I have owned my 99 audi A6 Avant for about 2 months and I am slowly learning about these cars. it has 140k miles and it started making a very light whining/grinding sound from the front of the engine compartment. I live in sioux falls, South Dakota and the cold is starting to set in. Last week my battery died so I replaced that. Yesterday I noticed the oil was getting low so I had that replaced also. Anyways, this whining has slowly gotton worse. I have heard water pumps on GM cars and they make a distinct grinding noise when they fail. This doesn't really sound like that but still it could be. It also sounds like a metal on metal such as a pulley bearing (if they have bearings) or a belt tensioner bearing (if they have bearings) or even an alternator bearing. There are no leaks. I can best describe this noise as imaging the engine is running and you take a big screwdriver and touch it to a belt pulley as it was running. It sounds like a pulley rubbing on something.??? Any ideas? Thanks dudes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmqufIokV-c

 

I posted the sound it is making on you tube. the link is above. Thanks again.

 

fan bearings???

 

Has your timing belt been replaced? If not, now is the time! It is, most likely, a tensioner or idler pulley, as you suspect. You want to replace it now before it fails and takes your engine out with it!

You can take a long screwdriver and use it as a stethoscope to nail down the exact bearing, but, since one is as much of a pain in the *** as all, you should plan on doing the whole job.

Good luck,

Bob

 

Bob's correct -- If the TB has not been done it is most likely a tensioner pulley... needing immediate replacement. get the kit from Blauparts that includes the TB, pullies, water pump, seals, etc. doing anything less is asking for trouble.