Timing Belt-Intermittent Whirring

[jpsGTI17]

Hi
My '07 GTi has developed a (sadly) intermittent whirring noise in third gear(more common), and second gear(less common). I first noticed the noise about two weeks ago. I think it started when i revved third out. The noise was only in third gear, and only started at around 4000rpm. Since then, I've noticed the sound in second gear as well as third gear-but now the sound seems to come on lower in the rpm, now at around 3000rpm. I had the timing belt done on the 10th September, which was 1500 km ago. The tensioners and water pump were not done, as they were deemed to be in good condition. The only engine mod is an APR flash. Wondering if it is related to the belt being done by itself, or if it is something like a gasket. It doesn't really sound like manifold gasket bolts-I had them done about 3 years ago, and no trouble since.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Umai Naa!!]

The belt might have been overtightened.

FWIW, always replace the pulleys and tensioner, as well as the water pump when doing the timing belt. It's not worth the hassle having to pull it all apart again down the track.

[jpsGTI17]

The belt might have been overtightened.

FWIW, always replace the pulleys and tensioner, as well as the water pump when doing the timing belt. It's not worth the hassle having to pull it all apart again down the track.

When they said said the water pump & tensioner looked good & didn't need to be done, I was happy with that. Now, I wish I just got them to do it all. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me..

[Jmac]

To say the water pump looked good is out there, did they physically remove it to say that? how can you know , all you can check is movement in the bearing, and tensioner and damper, man in that far its a no brainer, no question. Would rather give the job away than not change the lot. Simple as this an new tight belt will no question load the bearings in the old tensioner and water pump more thats another good reason they get changed, not because they look good. If its whirring itll be too tight, a lot of the new set ups get set up with marks on the tensioner, pointers on tensioners but on the BJX engine Polo it gtes manually set and adjusted to 6mm, more than that is too tight and will be loading all of those old bearings
Cheers
Jmac

[jpsGTI17]

To say the water pump looked good is out there, did they physically remove it to say that? how can you know , all you can check is movement in the bearing, and tensioner and damper, man in that far its a no brainer, no question. Would rather give the job away than not change the lot. Simple as this an new tight belt will no question load the bearings in the old tensioner and water pump more thats another good reason they get changed, not because they look good. If its whirring itll be too tight, a lot of the new set ups get set up with marks on the tensioner, pointers on tensioners but on the BJX engine Polo it gtes manually set and adjusted to 6mm, more than that is too tight and will be loading all of those old bearings
Cheers
Jmac

Hi
Thanks Jmac)
When they called to say the car was done, they said the water pump & tensioner were in good condition, so they didn't think they needed to be done. The car was booked in, and I presume they had all the parts there, ready to go in. Since, the engine sounds different-more 'thrashy. It's a lot noisier in the top end(?) and intermittently has a whirring noise (as mentioned previously), that 'comes on' after high revs, and is noticeable around 2500-3000k now. I called the workshop and told them what was happening, but as the problem comes & goes, they said just to come in when it makes the noise. Now I'm afraid to really drive my car, and I wish I'd known to insist to do the water pump & tensioner. The car has 85xxx km, and has been serviced every 10k.
Sounds silly, but I'm waiting for it to blow up)
J

[jpsGTI17]

...what signs would there be if the pump or tensioner failed? Anything I'd notice before it became catastrophic.?