Update: This issue turned out to either be the tensioner or idler pulley. In case you have a similar issue, here is a video me and Alana put together for anyone else that wants to do this job and isn't too confident when it comes to working on their car.




Hi everyone.

Firstly, 2010 Freelander 2 TD4_e XS.



We have had a whine slowly developing on our Freelander 2. Would you be so kind to watch the following video and help me and Alana out? We took the panel out from the drivers side wheel in a vain hope of trying to work out what's causing the whine.

https://youtu.be/gXyTxqfW3Ig

- The whine doesn't seem to be effected if the air-con is on or off
- As you might be able to tell in the video. It's much louder in the wheel arch than from above which could suggest it's not the power steering.
- It's consistent with the revs, ie, it gets louder as the revs increase and gets quieter as the revs drop.
- We had the alternator freewheeling pulley and aux belt tensioner done just over a year/7,000 miles ago.

If you know what causes this whine that would be great. But if not it would be good to know any tests we could do to rule out things within the area. Failing that, we might just throw an alternator and power steering pump at it to see if it fixes it.

Thanks for reading and any help you can give .

- Edit: 2nd video added to try I Like Chips's idea of spraying water at the pulleys.

https://youtu.be/TBIrG1o0j6c https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Last edited by Dean1234 on 15th Feb 2024 2:35 pm. Edited 3 times in total

Sounds like a bearing on the way out, or the PS pump cavitation, possibly due to a blocked reservoir filter.
It definitely shouldn't be making that noise though.
Out of interest, when was the timing belt last changed, and did it have a full kit of parts, or just the belt? 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

Here is the (very painful ) invoice from Feb '22 when it it had done 143,000 miles. It is now on 156,000 miles.

 https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

One way to discover if it's a bearing and which one would be to squirt some water at each bearing working from the bottom upwards. You should notice a difference in noise the offending bearing should quieten down.

Who doesn't like rolling on the floor when it's actually freezing out? Anyway I've had the belt off and checked for play, noises or rough running in any of the pulleys and they all seem fine. But I don't really know what a good pulley feels like Vs a not good one.

I took on your advice I Like Chips and I don't know if anyone else can detect any change after water is applied to each pulley in the following video?:

https://youtu.be/TBIrG1o0j6c

The whine is much more prominent from inside the wheel arch as you might be able to tell when I moved the GoPro to the bonnet area.

My thinking this:

- Get a new belt, tensioner, idler pulley, alternator and power steering reservoir on order.
- Change the belt, tensioner, idler pulley and power steering reservoir and see if that fixes it. I think all of these jobs can be done through the wheel arch without removing the alternator or power steering pump?
- If it doesn't fix it. change the alternator.
- If that doesn't fix it, maybe order a new power steering pump and hope that does the trick.

Any advice would be gratefully received.  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Quote:

But I don't really know what a good pulley feels like Vs a not good one. Laughing

Thanks for your post Bobupndown .

I didn't expect to feel anything in the pulleys to be fair as the noise only makes itself "known" when the engine is heading towards 2,000rpm.

The reason for changing the belt is because I've seen people say that if you're doing the tensioner, your best of changing the belt too as a course of preventative maintenance. Not sure if that's also the subscribed to theory on here? Also the power steering reservoir to my knowledge hasn't been changed in it's 156,000 mile lifetime. A bit more preventative maintenance while I'm at it you could say.

The power steering fluid should be clean seeing as the garage changed the rack less than a year ago. The fluid looks fine when the engine is running.

I'll get my layers back on tomorrow and remove the belt again. I take it I'm ok to rev the car for a short period with the belt off?  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

By all means put a new belt on it when you go to the trouble of taking the old one off.

It will be fine to run the engine when you're not driving it. Just the alternator, ps and a/c compressor won't be running, which is the idea to rule out anything on the timing belt circuit. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

I'd remove the drive belt and see if the noise is still there. If not than you know it's something on the belt run.
If the noise is still there, then you've eliminated a lot of items. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

No conclusive outcome with the water test. Yes as suggested next test is to remove the belt. It's far easier to get back if the tensioner is reset in a vice and an allen key used to hold the spring.

Thanks Bobupndown, Nodge and Mr Chips . As you'll see in the following video, with the belt removed the noise appears to be gone.

https://youtu.be/ux07oh70Z6c

(Please excuse the grumpiness of the engine. I'm not sure how much it appreciated being started up and revved from cold. )

I think it's time to order an idler pulley, tensioner, belt and an alternator as they appear to be the likely suspects at this point.
Silly question coming up but would it be wise to copper grease any bolts that I refit? https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Any bolts that are removed should be fitted dry, many will also have thread lock on them, which would need to be reapplied on refitting.

I'm thinking that the noise is the alternator or PS pump, as you'd feel roughness in a bearing that was making that much noise. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

Just to finish off this thread. Me and Alana were out on the car yesterday, we replaced the tensioner, idler pulley and belt and the noise seems to have gone. So thankfully we haven't had to remove the alternator and go down that route. Although now we have picked up a power steering issue since changing the reservoir, but I'll ask about that in another thread to save the confusion.

Thanks a lot to everyone that help with this problem.  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Sorry to bump this thread, but incase anyone else has this issue, or just wants to change their aux belt, tensioner and idler pulley and isn't all that confident like me and Alana are when it comes to fixing things. We put together a video that might help.

 https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4