mine too on my 2.2l. the noise accelerate as I accelerate the throttle

 

Whilst revving the car (in neutral of course!) turn the steering wheel and listen for a change in the pitch of the whine. It could very well be your power steering pump.

I have been through this exercise twice now!

 

Alternator?

 

Thanks, gifs - I don't think it's the steering pump; I've had a problem with this before and it's been replaced. Good thought, though.

Pete McK - I guess alternator is a possibility. But do you know whether these are in any way renowned for whining?

 

If for ' some reason ' the pulley's are not aligned perfectly then a belt pressured to one side can whine or sqeak but never had it on the ALFA

 

I've had this before and it was my AC pump pulley.

The noise was coming from the auxiliary belt so I knew it was one of the components that this runs. I ran the car without the belt on for a few seconds whilst it was on a ramp and the noise went away. It will be your alternator, power steering pump, AC pump or possibly the tensioner or one of the guides. For me it was the AC pump.

 

Yes, thanks shazGT. That's probably a good idea to run the car without the auxiliary belt for a few moments and then at least I'll know if it's related to the aux belt or components that run off it. If the noise goes away, the next trouble will be deciding which item is the culprit... And I believe that replacing certain items can be a nightmare on the 2.4 JTDm.

By the way, I was browsing around the Forum last night and come across another old thread from 2010 that seems never to have been concluded. But the originator posted an item on YouTube that sounds remarkably similar to what I am hearing (albeit that his is just a slight bit more obvious than mine - but the note and exact sync with engine revs is identical).

It's here if anyone is interested:
Alfa 159 2.4 engine whine - YouTube

 

Try a stethoscope or 'listening stick'. I use a long dowel rod or bamboo cane pressed against the alternator/pump etc. and pressed against my ear to try to pinpoint noises like this.

 

Whining

Try dripping a few drops of washing up liquid on the belt as it's running, this old trick was sometimes used to quieten old fan belts.
It could eliminate or pinpoint the problem.

 

I have what seems like the same engine whine as you - all the same symptoms and the alternator is the most likely culprit . Been monitoring for last 6 months and hoped that changing all belts and water pump would eliminate it and it hasn't. Don't really notice on the open road or at speed but around town but its there all the time and is most noticeable around 2000 rpm and makes similar whirring noise to gearbox in reverse! Doesn't appear to get any worse which is annoying as would then be able to sort it.

I've taken it to a very good Alfa specialist (Duncan in Bristol) a couple of times who has had a good listen and tested all the bearings off the belts are ok. Take the auxiliary belt off and the noise goes completely. Very hard to isolate noises on these blocks he says but he's almost certain it is the alternator but can't completely rule out the tensioner or AC / steering pumps just yet so is recommending I continue driving until noise gets notably worse, at which point will be able to confirm 100% it is a bearing in the alternator. Can't do any harm driving it as it is but is a real ball ache to replace (£400!) so am just going to have to grin and bear it over the winter and wait till it worsens before taking it in again. My car is on 82k BTW. Good to know its not just mine that has this noise is really spoiling my enjoyment of what is otherwise an ace car.

 

my 1.9 is the same ... its only just started doing it so will monitor. I had a refurbed alternator fitted in the summer so hope it isnt that .

 

More importantly...

What's going on in your avatar?

 

Yes, really sorry to hear about that morty1961 - But I bet she'd be tickled to be your Avatar.

DomF... The advice you were given is exactly what my own garage said... "drive it 'til it gets worse". A bit frustrating because to me it is already worse but they need a bit more to go on. If I drive down a road with a wall one one (or both) sides, the whine is very obvious. Driving on the motorway with the radio on and you'd not notice at all. Around town it feels a bit embarrassing (I'm just hoping that people on the street do not hear it as much as I do). I agree with your sentiment - it spoils the driving experience.

Looks like I'll also have to wait and see. But if anyone gets to the bottom of this issue, please, please let me know.

 

Just reverse everywhere when in town - at least then there's a reason to be making that noise!

 

I posted a thread on the same problem. It's my car in the youtube link. The car has just been fixed and it was a aux belt pulley.

 

OK, that's very interesting. I was convinced you were going to say the alternator. Do you know whether the aux belt pulley could be assessed in situ as being the issue or whether they needed to replace it to confirm that it was the part?... I suppose what I'm wondering is whether the garage who told me they didn't feel anything was wrong with my pulley when they replaced the aux belt were basing this on the fact that it span OK in the hand but this might be a flawed way to test it.

Mmm. Perhaps I should go back.

 

Just another possibility - the fuel pipe, mine makes resonating noise when accelerating. Twisting and pushing the pipe tighter helps but it soon starts again.....as yet no cure....

 

Each belt was taken off and replaced until he found the problem. Speak to Rog from Power Development. He'll help anyway he can. Highly recommend the place.

Dave

 

Some people are looking for the panacea on this site, and someone to knock at their door with it on a platter, some take the advice and get their hands dirty.
Power to the spanner monkeys.

 

It is the power steering pump in my case. Hesitating to replace it since it can run like this forever

 

Resurrecting this thread a bit... If the problem is any of the pulleys or alternator, does driving the car increase the chance of damage? I have the exact same whine as shown in the Youtube video (2.2 Brera). It is a very annoying sound.

 

Not an answer, but mine made this noise when I bought it and the seller said "it's always done that, isn't it normal?". Three years on and despite being annoying it hasn't got any worse. I sent it in to the garage earlier this year and they couldn't work it out but replaced the aux belts... to no avail. I'm not the type to ignore a noise but in this instance it seems to have played out okay.

 

I would expect that any failure of a component driven off the auxiliary belt or a failure of the belt itself would be non-fatal for the car UNLESS something pinged off and got lodged in the cam belt - say. If it's the alternator bearing, as seems to be the main culprit I guess, and if the bearing really gave way big time then at very worst I would imagine the belt might go out of alignment, possibly scorch, break or just come off and then a lot of lights on the dashboard. But the engine should hopefully keep running for a short while.
If anyone knows better, from first hand experience, then do offer your thoughts.

 

As is case with most bearings driven by belts I've been led to believe an alternator bearing is unlikely to suddenly go - the noise is going to worsen considerably before it fails. I've had the same persistent whine for over 12k miles and it hasn't got any noisier yet. My local specialist tells me no point in doing anything till it does get a lot louder as will then be able to know 100% it is the alternator bearing before replacing it. Frustrating but is just a waiting game and how you drive ain't going to make any difference - just have to grin and bear it and when it gets really loud take action before it goes!

Buzzbox are you still sticking with the noise, or have you solved the problem?!

 

No, I've not done anything yet - I still have the whining noise to accompany my driving experience every day. It's not really much louder than when I started this thread, but as others have said, it does spoil the driving experience and probably I should do something just so that I can concentrate on whatever will be the next noise that is surely lurking in that engine bay!...

 

Ahhhhh, silence is bliss. I've had the noise pretty much like in the youtube clip since I got the car. I'd bartered the purchase price down arguing that the noise could be the gearbox on it's way out, so was kind of quids in. I'd finally had enough of the 'reversing' type noise when I was accelerating in lower gears, so a bit of trial and error later with various tensioners, pulleys and waterpump, it's sorted and the car sounds so much smoother to boot, no heavy tractor noise anymore, quite creamy in fact. Also had an oil cooler pipe that was rubbing on the sub frame moved.

 

I appear to have joined this club
Noise is definately bearing related. Have had water pump cam belt kit change etc which didn't cure it ( no loss though as it was due anyway).
My money is on the alrernator, but wondered if you guys had sorted your whines out yet!
Cheers