Hi I wonder do any of you have any idea what the sound is that I hear.
Xtype 2009 2.2 diesel sovereign or se.
on startup from cold there is the noise of a motor running at low revs, sounds just like a powerful fan motor at a constant speed regardless of engine revs. Thought at first it was a radiator cooling fan at low speed. "sounds just like that." But it's not.
This sounds always goes away after only a few minutes of driving.
Sticking ones head under the bonnet the diesel noise masks the sound. It can be heard more clearly in the cab. It also is not a cabin fan it's a heavier sound than that. The sound is the same if car is stationary or driving.
Any ideas please?

 

Dunks, humor me with this. Start the car and put your ear next to the steering wheel such that your ear is near that small vent (about 1.5cm x 1.5 cm). Do you hear the noise better there? If so, the noise is coming from a small fan for the A/C system and it just so happens that as the fan runs, it gets a little bit warmer and allows the noise to go away.

After that, you will probably need to get a "mechanic's stethoscope". IT is going to look like something a doctor would use, but have a 15cm metal rod on the end of it. What you will do is to simply put on the stethoscope and the put the metal rod against any solid object on the car. From there, you can probe various spots to see where the noise is louder and softer. Follow the sound and that should lead you to where it is being produced from.

 

Thanks Thermo. No the sound is no louder there. Don't think it's anything to do with AC as I have tried turning this off and on while the sound is there and makes no difference.
I just cant think of any electric motors it could be and I'm sure that's what it is.
Someone has suggested a Wabasto type heater but I don't know where this might be or if it's motorised.

 

Stethoscope is a brilliant tool, they cost next to nothing and you won't believe how accurate they can be in finding strange noises, I'm on my second one in 30 years.