A rat in my engine bay?

[MrTackalakalaka]

Noooooo not a real rat......

Started my car up today and pressed the AUTO button on the heater/fan

Then it sounded like a small animal was being tortured in my engine bay. I then turned it off thinking what the bajeebus was that?
Turned it on again and it made the squealing noise again. I then pressed the Aircon (snow flake) button and it stopped. I then started driving for a while and pressed the AC button again and it let out a shorter squeal. I tried it later on and it didn't do it again.

Anyone know why it might be making that noise? better still......what?

My AC (as far as i know) hasn't worked since I've had the car. I have never got round to re-gassing it

cheers

 

[ant schof]

Hi mate ,
Had a very similar screeching / scraping noise from my S3 about twelve months ago , turned out to be the alternator
clutch pulley breaking up , seemed to do it more when the air con was on . Also had the battery warning light flickering on occasionaly when this happened ! Worth looking at maybe . You could try slipping the multi v belt off and see if the noise goes away .

Cheers Ant

 

[<tuffty/>]

Be one of the fans... mine does ther same occasionaly... its fine when the enginebay is warm but on cold start it can squeel a bit...

<tuffty/>

 

[MrTackalakalaka]

Thanks guys!!

I shall look into it! Will have a look in the engine bay and get the girlfriend to put the AC on. Sods law it won't happen until I'm next in the car haha

Thanks again

 

[Dani_B19]

Mine does the same on start up up if i put aircon on.

 

[vfr800]

My old A3 made some nasty noises like that once, turned out it was the aircon clutch/pulley/compressor thingy whatsits failing and trying to escape from the engine bay.

Liam

 

[fingermouse]

funny Ive just had a simular noise this morning, I was blaming the fact that ive lost my garage to the wifes new car so mine is now out on the drive getting wet

 

[Alex C]

had it on mine this morning too

 

[LoopTrooper]

There is always the traditional turn the stereo up option?

 

[Prawn]

I was always lead to believe that this was a tiny bit of belt slip caused by condensation on the belt on a cold morning..... Both mine have done it when starting up with the aircon switched on.

 

[fingermouse]

mine sounded more like the fan in the car as if the bearings are getting a little dry