Strange Engine Sound on Cold Start up

[SirVandru]

Hi All,

Got back a couple of days ago from a week on holiday and when I started up my v8 Vantage up from cold I got a squeak, squeak, squeak sound coming from the engine bay. It goes after about 30 secs to a min, and doesn't happen again until I cold started it again today.

Any ideas?

[Good Soil (Pete)]

My first thought would be a belt of some sort .....not sure what the Aston has on it as I have not collected mine yet....

[GlynMo]

Indeed. I had the same problem a little while ago, it was the alternator/power steering belt. Thanks to Rick, I learnt that the careful application of talcum powder where the belt passes over a pulley cures it.

ETA: when the search facility is back up, you should be able to find the thread with Rick's instructions.

Edited by GlynMo on Thursday 30th September 14:23

[Good Soil (Pete)]

Interesting way to resolve (notes it down in his 'I read about that somewhere' brain cell for future reference)....I would have naturally said tighten it in some way or adjust it but, hey, he's the man that knows these things inside out not me!

[SirVandru]

Nice one GlynMo! (And Rick)

Tahnk god thats all it is.

[Knights of Aston]

Make sure it doesn't have any oil leaks first. One of the pulleys also gets some corrosion on the running surface. Some carefull cleaning can fix the noise too. A little bit more permenant.

[rick-derby-]

This is a really common issue, The problem is with the fead belt there is a mod which entails replacing with a modified pulley that now has shoulders on it and a new belt, no lubricants or belt dressings etc should be used on the belt as this just makes it worse, It is possible that that a leak from the front timing cover can contaminate the belt but a leak here is usually quite minor so this does not usually cause this issue, Talc works extremely well and lasts a surprisingly long time, as it is an easy diy fix for an annoying problem I would recommend it and then at the cars next visit to the dealer or specialist just report you had the issue and then it can be investigated to see if there is a problem that does require more attention,

[SirVandru]

Top man Rick!

When you going to open a garage near London?

[alanweston]

read this and quite excitedly whiped up my bonnet as i have this noise on cold start up, thinking there would be a pully marked place talc here !! lol ,unfortunatly i can see more than one pulley, so can anyone point me in the right direction or should i just open the bonnet and dust everthing in site!!
Thanks
(V8v Roadster, assume (4.3)engines are all the same!)

[SirVandru]

alanweston said:

read this and quite excitedly whiped up my bonnet as i have this noise on cold start up, thinking there would be a pully marked place talc here !! lol ,unfortunatly i can see more than one pulley, so can anyone point me in the right direction or should i just open the bonnet and dust everthing in site!!
Thanks
(V8v Roadster, assume (4.3)engines are all the same!)

Here you go I found the link:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I searched for 'talcum powder'

Edited by SirVandru on Thursday 30th September 23:37

[rick-derby-]

Okay firstly have the engine running, open the bonnet, DO NOT get your fingers or loose items of clothing such as a tie any where near the rotating parts, looking from the front of the car, apply the talc to the right hand side of the engine, in the first picture where the orange screwdriver is located, the fead belt will be rotating just below this point,

[alanweston]

Wow thanks Rick and above poster!!

[DriverMac]

Hi

This is a common problem known to AM. I had the same problem on my 2007 Vantage. It required several visits to the dealer to sort but there is a warranty fix for the problem.

I'm sorry if I get the terminology wrong, but, I believe the issue is because of a misalignment on the auxiliary pump (i think) so the travel of the pulley is not straight. The fix is basically to apply shims to the pump to make it align properly.

As I said this is a warranty fix.

I'm afraid I'm not really car technical, but I'm here to learn:-)

Cheers

[DriverMac]

Hi

This is a common problem known to AM. I had the same problem on my 2007 Vantage. It required several visits to the dealer to sort but there is a warranty fix for the problem.

I'm sorry if I get the terminology wrong, but, I believe the issue is because of a misalignment on the auxiliary pump (i think) so the travel of the pulley is not straight. The fix is basically to apply shims to the pump to make it align properly.

As I said this is a warranty fix.

I'm afraid I'm not really car technical, but I'm here to learn:-)

Cheers

[Good Soil (Pete)]

"should i just open the bonnet and dust everthing in site!!"
Classic....I now have visions of a completely white engine bay emitting a lovely lavender freshness!

I wouldn't recommend lifting the bonnet and simply throwing a whole tub of talc in (tub and all) and then slamming the bonnet.....the plastic talc tub tends to rattle at high speeds as the air gets in, the talc works it way through your air vents and your Vantage will look like it is on fire!!!