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Intermittent droning sound - ideas?

I have a UK Nissan 200SX Touring, 3.5 years old with 48,000 miles on the clock. I've owned it from new and it has never been in an accident.

2-3 weeks ago, just as I was completing a 30 mile motorway run I suddenly heard a horrendous "droning" sound, I think coming from the front end. It lasted for about 1/4 mile then disappeared. I've done a few fast/longish journeys since, without incident, until last weekend when I got the same sound at various intervals while on a long journey. I did 2*150 mile trips and the droning appeared maybe 6-7 times in all. Each time it lasted for up to 30 seconds and then just vanished. This was all at speeds between 40-70 mph.

The tyres look absolutely fine, with good tread all round (front and back) and no nasty wear patterns. There is no steering pull or shaking. If not tyres then maybe a bearing - but I would expect it to be getting worse and to get better/worse depending upon whether I steer to the left, right or neutral. Steering in either direction doesn't seem to make a difference. The performance of the car is absolutely fine too - plenty of acceleration and good fuel consumption. Brake pads also look OK and braking is solid, straight and vibration free.

I've got absolutely no idea what the problem might be. Any thoughts?

Reply to
Tiny Tim
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Interesting idea. But the sound seems a bit too "robust" to be from the fan. It is *very* audible at motorway speeds and I can't believe the fan could make that much noise regardless of its condition. Also I would imagine that if it were fan trouble I'd see/hear more evidence when driving in traffic rather than at higher speeds.

But you've made me wonder about the air-con, as that has certainly been given a good workout in the last few weeks. It works very well but could there be something (magnetic clutch? guessing) that disengages or partially decouples the compressor at high engine speeds? Anybody?

Reply to
Tiny Tim

Air conditioning pump is my guess. It makes a droning noise in my 99.5 Path.

Reply to
Mind Melt

That'll be the wife....

Reply to
Chris Walters

Well I'm not married but the g/f was in the car on all occasions when the noise occurred;-)

Perhaps she had wind!

Reply to
Tiny Tim

sound from some parts of the surface.

Reply to
john63

I don't recall what the surface was at the moments the noise occurred but these are roads I've travelled many times over the years, including the A127, M3 and some A/B roads through the New Forest and I've never heard it until a couple of weeks ago. The noise was far more intrusive than any normal road surface would produce (except possibly cobbles).

I've got hold of the official Nissan service manual and it seems like it might be the air-con drive belt being a bit loose, but I've not checked yet.

Cheers, Tim.

Reply to
Tiny Tim

john63 stated:

I would think 'bearings' to start, assuming you were not braking. If turning or going straight, it could be bearing that gets enough grease or 'wetness' to not drone or vibrate.

Jack up the wheel you heard it from and see if there is 'any' play in the hub are by moving wheel up down, whereas from front to back there movement due to steering, rotate wheel around and check several time top to bottom.

ALso, it could be a velocity joint that needs a new lube & boot job!

Good Luck!

Reply to
©¿©¬ --Wally--

I had a similar droning noise recently, and it seems it was my tyres! They didn't have much tread on them, and at motorway speeds it made an absolutely awful droning noise. Changed the tyres recently and the noise has gone. So maybe wheel balancing??

Reply to
Stu Brown

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