Newly developed engine whine Spider Abarth

14363 Views 32 Replies 22 Participants Last post by Adam124, Aug 24, 2021

AnClar

Discussion Starter · Nov 7, 2016 (Edited)

So I'll be heading to the dealer to pick up my plates later this week for my Abarth, but at 1000 miles, I've noticed a newly developed whine from the engine (besides the "you don't drive me enough whine").

I'll have the dealer check it out, but I'm not sure how concerned to be about it.

It seems most noticeable at lower RPM but it's there pretty much all the time...this has just showed up the last time or two I've driven the car. My wife noticed it and commented on it as well. It doesn't seem to be directly related to the turbo but who knows. Anyone else notice this in their car or have any idea what might be going on? Thanks.

"Pearl" 2017 124 Spider Abarth AT Bianco Perla; AA/CarPlay; AIO tweaks; Carlinkit 2.0 Wireless CarPlay Dongle, Ameridan's Radio Silencer; Eurospec Abarth Engine Cover, Red Bits & Side Badges; Eurospec "Officine Abarth" Floor Mat Badges; Bright Dead Pedal; Destructo/Murat Abarth Steering Wheel Badge v.2; Abarth Key Fob Badges; Record Monza Exhaust; Wilwood Dynalite 4-piston Big Brake Kit w/Wilwood 2-Piece Rotors; Stainless Steel Brake Lines; Cravenspeed Red Door Bushings; SokieTech Hood Struts, Upgraded Front Fog, Reverse, License Plate, Front & Rear Turn Signals, Front Position, Trunk and Interior Super-Bright Canbus LED bulbs; Red Canbus Rear Side Marker Lights, Sequential LED Side Repeaters, Custom Cubby Plaque; Custom Door Sill Plates, CLD Tiles, Center Cubby Shelf, Red Door Piping, Red Billet Anodized Aluminum Oil Cap W/Scorpion Logo, PTP Lava Turbo Blanket; GFB DV+, EC Oil Catch Can, BMC Air Filter; EC Race FMIC. On the horizon: EC v4 Intake, Crosspipe, Alfa 4C Coils; Phase 2 Tune

1 - 20 of 33 Posts

Godina

· #2 · Nov 7, 2016

Possibly a fan. I don't hear very well, but I do notice a whine after shutting down the engine. It must be the fan cooling the radiator, it doesn't last very long. Any way good luck diagnosing it.

Reactions: 1

Denzel

· #3 · Nov 7, 2016

Godina said:
Possibly a fan. I don't hear very well, but I do notice a whine after shutting down the engine. It must be the fan cooling the radiator, it doesn't last very long. Any way good luck diagnosing it.

I believe the noise you hear after you turned off the engine is an electric pump that is used to cool down the turbo with coolant. However I think it only runs once the engine has been switched off.

Reactions: 5

lordofthewings

· #4 · Nov 7, 2016

Denzel said:
I believe the noise you hear after you turned off the engine is an electric pump that is used to cool down the turbo with coolant. However I think it only runs once the engine has been switched off.

I hear that noise too when I put the car away in my garage after even a gentle drive, so the turbo won't have been working very hard. I thought it was my Spider singing to me....

Reactions: 1

Greg

· #5 · Nov 7, 2016

Denzel said:
I believe the noise you hear after you turned off the engine is an electric pump that is used to cool down the turbo with coolant. However I think it only runs once the engine has been switched off.

That's correct. This is a normal noise and it's a GOOD feature of the car. However Fiat doesn't tell anyone about it, so when a new owner notices, he/she tends to think something is wrong with the car.

Greg

Reactions: 5

spilner

· #6 · Nov 8, 2016

Even the pinging sound after a car runs for a while is something they don't tell you about yet everyone reports it. Should be in the owners manual or something.

AnClar

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 8, 2016

Greg said:
That's correct. This is a normal noise and it's a GOOD feature of the car. However Fiat doesn't tell anyone about it, so when a new owner notices, he/she tends to think something is wrong with the car.

Greg

The sound from my engine occurs when it's running, not after it has been shut down...I know the sound you describe and have heard it...I don't think that's what it is.

"Pearl" 2017 124 Spider Abarth AT Bianco Perla; AA/CarPlay; AIO tweaks; Carlinkit 2.0 Wireless CarPlay Dongle, Ameridan's Radio Silencer; Eurospec Abarth Engine Cover, Red Bits & Side Badges; Eurospec "Officine Abarth" Floor Mat Badges; Bright Dead Pedal; Destructo/Murat Abarth Steering Wheel Badge v.2; Abarth Key Fob Badges; Record Monza Exhaust; Wilwood Dynalite 4-piston Big Brake Kit w/Wilwood 2-Piece Rotors; Stainless Steel Brake Lines; Cravenspeed Red Door Bushings; SokieTech Hood Struts, Upgraded Front Fog, Reverse, License Plate, Front & Rear Turn Signals, Front Position, Trunk and Interior Super-Bright Canbus LED bulbs; Red Canbus Rear Side Marker Lights, Sequential LED Side Repeaters, Custom Cubby Plaque; Custom Door Sill Plates, CLD Tiles, Center Cubby Shelf, Red Door Piping, Red Billet Anodized Aluminum Oil Cap W/Scorpion Logo, PTP Lava Turbo Blanket; GFB DV+, EC Oil Catch Can, BMC Air Filter; EC Race FMIC. On the horizon: EC v4 Intake, Crosspipe, Alfa 4C Coils; Phase 2 Tune

Greg

· #8 · Nov 8, 2016

AnClar said:
The sound from my engine occurs when it's running, not after it has been shut down...I know the sound you describe and have heard it...I don't think that's what it is.

I was responding to someone else. I don't know what the noise in your car is.

Greg

AnClar

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 12, 2016

Greg said:
I was responding to someone else. I don't know what the noise in your car is.

Greg

OK..thanks. It may just wind up being nothing...a case of hyper-critical listening and figuring out what are the "normal" operating sounds from this engine/sound insulation setup. It seems to be driving just fine, so I'm not going to worry about it further absent any other symptoms.

"Pearl" 2017 124 Spider Abarth AT Bianco Perla; AA/CarPlay; AIO tweaks; Carlinkit 2.0 Wireless CarPlay Dongle, Ameridan's Radio Silencer; Eurospec Abarth Engine Cover, Red Bits & Side Badges; Eurospec "Officine Abarth" Floor Mat Badges; Bright Dead Pedal; Destructo/Murat Abarth Steering Wheel Badge v.2; Abarth Key Fob Badges; Record Monza Exhaust; Wilwood Dynalite 4-piston Big Brake Kit w/Wilwood 2-Piece Rotors; Stainless Steel Brake Lines; Cravenspeed Red Door Bushings; SokieTech Hood Struts, Upgraded Front Fog, Reverse, License Plate, Front & Rear Turn Signals, Front Position, Trunk and Interior Super-Bright Canbus LED bulbs; Red Canbus Rear Side Marker Lights, Sequential LED Side Repeaters, Custom Cubby Plaque; Custom Door Sill Plates, CLD Tiles, Center Cubby Shelf, Red Door Piping, Red Billet Anodized Aluminum Oil Cap W/Scorpion Logo, PTP Lava Turbo Blanket; GFB DV+, EC Oil Catch Can, BMC Air Filter; EC Race FMIC. On the horizon: EC v4 Intake, Crosspipe, Alfa 4C Coils; Phase 2 Tune

JFernald

· #10 · Nov 12, 2016

spilner said:
Even the pinging sound after a car runs for a while is something they don't tell you about yet everyone reports it. Should be in the owners manual or something.

I don't have any pinging sound, just the pump running. Are you running it hard just before you park it. I drive very quietly through the neighborhood and maybe it has cooled down to a lower point than yours.

Reactions: 1

210RS

· #11 · Feb 1, 2017

AnClar said:
OK..thanks. It may just wind up being nothing...a case of hyper-critical listening and figuring out what are the "normal" operating sounds from this engine/sound insulation setup. It seems to be driving just fine, so I'm not going to worry about it further absent any other symptoms.

What did you find out from the dealer? I've just recently noticed a whining noise from our Lusso auto, which seems to lessen after the car warms up. Wasn't happening before...

Reactions: 1

PureAdrenaline

· #12 · Feb 1, 2017

I have had a noise like this since 500 miles...to me it sounds like auto transmission noise...almost 4000 miles now...no change in noise...everything works fine...probably just a quirk of this tranny....

MotoPete

· #13 · Feb 1, 2017

It's really hard to say without hearing it. Can it be picked up on a video perhaps?

SteveWy

· #14 · Feb 1, 2017

I have an automatic, too, and there is a whine, especially when starting out on cold days ...well, it is cold all the time now in Colorado ....but it goes away when operating temps climb.

Reactions: 1

PureAdrenaline

· #15 · Feb 1, 2017

SteveWy said:
I have an automatic, too, and there is a whine, especially when starting out on cold days ...well, it is cold all the time now in Colorado ....but it goes away when operating temps climb.

Mine gets better when warm but never goes away completely...some of these new transmissions typically have a whine to them now...this one is quiet compared to my other new cars...

Reactions: 1

rglass

· #16 · Feb 1, 2017

Same issue hear, very faint but noticeable. Anyone else take theirs in?

group44

· #17 · Apr 5, 2017

I have the same problem with my Lusso (w/automatic). When shopping for my 124 I test drove a Lusso(w/automatic) and that car had a high pitched whine much like the sound when alternator bearings gone bad. I told the salesman that didn't sound right and he told me that was just the sound turbo's make. I didn't believe him and the turbo is on the other side of the car. I also test drove a Classica(manual) and that car did not make the whine at all. Since I wanted the leather seats and premium collection I purchased a Lusso(only available w/automatic). The car I purchased was from a different dealer in another state and I noticed the whine a day later. Here are some details I have observed:

1) This whine is high pitched and sounds to be coming from the right side of the car.
2) It is far louder when the car is cold but never completely goes away(the noise level can over take the radio at normal to low volume)
3) When you corner with the engine cold, such as turning in an intersection at 15 mph, it sounds as if it is sucking up air and fluid or as if an engine bearing is spinning.
4) The whine seems in sync with the RPMs. Higher RPMs = higher whine. If I am coasting around 25 MPH with the transmission in neutral and fluctuate the throttle the whine will fluctuate as well. This mostly goes away once the engine warms up.
5) If driving by a wall on the right side of the car with the right window down, the whine is incredibly loud and almost to the point that is sounds kind of cool and like a jet engine. That diminishes quite a bit once the engine is up to temperature.
7) Common sounds and volume I would compare it to are bad alternator bearings (caused by over tensioning the belt), power steering pump that ran out of fluid, bad races in a differential bearing.

I've owned the car 7 months and I have 2,600 miles on it. I should take it to the dealer, but my local dealer has a questionable reputation and I hate to have them mess with my car.

Are these the same sounds you are hearing? Did you ever take your car to the dealer?

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Reactions: 1

kpoling

· #18 · Apr 5, 2017

I have the same sound when cold. Been driving it for 10,000 miles. Goes away when warm. I've assumed it's a normal transmission sound

Reactions: 1

sharkcohen

· #19 · Apr 5, 2017

My auto Lusso does it and I think it sounds awesome LOL.

group44

· #20 · Apr 5, 2017

You laugh, but if it weren't for the fear that something is wrong, it does make an awesome jet engine like sound.

Reactions: 2

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