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Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:48 am
by BillTheButcher
Hello.
I recently test drove a B6 S4 saloon which made a noise that sounded like transmission whine every time I lifted off the accelerator.
It's quite difficult to describe the exact noise but it sounded like something spinning which gradually got slower as the car decelerated.
It sounded like it was coming from the back of the engine bay and/or underneath the cabin.
Does this sound normal?
Cheers.

RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:01 pm
by marv
I think that whine may just be the drive chains, on the rear of the engine. If so, that's normal
RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:06 pm
by BillTheButcher
Thanks for the quick reply Marv.
Yes it sounded like it was coming from the back of the engine bay.
RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:57 pm
by xyber
The the water and oil pumps run straight cut gears from the aux belt aswell I believe
RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:21 am
by elmo
They do tend to whine a bit!
RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:19 am
by wolf02
Hi,
I have a similar noise, Its not a standard drive chains whine, I know that noise.
The noise i have is in a similar scenario, and its getting worse.
As I lift off the accelerator the noise is a fairly constant whine until the car comes to a halt.
It does it with the clutch up or down, its almost like air escaping from a pipe or something under pressure ????
Doesnt do it at standstill at all.
Any ideas ??
RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:56 pm
by aligod78
I was wondering about the noise these make - but after about a month and a bit of ownership I've put it down to me not being used to a quattro system, with all the mechanics traveling from front to rear of the car?
I thought it was only when it was colder, but being outside the car when the missus drive it when warm it sounds the same. Could be the mileage it's done? What's yours?
Re: RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:21 pm
by BillTheButcher
aligod78 wrote:I was wondering about the noise these make - but after about a month and a bit of ownership I've put it down to me not being used to a quattro system, with all the mechanics traveling from front to rear of the car?
I thought it was only when it was colder, but being outside the car when the missus drive it when warm it sounds the same. Could be the mileage it's done? What's yours?
Hello mate.
It's just rolled over 46k miles.
Re: RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:12 pm
by aligod78
BillTheButcher wrote:aligod78 wrote:I was wondering about the noise these make - but after about a month and a bit of ownership I've put it down to me not being used to a quattro system, with all the mechanics traveling from front to rear of the car?
I thought it was only when it was colder, but being outside the car when the missus drive it when warm it sounds the same. Could be the mileage it's done? What's yours?
Hello mate.
It's just rolled over 46k miles.
About 100k less than me, wasn't sure if that was a factor... and have since read from others on here that its likely just the noise from that massive old chain at the back of the engine.
RE: Re: RE: Transmission whine on a B6 S4?
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:30 pm
by BillTheButcher
Yes my car's only ever used for social driving so it only does about 7-10k miles a year.

I'm almost certain that it is just the chain.