Engine noise from cold start

[pking1]

Hello all, first time post. 
My daughter has an A1 which was making a strange noise from a cold start. It lasted a second. It wasn’t a high pitch screech or clicking. Just low level noise. If you turned it off and back on, it didn’t make it. I took it to the garage I have used for 30 years and in a nano second both mechanics said starter motor. So they replaced the starter motor with a new genuine Audi part. She started it yesterday morning and it made the same noise. 
Any ideas
 

[Magnet]

Hello Paul,

Many thanks for being in touch with the forum.

My hearing is pretty shot, so it’s difficult for me to diagnose, but are you talking about the whirring noise immediately on starting, or any background noise once running. If the whirring noise then it sounds like a belt or bearing noise, but.....? 
I take it it’s diesel - could you please confirm? 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

[pking1]

Hello

thanks for replying. 
it’s Petrol, only makes that “whirring noise” from a cold start and seems to run otherwise as sweet as a nut. With a new starter motor now in, I’m just worried it’s something more sinister going on. 
 

thanks Paul 

[Magnet]

Thanks Paul,

Apologies for being pedantic, but please confirm it is the whirring noise which you are enquiring about. 
Please also confirm what engine is in this car.
Sounds like a rather noisy diesel to my poor hearing but obviously not! 
If we are indeed talking the whirring noise, then it sounds rather like a belt or tensioner. 
My advice would be to find another garage to diagnose this, and perhaps taking the auxiliary belt off and checking if the noise disappears. 
I guess your garage is going to refit your old starter motor. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[pking1]

No worries 

it is the “whirring noise” that concerns me and 100% it’s a Petrol car. 
Perhaps it’s the filming of the clip but it doesn’t sound like a diesel when standing next to it. It runs and drives like a peach as well.

I’m taking it back to the garage. They will sort it out as I can’t fault them in 30odd years of looking after numerous cars. 

Edited June 22, 2021 by pking1
Spelling

[Magnet]

Hello Paul, 

Taking it back to the garage sounds to be your best option, since you have faith in them. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[Konstantinos Vasileiou]

Hello Paul

I was wondering if you figured out what was this noise on the cold start. I have exactly the same noise on my s1 only in cold starts (when I live the car for days or a week for example) 

Thank you in advance! 

[pking1]

No mate. Changed the starter motor as told it was definitely that and still makes the noise.
Took it back to an Audi garage and they said the diagnostics were spot on. At first they tried to make out there wasn’t a noise until I insisted I be there when they started the car from cold and hey presto it did it and they were like, not done that before when we did it, I said to them please, Don’t take me for an idiot but a year on it still makes the noise on first starting the car but it still runs like an absolute peach. 
so it’s a mystery but as long it’s not causing me problems, it seems I have to live with it. 

[gsmdo]

Is it the noise that suddenly rises in pitch then stops in the video? It certainly sounds like a starter issue - it sounds like the motor is suddenly running without load. When they replaced the starter, did they replace the bendix as well? I would have thought it was more related to that. Weird it only does it frrom cold. If you immediately switched off, would it do it again from cold, or is it only on the initial start?

[pking1]

Hello, all the starter motor components were changed. 
Diagnostic doesn’t show anything. 
it’s a year since this first began. 
If you start from cold, it makes the noise. 
Turn the engine off and on again, it won’t do it. 
Leave it for half hour it won’t do it. 
Leave it for 2 hours, it will then do it. 

but to my untrained eye and mind, the car is running very nicely. 

[gsmdo]

I'd join you in ignoring it then. It's annoying when you can't pin down a cause, isn't it? 🤨

[pking1]

Mate

it is the weirdest thing. Perhaps something will surface but it hasn’t after a year.

famous last words!!!!!

[geoffrey]

when i first listened to the video my first impression was a starter motor .

on second and third replays my thinking fixed onto a starter motor overrunning or not properly disengaging .

that leaves two venues , either electrical or mechanical.

the mechanical venue i think has already been covered as non contender.

that leaves the electrical system,

1 faulty relay not dropping out cleanly,

2 residual power holding the contact in

(this can happen if the flywheel diode fails)

3 deeper electrical problem

it will be very interesting to hear the actual fault when found.

Ken

[Konstantinos Vasileiou]

 

47 minutes ago, geoffrey said:

 

Thanks for your answer!

I have exactly the same noise (post a video) but also my car runs perfectly, I think I have this noise for over one year now only in very cold starts when the car parked for a day or a week. VCDS and diagnostic shows NO error CODES att all, everything is perfect based to audi mechanics! I think this is a mystery.... 

Konstantinos 

[pking1]

1 hour ago, geoffrey said:

when i first listened to the video my first impression was a starter motor .

on second and third replays my thinking fixed onto a starter motor overrunning or not properly disengaging .

that leaves two venues , either electrical or mechanical.

the mechanical venue i think has already been covered as non contender.

that leaves the electrical system,

1 faulty relay not dropping out cleanly,

2 residual power holding the contact in

(this can happen if the flywheel diode fails)

3 deeper electrical problem

it will be very interesting to hear the actual fault when found.

Ken

Hello Ken

Thanks and I will certainly mention it but I’m no mechanic but would that not show as faults on the diagnostics. That shows no faults at all last time it was done. Even when hooked up from a cold start. And the mechanics I use are as sound as a pound, in the family and wouldn’t try to have me over. 
But I’m certainly open to any new suggestions. As I said it runs really nicely but it just that nagging doubt that something will go pear shaped!

Edited July 6, 2022 by pking1

[geoffrey]

Hi Paul,

my comment was a possible cause of the situation open to exploration. i.e a relay playing up.

the diagnostic software is not infallible .

still looking forward to your eureka moment.

Ken

 

 

[Stevey Y]

23 hours ago, gsmdo said:

Is it the noise that suddenly rises in pitch then stops in the video? It certainly sounds like a starter issue - it sounds like the motor is suddenly running without load. When they replaced the starter, did they replace the bendix as well? I would have thought it was more related to that. Weird it only does it frrom cold. If you immediately switched off, would it do it again from cold, or is it only on the initial start?

Hi all new starters since about 1970 have the Bendix attached to them as standard it comes as a sealed unit which can only be tested and replaced by a specialist reconditioner as the unit is new the starter Bendix would be new as well.

Steve.

[Covvo]

The noise is the small alternator clutch which is incorporated into the pulley on the end of the alternator.100%!

[jdragon]

Are we referring to the noise at 0:05-0.06 in the original post?

[Covvo]

Engine noise from cold start I think the original post was called, I’m new to this club as I have just purchased an Audi with this fault 

[pking1]

Thanks both of you. The car still makes the noise on cold start. It’s done it since we bought the car but the car runs very well and never misses a beat so it just appears to be a strange noise. It hasnt stopped the car from working fine at all.
Funny enough I walked past an Audi A1 about 2 months ago and the owner started the car up and their car made the noise. It made me chuckle as according to Audi the noise just does not exist even though they actually heard the noise with me standing right with them, the mechanic was suddenly struck deaf and dumb as it proceed into a comedy sketch with him sitting in the car multiple times and turn on and off the ignition and saying I don’t hear anything. But he did the first time from cold start as I saw the look on his face. He tried to make me out as some nut. Words were exchanged because it was clearly almost him going through the motions putting on a show. 
Absolutely cobblers but there you go. 

[jdragon]

We have a Golf Mk7 1.4 TSI which makes the same noise at 0.05-0.06 in the first post at every start up.

 

[pking1]

It’s very weird, I was worried at the start when we first got it but nearly 2 years later and the fact it hasn’t caused us any issues apart from being a noise, I’m fairly happy with that. 

[Covvo]

3 hours ago, jdragon said:

We have a Golf Mk7 1.4 TSI which makes the same noise at 0.05-0.06 in the first post at every start up.

 

Well there’s your answer £50 part but need specific tool to remove it 

[jdragon]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:10 PM, Covvo said:

Engine noise from cold start I think the original post was called, I’m new to this club as I have just purchased an Audi with this fault 

Did you replace it on your car?