a lot thicker than the rear springs, could this be the problem and if so how come its not doing it all the time. The car handles just fine but I did feel like something fell off a few weeks ago when I went to over take I felt and heard something hit the underside of the car but I put it down to something on the road but in the back of my mind I know it has to be from the car because I was on the motorway and there are no rocks or anything else that would hit the car, again the car was fine and it runs well. Anyone any ideas?

Blue_Eyes

It took me ages to type this and no one has any ideas? notsure.gif The noise happens everytime i drive the car. Anyone at all? :crazy: :lol:

Daniel

i would of thought bearig too m8 lol could they have broke just after mot ???

Blue_Eyes

Thanks Daniel!! I was thinking that myself but wouldnt the noise be happening all the time and not 20 mins into a drive and then going away?

Matt

Blue Eyes said:
The only thing it might be is something to do with the rear springs I had replaced

What springs did you have fitted to the rear of the car?

Blue_Eyes

They are original springs from the dealer I was told by the guy who did them. He also said there are 3 types of springs for the Astra Coupe and he got the middle set and it cost me 265e fully fitted I think. I rang a few dealers to compare the price and they were more expensive but not one of them said there where 3 sets, the three dealers each gave me a price 1. 361.56e 2. 286.00e 3. 450.00e and this is fully fitted + Vat. Does anyone know the thickness of the rear springs as standard, are they over an inch thick? I think this guy but on the wrong type, could this cause the problem?

Matt

Bloody hell that is expensive! For that price you could have got some Eibach and had them fitted. VX springs are prone to issues.

Did the bloke doing the work give you an invoice or anything for the parts he purchased? If he got them from VX, it should have a part number on it to at last see if the correct springs have been fitted.

It's certainly strange how you have described it happening, and given it's intermittent, it's hard to really take a stab at what could be happening.

How long into the drive does the sound then go away? Or does it go away once you turn as you have described?

Blue_Eyes

Unfortunately I didn’t get a receipt; I just paid cash for it all. They have to be the wrong springs I just know it. When I got to look at them when I had the tracking done, the first thing I said was they are too thin looking to be the right ones. When the car is making the noise it would be in a straight line and when I have to turn left just a little it stops but comes back straight away as the steering release’s the turn. It last about 15 to 20 mins from start to finish. It starts off quietly, then gets louder and louder keeping the same speed, then it starts to fade away to nothing. Its mad listening to it. It gets very very loud

Shrek

Could be brake pads on the tuning bars possibly??

Blue_Eyes

Shrek said:
Could be brake pads on the tuning bars possibly??

I don’t think it could be the brakes or could it? It’s worth a look but how will I know? I don’t know what to look for , I take it, it will be touching the springs , should anything be touching the springs now that I think of it. I can’t remember if anything was touching when I had the car on the ramp. I didn’t have the sound problem at that point.

Nitronick

Stone behind a disc. Shocking amount of noise you can get from that. Jack each wheel up and give it a spin. Then if your lucky just pushing the back plate will dislodge the stone other then that you may need to pull the disc off to free it.

Martyn

try looking at the guard on the disk and see if it has been disturbed when they fitted the springs. Sometimes that can be pressing on the disk just needs a slight pull away from your disk And they should of provided you with a receipt for the new parts as that is proof they are new.

Blue_Eyes

Thanks guys, ill have a look and let you know :thumbup: