New User question
 

Hi all - I'm new to this site. Wow! Some cool stuff!

I have a question about my 1998 C280. When I start the car up, I used to hear a noticable whine, like a "turbopump" whine that would last a few seconds then go away. Now when I start up, I don't hear the whine anymore. What is this sound, and now that I don't hear it anymore should I be concerned? I've never had problems with the car before - it has run great. But I was just wondering - anyone know?

Later

Geoff

Anyone? Thanks anyway. :(

Geoff

I hear a similar noise in my 260E on the first startup of the day, or after sitting for a long while. It's more a lower-pitched moan than a whine, comes from the back of the engine/front of the transmission, and sounds like a flywheel spinning up.

I hear a similar noise in my 260E on the first startup of the day, or after sitting for a long while. It's more a lower-pitched moan than a whine, comes from the back of the engine/front of the transmission, and sounds like a flywheel spinning up.

I was reading around on this site and I'm thinking its the air pump - which is electric, correct? It's a high-pitched whine, then it shuts downs afer the car has run about a minute or so.

Geoff

In follow-up,

I recently changed my oil -- which I discovered was WAY low -- and my warning light did not illuminate. That whirring sound stopped, so I suspect that low oil level caused the pump's spin to be more audible (with not enough oil to dampen the sound).

GuardBott -- did you get an oil change around the time the noise disappeared?

Fuel pump
 

Electric fuel pump??

Not sure if your car has an electric fuel pump?
Joel

Oil lamps usually illuminate OK.. did you check it when the engine had just been running? If so, chances are much oil was still around the valves etc. - they read lower on the dipstick than when the engine's cold

later

Oddly, both my oil and coolant lamps are not lighting up -- except on initial startup. Perhaps the sensors or the electrical contacts are faulty?

I think the coolant level sensor goes through the same circuit as the windscreen wash-level sensor, so check that too.

later

Thanks Russ -- will do!