Other S80 Problem: Whirring sound from nearside front

[lillia]

Thanks, but no, the sound is low and constant. As I said, I seem to be the only one hearing it. The whirring speeds up a bit when I accelerate, and at high speeds (~40+ mph) I don't really hear it. But at low speeds, or when moving off from stationary, it is very evident (again, at least to me).

[weeksy]

Originally Posted by lillia

.

I've been quoted a cost of £150 + VAT for a front wheel bearing. Is this reasonable?!

Yeah sounds fair. Mine was done today but needed some other stuff. It would have been a LOT more than £150+VAT on it's own, about £215.

Although i was quoted £130 by a back street fella...

[lillia]

Ok, took the car in to a Volvo specialist on Thursday, to get the car fully serviced (I figured I may as well), including timing belt replacement, etc. Mentioned the whirring sound (they have not heard it and their checks did not reveal anything untoward with the bearings or suspension).

Due to the scope of the service to be undertaken, I left the car overnight and returned the following morning to pick up a courtesy car as the job was not yet finished. I expect to get my car back tomorrow - the timing belt for my car had to be specifically ordered from Volvo in Sweden because they no longer had it in stock here (and neither did Volvo UK apparently) - so the completion was delayed some more.

The courtesy car is also an S80, just not a T6, so it has felt really boring driving it, because it initially felt sluggish, but otherwise ok. Also, it uses way more petrol than mine. As you can tell, I reaaaally miss my car. I guess once you have driven a T6, it's hard to go back to a basic version.

The funny thing though, is that this weekend when I took the courtesy car out on a longer journey, I heard the same whirring sound that I have been hearing in my own car, albeit a bit lower (and the sound coming from mine was already low). I am now left wondering whether it is just an S80 thing or if it has something to do with the tyres. Because I can't think of what else it might be.

Anyway, I'll listen very keenly when I get my car back tomorrow and over the next few days to see if the extensive service has addressed the issue.

[lillia]

Finally got the car back from its extended period of servicing (an entire week!) today. In addition to the "full annual service", the timing belt, tensioner, thermostat, water pump and oil pump front seal were replaced.

The car is much quicker (sportier) than it was before servicing - and it was already quick before I left it at the garage. I have to be even more careful when touching (lightly) the accelerator when moving off at traffic lights, because it literally flies.

Unfortunately, the whirring sound remains. And because the car is running even more smoothly than before, the sound is more noticeable.

They have checked the wheel bearings and taken the car out twice for test runs and can neither detect any strange sounds nor anything wrong with the car.

In fact, apart from an oil leak that they discovered during the service and fixed (crankshaft oil seal), the only remark on the invoice was that the two front tyres will need to be changed soon.

This leads me to conclude that the sound(s) I am hearing and worrying about (I heard a brief creaking noise when I turned the steering wheel to the right this evening, 10 minutes after leaving the garage) must seem like normal car sounds to the experts. As I mentioned, the courtesy car also had the whirring sound, only lower.

So I guess that I am stuck with the whirring, unless someone has another suggestion. In the meantime, I'll continue checking around and trying out reasonable suggestions. It appears that this whirring sound is not as unusual as I thought, but apparently in most cases it is the front wheel bearing that is the culprit.

Will post here when/if it finally disappears!

[toxophilus]

Originally Posted by lillia

So I guess that I am stuck with the whirring, unless someone has another suggestion.

When driving, turn the radio on. Use the volume control to increase the volume until the offending noise disappears.

This has worked for me in the past...;-)

[Dynosaur]

Try swapping your front tyres with your back ones - to see if the source of the whirring moves.
Cheap tyres can make an ungodly racket.

And creaking is not good, as there's a reasonable probability that your steering rack could be on its way to the great subframe in the sky.

[brian woods]

Originally Posted by lillia

Finally got the car back from its extended period of servicing (an entire week!) today. In addition to the "full annual service", the timing belt, tensioner, thermostat, water pump and oil pump front seal were replaced.

The car is much quicker (sportier) than it was before servicing - and it was already quick before I left it at the garage. I have to be even more careful when touching (lightly) the accelerator when moving off at traffic lights, because it literally flies.

Unfortunately, the whirring sound remains. And because the car is running even more smoothly than before, the sound is more noticeable.

They have checked the wheel bearings and taken the car out twice for test runs and can neither detect any strange sounds nor anything wrong with the car.

In fact, apart from an oil leak that they discovered during the service and fixed (crankshaft oil seal), the only remark on the invoice was that the two front tyres will need to be changed soon.

This leads me to conclude that the sound(s) I am hearing and worrying about (I heard a brief creaking noise when I turned the steering wheel to the right this evening, 10 minutes after leaving the garage) must seem like normal car sounds to the experts. As I mentioned, the courtesy car also had the whirring sound, only lower.

So I guess that I am stuck with the whirring, unless someone has another suggestion. In the meantime, I'll continue checking around and trying out reasonable suggestions. It appears that this whirring sound is not as unusual as I thought, but apparently in most cases it is the front wheel bearing that is the culprit.

Will post here when/if it finally disappears!

hi lillia, i have an s80 t6 executive, and allso have that noise, when i took it to volvo, they allso said they couldn't hear it, (and wait till it gets louder) well that time has come, and i,m due for another service, so hopefully the noise will be found, when it was in last time, i asked volvo to have a look at the wheel bearings, but they said they where ok ?? the car drives ok (no pulling/wandering/juddering) and i dont think it is tyre noise as i have changed them and the noise remains, i,m just hoping it is not the gearbox ??? it could be the cv joints dryed up/no oil in them,?? i think i will get the wheel bearings done anyway then i will know for sure that it isnt them, and then go from there, if it still remains, will keep you informed !!

p/s did you see the thread about the s80 meet in the summer, would you be up for it ?? where about in london are you ?? i work in thamesmead (near woolwich)

brian

[fierceteapot]

Originally Posted by Dynosaur

Try swapping your front tyres with your back ones - to see if the source of the whirring moves.
Cheap tyres can make an ungodly racket.

And creaking is not good, as there's a reasonable probability that your steering rack could be on its way to the great subframe in the sky.

Surely thats a bit too much doom and gloom? Old cars always creak somewhere, and in all reasonable probability its probably not the end of the subframe! There is so much doom and gloom in the undertones in some threads here, makes me wonder if Volvos are any good at all!

[60041]

Originally Posted by toxophilus

The other way to tell if it's a wheel bearing is that it will get louder as you turn away from it. So if it's the passenger side it will get louder if turn right and vice versa.

Find a straight and level bit of road, get up to a speed that the noise can be heard at, then gently turn the steering from left to right and make the car roll slightly. If it is a wheel bearing the noise will come and go as the weight comes onto and goes off the faulty side.

Another cause of noise that I have had on my XC is rust and scale build up on the unswept area on the back of the front discs. Eventually it starts to catch the dust shield and causes a whirring / rubbing noise. If that is the case, it is easily chipped off with a small hammer or chisel.
Both changing the wheel bearing and cleaning the disc are fairly easy DIY jobs.

[volvo2]

My V70 has made this whirring sound from new (now 95K). It appears more noticeable from time to time. Given all the other niggling problems I have not investigated this.