Strange Noise - any ideas?

[A tall handsome man]

So the other week I was coming to the end of a particularly dull motorway drive. I'd sat around 4K revs for the majority of it with no issues. When I eventually slowed as I exited the Motorway I smelt a slight burning smell and a small audible 'whirring' noise appeared.

It continued the remaining 5 miles home but seemed to disappear, or at least reduce in noise level when I depressed the clutch. It seemed to be coming from the front of the car (I'd guess center front).

I started the car the next day and the whirring was still present. There is no burning smell but the noise is still there. Performance is uneffected.

The belts are due to be replaced at the end of October and the car just clicked over 34K miles this week.

Does anybody have any ideas? Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers all

 

[Foxspeed]

see if it goes off when you turn the air con off or climate control....it could be the air con compressor

 

[197.RM]

^ Agree.

I was getting that with my aircon when left on for a while shut it off and it went. But you mentioned the clutch. I know my old car's clutch bearing was pretty noisy but went went clutch was pressed, but I haven't had the Clio long enough to comment on that

 

[Arran]

The a/c is noisy on mine at certain revs and idle.

 

[Fernandez]

As above, my aircon starts to make a horrible noise when its been on for a while but goes when you turn it of and on again. I just put it down to one of those french renault things.

 

[A tall handsome man]

Hmm, I'll try the aircon but being a tight Scottish git I never had it on

Clutch bearing might be a good shout. Thanks for all the suggestions and help so far everyone

 

[Foxspeed]

usually if the clutch bearing is on the way out it gets noisey when you work/depress it - unless the bearing is loose in the bellhousing

if the noise reduces when the clutch is depressed then thats pointing towards the gearbox input bearing and and layshaft bearings

 

[A tall handsome man]

Thanks foxspeed. I think it must be clutch related

I got my wife to try turning everything off on her drive today and she could still hear it.

I'm guessing anything to do with the clutch is expensive....

 

[Foxspeed]

not sure on the 197 but clutches discs have torsional vibration springs built in to the centre of the hub - sometimes these springs break/calapse and can work loose or just rattle about....it could be one of those and could last a long time before its an issue!