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Chat => Sports, Hobbies & Motors => Topic started by: zpyder on December 27, 2008, 12:01:45 PM

Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 27, 2008, 12:01:45 PM
Im a total noob when it comes to cars and the likes. I drive a micra, enough said.

Anyway, for the last month or so, my car has started to make a strange whirring noise sometimes when starting it. Typically its when it hasnt been driven for a few days, or like today, when it was really cold.

The noise is very similar to the whirring noise you get when using the windscreen washer jets.

What happens is, I turn the key, car starts, and then a split second later I get the whir noise for maybe half a second or so? If it were the starter motor or something surely itd whir before the engine kicks in, and not a split second after?

Any suggestions appreciated, as its not done it before (5.5 year old car) so Im presuming something is going wrong rather than it just aging...
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: knighty on December 27, 2008, 12:15:23 PM
have you changed the battery since you got it ?
(iirc you got it new yeah?)

its probably just the battery getting a bit old... the cold weather doesent help so theres a bit more load on the alternator to charge up the battery again just after youve started it

nothing to worry about... its probably a pretty small battery on yours so you might as well change it sometime, but theres no hurry.... if youre not going to do it yourself then just wait till the next service etc.. :-)
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 27, 2008, 14:28:33 PM
I think its had new batteries at various services over the years, I dont think the battery can be any more than 2 years old (CBA to look in the service book as that means going outside)
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: mr_roll on December 27, 2008, 15:06:21 PM
Is the noise when you turn the steering wheel?

Is it just when its idling?

Where is the noise comming from?

Oh, and whats on at the time of starting up? Demister? fans? heater?
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 27, 2008, 15:38:41 PM
Nothing on, nothing being turned (wheel)

Literally I get in car, put key in ingnition, turn the key, car starts and ~0.5 secs after ignition I get about a second of this electric whirring.

no headlights on, no wipers etc, just standard "on"-ness
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: knighty on December 28, 2008, 01:50:17 AM
how loud is it ?
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: soopahfly on December 28, 2008, 07:57:00 AM
Fuel Pump.
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: Serious on December 28, 2008, 09:12:50 AM
might be the fuel filter or an automatic choke.
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 28, 2008, 10:47:22 AM
Tis about as loud and very similar to the whirring when you are using the washed jets.

I am guessing its maybe to do with the choke as you only hear it first thing in the morning when its cold, or I havent driven for a few days. I bet Ill hear it today.
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: filbert on December 28, 2008, 12:04:40 PM
Maybe the stepper motor giving more revs
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 28, 2008, 12:07:06 PM
http://www.zpyder.co.uk/forums/MOV_0002.3gp

Video from this morning, because of thw weird acoustic properties going on it sounds slightly louder/different than it does for real, but the whirring noise is the noise that sounds like Ive just kicked a small cow after starting the engine at the end of the video (its in mobile phone movie format, sorry)
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: filbert on December 28, 2008, 12:09:26 PM
sounds more like the starter sticking
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: DEViANCE on December 28, 2008, 12:09:41 PM
sounds like the starter motor isnt disengaging fast enough, i think its usually a sticky relay that causes that.
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: bear on December 28, 2008, 12:23:06 PM
I have a similar noise but it seems to come from dashboard, when car cold a whirr is heard right after start
and the clock and the trip meter zeroes. I might be that my battery is getting weaker (especially when cold).

Does your clock and trip meter go to zero when it happens ?
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: mr_roll on December 28, 2008, 12:32:48 PM
Quote from: bear
I have a similar noise but it seems to come from dashboard, when car cold a whirr is heard right after start
and the clock and the trip meter zeroes. I might be that my battery is getting weaker (especially when cold).

Does your clock and trip meter go to zero when it happens ?


If it comes from the dash board then like the above posts say, could be a relay. I dont know tbh, but are your relays in this old car in the dash board bear ? :)
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 28, 2008, 12:49:28 PM
If its the starter motor not disengaging, is it something that is easy to rectify (considering Im a noob) or is this something I will need to go to a garage to sort out, and is it going to cost lost of money?
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: bear on December 28, 2008, 13:25:28 PM
Yes it is in the dashboard and I believe it does not work properly at low voltage.

Quote from: mr_roll
Quote from: bear
I have a similar noise but it seems to come from dashboard, when car cold a whirr is heard right after start
and the clock and the trip meter zeroes. I might be that my battery is getting weaker (especially when cold).

Does your clock and trip meter go to zero when it happens ?


If it comes from the dash board then like the above posts say, could be a relay. I dont know tbh, but are your relays in this old car in the dash board bear ? :)
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: filbert on December 28, 2008, 14:04:21 PM
nissan had a recall on the ignition switch, we had one burn out 2 or 3 starters, even after a new switch, it had to have another new switch.
Doesnt say its the same for yours, I dont know how many it involved, this was about 2 years ago on a 2 or 3 year old micra.
Yours could be a lazy or dirty starter, Id take it out and clean it first, if you cant then let your garage have a look.
Title: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: knighty on December 28, 2008, 17:45:09 PM
how much do you use it ?

its unlikely to be the starter if youre using the car every day, starting it up a couple of times....  but if you hardly use/start it then it could be the starter sticking....

if youre not used to working on cars Id go to a garage and see what they say.... its all well and good us giving you advice on here, but its no comparison to actually being next to the car and listening for ourselvs...

its not a big job to remove the starter motor... but its probably a pita!
Title: Re:Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: zpyder on December 28, 2008, 23:18:50 PM
The car is my primary mode of transport so its used whenever I go out, which is pretty much daily. AFAIK, the last service was a major one and only a few months ago, and if they didnt replace the battery then, I think they did the year before. I guess I could drop in to the dealership/garage while Im out tomorrow and ask. Its annoying as it only does it once a day so by default if I drive the car over there it wont be replicable unless they had it overnight!
Title: Re: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: sorrynoname on January 31, 2018, 12:03:59 PM
Hi mate,

I know this was an age ago now, but did you ever find out what this was? I get the feeling that I am having the same noise, and initially thought it was the windscreen water jets!

Title: Re: Electric whirring noise when starting up car?
Post by: BobbyHamilton on April 23, 2018, 17:51:33 PM
I hope that someone would still be able to help you out, man.