I have a mk4 Polo 1996 1.6. It drives nicely and I'm very pleased with it except it has a bit of a whirring noise going on at high speeds. The faster you go the louder it gets! It doesnt happen so much at low cruising speeds and when you are just pottering round town.

The only way i can describe it is the sorta noise you get when you reverse.

I have checked the wheel bearings and although there is a slight noise in both front ones I've not heard this sorta noise from wheel bearings before.

Is this common is mk4 polos? what could it be?

thanks

could it not be the gear box starting to go? i've heard that gearboxes can be an issue on the mk4's? might be totally wrong tho.

could it not be the gear box starting to go? i've heard that gearboxes can be an issue on the mk4's? might be totally wrong tho.

god please dont say that! lol. i usually just turn my music up and ignore it. the car only as 70'000 miles on it.

think mk4's are a bit on the whiney side... my bro's birds one does, as does mine!

does the noise happen while stationary? make no noise when the clutch is pressed?

Id have the clutch release bearing checked first as its cheaper than a gearbox! I'm having the same problems with mine at the mo! but i just cant pin point the problem! but i think it will be a new box!

does the noise happen while stationary? make no noise when the clutch is pressed?

Id have the clutch release bearing checked first as its cheaper than a gearbox! I'm having the same problems with mine at the mo! but i just cant pin point the problem! but i think it will be a new box!

no it doesnt happen stationary, just the higher revs you go (whilst moving) the louder it is. sounds like a metro! lol.

doesnt make a noise when clutch is pressed, I've had that before on a peugeot, dont think its that.

only 70k miles and it feels nice and tight, cant beleive it might be the box :(

my GT does this. Pretty sure its the gearbox. Sorry mate

Sounds like gearbox tbh, 70k is good for 1 of these cadburys gearbox's. Need o drain some oil out of gearbox and check for swarf (tiny bits of metal)

A recon 1 costs around 350, plus usually around 100 for fitting.

yep its 100% definately the gearbox, mine went at around 80k on both of my mk4's so 70k means its time is coming up

polo gearboxes are pieces of crap tbh, cutting holes in your footwells and pedaling with your feet would get you further

polo gearboxes are pieces of crap tbh

Are there any other gearboxes that fit without ANY pissing around that are better?

Edited 24 April, 200917 yr by Polo_PWR

ok I've done a bit of investigating so if anyone thinks it could be anything else now then your opinion would be areciated...

last night i drove it about for an hour listening to this noise. Although the car is very quiet at idle the whinning noise is there at idle but very faint, when you then drive the car the whine gets louder the faster you go. it still does it if you take it out of gear and coast. When i got out and listening under the bonnet it seemed to be coming from the drivers side. I am now inclined to beleive it is a belt or a pump and its just a general wear and tear noise? what do you reckon? sounds like a metro/hair dryer whine!

there is also a 2nd whirring noise which is very low pitched and again louder when you go faster, this i beleive to be a wheel bearing as its not present when you at idle and slightly louder/rumbly when cornering.

do u think I'm right to presume this?

does anyone know at what mileage the cambelt should be changed? its currently on 70'000 miles and dont think its been changed.

thanks guys :)

ps. if you still think gearbox, should i just run it for now and see how it goes? what will happen next stage of it going? loosing gears? just no i no wen its time to get it done as i cant afford it now, not with a clutch to sort! bloody vws! gotta love em.

people hav told me to sell it as it needs a bit of work but it has lots of MOT on it, and i love driving it, would be a shame to sell it after only 2 weeks of having it, plus for the money i would get i could only afford another potential money pit anyway. my thinking is i might as well make this one nice as its got low mileage. what do you think?

the choice is yours, the price of gearbox and clutch work can be justified if it comes with warranty and depending on how much you brought the car in the first place

the choice is yours, the price of gearbox and clutch work can be justified if it comes with warranty and depending on how much you brought the car in the first place

only paid £300 for it with full mot. the work would have 2 year warranty. i thought that if i was to spend £2000 on it getting all the work done, bit of paint work and wheels i would be dead chuffed with it and have a nippy 70'000 mile car. its the newest vw I've had and to me it feels like a new car!

£2300 in total for a near perfect car is acceptable i think. :) its a car i would keep for a long time anyway so if its going to last then i think it would be worth the work.

The second noise I think could be the wheel bearing, mine had this, checked it as you would but seemed okay but had it replaced and was fine after that.

The second noise I think could be the wheel bearing, mine had this, checked it as you would but seemed okay but had it replaced and was fine after that.

thats good. the old owner actually mentioned a wheel bearing so hopefully it should be simple to solve that noise.

now just to solve the first one... should i just drive it till the box goes?

when do i need to change the cambelt?

thanks

Cambelt is every 60k miles I believe, so should probably get it changed asap. You will be able to see if its been changed, it will still have the original VW belt on if it hasn't