Disco 2 4.0 V8 Engine Whine.

Hi,

Wondering if someone can help me diagnose a whining noise / resonance on my Land Rover Discovery 2 ES 4.0 v8 Auto (2000). This is a little long winded but intended to give as much background info as possible..... so please bare with me.

I bought this approx. 3 months ago with 61.5k miles on the clock. It is in excellent condition, with full history and looks to have been well cared for.

On my journey home from purchasing this it began to make a whining noise from the front of the engine - this has started a 3 month crusade to try and resolve this at great expense, but currently to no avail.

Firstly, I can confirm that the noise completely disappears if the fanbelt / viscous van is removed meaning that it must be related to an ancillary? So far I have replaced the following:

1. Fanbelt.
2. Fanbelt Tensioner.
3. 2 x Idler Pulley's.
4. Waterpump.
5. Ace Pump (Genuine LUK).
6. Ace Fluid - correct genuine Land Rover (including correct bleeding at a Land Rover main dealers).
7. PAS Fluid - again correct genuine Land Rover.

The whine is worst on a cold start, but is constantly there anything below 2000 rpm's where it appears to go or is drown out by general engine noise (not sure which). The noise hasn't got any worse or better during the 3k + miles I have covered. On the odd occasion, the noise disappears briefly and the engine is sweet. I also get a resonance that can be felt when blipping the throttle which coincides with the noise.

After much reading I am aware that the ACE System can indeed be noisy, but also the PAS pump can also be? This leaves me with the possibility of the noise being caused by one of the following:

1. Alternator - bearing collapsing?
2. Air-con Pump - again bearing collapsing?
3. PAS Pump?
4. ACE system - depite fitting new Pump?

Maybe worth mentioning that when I got the Land Rover, I noticed the ACE & PAS reservoir levels were low. Once I topped these levels up / replaced the fluid, these have not dropped. Maybe it had been run for a while with these levels low? Could this have caused some damage?

Can anyone please help with experiences of similar noises and what the cause was - this is driving me mad.

One other unrelated issue I have - I have replaced all service items i.e. ALL filters & fluids, plugs etc. etc. The brakes have all been replaced including new fluid. When I initially bled the brakes they were first class for a week or so, at which point they went spongy. Subsequent brake bleeds (using the revised D2 bleeding sequence) cure this sponginess for approx. 1 week, at which point they deteriorate. Any advise?

Many Thanks

Anybody..... this is really driving me mad and I want to avoid fitting any further new parts unnecessary. However, if I can identify a faulty part I'm more than happy to replace!

Fingers crossed someone can put me on the right track with this!

brakes ,check master cylinder for splashing when pedal pumped ,it shows seals are on way out ,disco 2 s dont need to be bled in any special way,whether you get air before modulator or not in fact there easy to bleed in old fashioned way ,check pipes around back axle they rot easily,alternator would be my first choice hence worse on cold start

With regards bleeding the brakes, according to RAVE these should be bled as follows for a RHD vehicle:

Left front
Right front
Left rear
Right rear

Usually it's the furthest from the master cylinder and work back towards it. Apparently, if this sequence isn't followed, the brakes can be poor.

Regarding the Whine, further investigation over the weekend has found small metal particles in the PAS Fluid reservoir, despite me flushing and renewing the fluid (with genuine LR fluid) recently. So, something somewhere is clearly wrong in the Steering System - is this likely to be the PAS Pump or Steering Box? Could this be the source noise?

the brake bleeding sequence isnt critical just as long as air comes out and you press pedal carefully and not quickly ,in fact they are easy to bleed even with new master cylinder fitted

Agree they are easy to bleed. Once I bleed mine they are 'perfect' - it's just that they soon get spongy again after a week or so - and with no fluid loss. Having said that, although they have gone spongy since using the RAVE recommended sequence, they have not gone as bad after two weeks, so there must be something in it. RAVE specifically states "WARNING: Braking efficiency may be seriously impaired if the incorrect bleed sequence is used".

They still do go on the spongy side though..... Will check what the fluid is doing in the reservoir when pedal is pressed and report back.

as long as air is out ,i have done alot if there going spongy of which pedal does feel that way a bit as std,you must have poor master or air leak somewhere however small,they arent a complicated system with air traps like on rrc abs system,rod lenght in servo is critical to good pedal too short pedal will feel soft too long with real good pedal brakes will pull themselves on,ive done quite a few master cylinders through poor seals

Thanks for the advice! I will check MC as soon as possible!

Any further views on the Engine Whine?

still alternator first choice

I have this same noise!! Any luck in finding out what it is??

turn the radio on and i bet it goes away !