Reversing whine!! what could be the prob??

[LilBlueLeon]

Hey guys,

My 1.6 16V leon is due in for a service (and prob time to get the cambelt done as well...gonna be a fun one! ) but have noticed in the last month that everytime i reverse i get a very nasty whine.
Seems to happen everytime i turn and reverse and now is doing it even when im reversing straight.
I thought it might be something to do with the steering and the fluid in that (but wouldnt know where to look, the manual is useless!) but now im not so sure.
I dont get any noise when im steering normally or locked hard to one side when going forward.

As i said before, its due for a service but if its something i can adjust/top up myself, id prefer to do that and save the cash...credit crunch n all!!

Any advice?!!

 

[RickC]

common do a search,

 

[LilBlueLeon]

i tried but it keeps coming up with rattling in the steering which is not what the problem is.
if you can link me to a relevant thread id really appreciate it.
I did search before posting the thread, as the only thing that came up was "check the power steering fluid" but i dont know where its located, and whether it is to do with that.

 

[Croc]

hi, are you aware that the reverse gear while naturally whine anyway due to not being a helical cut gear but you get this on most cars. or is it a whine other than the norm

 

[LilBlueLeon]

its not a normal whine. As i said before, it used to be only when i turned the steering while reversing. The noise is hard to describe, its like a solid note that gets louder as you reverse, unless you stop.
And it used to be as i turned the steering wheel, but as i said previously, its started doing it whilst i reverse straight back.

 

[Croc]

have you checked the gear box oil mate and all your cv joints

 

[smithygcupra]

sounds like your gearbox oil may be low.... reverse gears on every car make a whining noise if you reverse... not really at low speeds vut if you give it some in reverse.... this is cause all your forward gears... 1st 2nd 3rd ... bla bla.... are helical cut gears... all the teeth on the gears are rounded and diagonal so that they operate quietly... your reverse gear has straight cut gears... they are noisy and whine.... straght cut gears are cheaper to produce as they are less complex to make and they use them fo the reverse gears as you dont really use reverse... in comparison to forward gears.....and dont tend to go quick enough to hear the whine..... and on a pointless note... staright cut gears lose less power than helical cut ones... so reverse is your most powerful gear... so if you eve need to knock someting down............ reverse into it ... .... because of this all competition gearboxes you can buy.... rallycars... touring cars etc use staright cut 'boxes .... thats half the reason they are so loud............

so what im saying is that your reverse gear will whine as it uses straight cut gears... as opposed to helical forward gears.... so it will whine anyway... so if your gearbox oil is low then it will just make the whining condsiderably louder....

sorry for the boring lecture guys ....

 

[LilBlueLeon]

how do i check gear box oil?
i assume its not as simple as engine oil as other wise it would be hi-lighted in the manual?

please excuse my simpleness...im not very car-technically minded, but am trying to learn!!!

 

[smithygcupra]

jack your car up .... get under ..... find the gearbox (easy lol) ... and theres a plug on the box .... looks just like a sump plug ... take that off and put ur finger in to check the level .... you should be able to feel alot of oil in there with your finger... dont worry though as it wont come rushing out on your head lol .... the most awkward part is topping it up .... you should fill it up to the hole for the plug .... its all easy stuff to be honest mate ..... give it a go

 

[smithygcupra]

by the way .... do not put your finger in the gear box with the engine running .... even tho it will be in neutral the gears themselves are still spinning.. and very fastly .... you will lose your finger lol ...

 

[LilBlueLeon]

by the way .... do not put your finger in the gear box with the engine running .... even tho it will be in neutral the gears themselves are still spinning.. and very fastly .... you will lose your finger lol ...

 

[Muttley]

BUT you have to check the gearbox oil with the car on a level surface, so you either need four axle stands, or to start on a slope, or a pit or a hydraulic lift.

 

[LilBlueLeon]

ahh, i dont have one of those. But i will get them to investigate it when it goes for service or gets the belt done.

Just to really reiterate, its NOT the normal whiney noise the car makes when reversing!!

 

[olliep]

i recently started a thread ref rear brakes making a sound similar to what you described. only occured when reversing round a bend and applying the brakes gently. it was relitively recent and there are several others like it. if it is, seat produced a fix package for about a tonne.

 

[LilBlueLeon]

whats the fix package???

 

[olliep]

not entirely sure. had it done to mine under warranty. involved weighting the rear cal;ipers or something.

 

[leafy]

I've just bought my Cupra today and its doing this when I reverse. I don't know much about cars at all. I don't want to fork out any more money on the car when I've only just got it. (Its a 54 plate by the way so not brand new)