I turned my car on today and I heard.

SUMINTRAK

MEMBER
1995 AUDI A6
68,000 MILES

Hi,
I turned my car on today and I heard this grinding noise coming from the engine. I popped the hood and it sounded like it was coming from one of my fans. My thermostat light kept flashing. My husband just put a new belt on my car so I wonder if it has anything to do with that. I'm so scared to drive it. And right after my check engine light came on. What the heck? It still runs fine though, just the noise is nerve wrecking. No smells at all, or smoke

4 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,910 POSTS

The Check Engine light means the Engine Computer detected a problem and set a diagnostic fault code. That code will indicate the circuit or system that needs further diagnosis.

I would not run the engine with an indication of overheating. That can turn a minor problem into an expensive one real fast. The new belt should be rechecked to see if it is loose or has popped off. Why was it replaced? Maintenance or was the old one coming apart? If it was shredding, the underlying cause of the failure hasn't been addressed yet.

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Thursday, February 14th, 2013 AT 2:43 PM

SUMINTRAK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Response to thermostat problem: "I would not run the engine with an indication of overheating. That can turn a minor problem into an expensive one real fast."
Can I drive it to a shop at least? Did the fans turn on because of the thermostat issue or are they always on and started grinding due to maybe shot bearings on the fan?

Response to the belt question: "Why was it replaced?" It was replaced because it shredded, this is like the 3rd belt so far. It just came apart one night thankfully by my house. I checked the belt and visually it looks tight.

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Thursday, February 14th, 2013 AT 3:49 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,910 POSTS

You have some other problem causing the belt failures. Look for any pulley that is misaligned with the rest. Feel each pulley for wobbling, especially any idler pulleys.

I don't know which engine you have and I have no idea how far away the repair shop is. I've nursed cars over 30 miles to get home but that involved running them for only two or three miles at a time, coasting as far as possible, then letting them cool down for 15 minutes. If no coolant has leaked out you can get further, but from your description it sounds like the warning light is already flashing so you won't know when the engine really does start to overheat. Do you have a temperature gauge on the dash or just a light? Gauges tell you what's going on. By the time a light comes on it's usually too late. If yours is on as soon as you start the engine, you know it hasn't had time to overheat yet so something is likely wrong with the temperature sending unit or the wire to it.

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Thursday, February 14th, 2013 AT 5:17 PM

SUMINTRAK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

"You have some other problem causing the belt failures. Look for any pulley that is misaligned with the rest. Feel each pulley for wobbling, especially any idler pulleys." :

Will do, because for me to go through 3 belts already, it's ridiculous. I just dont want to give up this car. I know its old school, but it's so good on gas, an dI work 50 miles away from my job, lol!

I don't know which engine you have and I have no idea how far away the repair shop is. I've nursed cars over 30 miles to get home but that involved running them for only two or three miles at a time, coasting as far as possible, then letting them cool down for 15 minutes. If no coolant has leaked out you can get further, but from your description it sounds like the warning light is already flashing so you won't know when the engine really does start to overheat.

"Do you have a temperature gauge on the dash or just a light?" I have a temperatire gauge that barely worked. Actually it stopped working about 4 months ago.

"Gauges tell you what's going on. By the time a light comes on it's usually too late. If yours is on as soon as you start the engine, you know it hasn't had time to overheat yet so something is likely wrong with the temperature sending unit or the wire to it. "

Exactly! As soon as I turn the engine on the thing is flashing, then goes off eventually. After about 10 minutes of driving it. There is coolant in there. I have not noticed a leak. It's been the same since the weekend. I checked this morning to see if that was the issue too.

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Thursday, February 14th, 2013 AT 8:40 PM