Hi guys, I started the s16 up the other day and noticed a strange 'hissing' sound coming from the right side of the engine. At first I thought the radiator cap was loose or a coolant hose had burst, but they are fine.

It's quite a strange sound as I cant hear it with the bonnet open. It is loudest with the bonnet closed and while putting your ear next to the right hand wiper arm. Also loudest when standing behind the wheel rather than infront of the car.

I initially thought it might have been coming from somewhere in the cambelt cover (cambelt 50,000km old) but the hissing sound doesn't change at all while reving the engine.

This one has got me stumped


Does anyone have any ideas?

cheers

Coolant pipes are fine mate, vaccume diaphrams are working too so doubt it's an air leak.

It's not the exhaust/manifold/gasket either.

It's got me a little worried since you can hear the hissing while driving with the window down at low rpm.

Check it's not the following:

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PH2 306 GTI 6
Team Nile ™

As rikky said it's probably the vacuum pipe that comes along the back of the cylinder head to the charcoal canister in the wing, they have a habit of splitting (mine went just where the bracket bolts it to the cylinder head, got a new one only for it to do the same thing again 2 years later so I blocked it off completely now)

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When I've got time I forget what I wanted to do, and when I remember what I wanted to do, I have no time!

just the metal pipe that runs along the back of the engine, i'm guessing the vibration just makes it snap after a while.

It used to make mine idle higher (think it was 1100rpm) and it would be unresponsive, would also stall a lot too.

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When I've got time I forget what I wanted to do, and when I remember what I wanted to do, I have no time!