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Help....Continuous shrill noise after battery recharge

3K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  Steve E 
#1 ·
Hi


Re: my 1992 RR Silver Spirit II, purchased this August.



I have the car booked into a RR specialist on Monday morning for another problem but I've asked them to look into what I presume is an electrical problem...? But when I described the issue to them over the phone, I they said they'd never heard of anything like this, so I'm worried they won't be able to get to the bottom of it. Maybe some of you may know what this noise is?


Before we come to it, let us have "the prologue", as Frankie Howerd used to say in Up Pompeii!



I would use the car, and all was fine, unless I put on the radio. And there was a strange whirring sound, (only with the engine on, radio was fine in ignition only) which I think came from the speakers(?) or specifically the o/s rear door speaker as one day there was a loud 'clap' sound from it and the radio ceased to function. (But was OK the next day!) Now the really odd thing with the whirring sound, was it increased/got louder when you accelerated, but dropped off completely when you took your foot off of the accelerator. (But only had this strange noise when the radio was on). I was keen to get this resolved as I sometimes like a bit of music when I drive. Therefore, I was going to ask the garage their opinion on this. However, things have moved on from here.... Not for the better.



Not knowing the state of the Varta battery, I took it out and put it on a CTEK battery charger and conditioner. All seemed fine, it charged up and I put it back in the car. Now, I'm not sure if this was where it went wrong, but through not concentrating I accidentally put the negative on before the positive, which it didn't like (this is why I should keep away from car maintenance and just clean them). Anyhow, I then put it on properly. But since then, I have a continuous shrill noise coming from somewhere behind the dashboard. I put the key in and it starts. I shut the drivers door, and it goes off. The noise will then come on if I put the ignition on and is indeed continuous with the engine running too. AND interestingly, the funny whirring sound (when I use the accelerator) I mentioned above, which I thought was the radio, is also present!


I've tried taking the radio out completely, thinking it may have something to do with it, but that hasn't made a difference.


So my attempt to help the car by charging up the battery has caused a right old mess. I'm a bit worried because even the garage seemed unsure of what the cause of all this is.


I did do a short video of the sound, but I don't think I can upload it on here, even as a zip file.


Any thoughts, suggestions or ideas what this problem is and how to rectify it, would be very much appreciated.



Many thanks,
James.
 
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#2 ·
Polarity inversion is a disaster for those electronic cars.
You may have dammaged an ECU


What I would do is first check all fuses.
Then I will unplug + and - , without moving the battery, and leave it unplugged for 24 hours.
Then replug, starting by + then - and see.


If still there, something has suffered, you need a specialist.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hi James,


Firstly what are you doing taking the car to a RR specialist before asking us.......what was it going in for.


Next, not quite sure from what you are saying is it that you only connected the negative before positive is that correct.......you did not connect the battery accidently the wrong way round.....just the negative before positive.................just making sure!



Has the car got a security alarm that you know of as one of my cars that has a clifford alarm has to be reset with the remote whenever battery disconnected and then reconnected.


I hate ECU cars........do you have to (or is that what is recommended) take the battery out to charge with a Ctek conditioner. I have all my cars on Ctek conditioners without having to even disconnect the battery terminals from the battery, but then I have no ECU's.


If the noise also comes through the speakers when radio switched on and increases with revs than that sounds like a blown diode in the alternator.


I would certainly do what Jean says and disconnect for 24 hours and see if it lets something reset.


Letting an autoelectrician loose at a main dealers on the car you might just as well give them your credit card and PIN number and house keys and look for a dry spot in a shop doorway.


As much explority work you can do yourself would be better and remove the lower knee rolls and see if you can pinpoint the noise to a more definitive place or item.


Wish you all best and hope it is something simple.


Steve
 
#4 ·
Thanks Jean, thanks Steve.


Car is going in for excessive play from both front lower ball joints.


Basically, to answer your question, what I did was to start to put the negative lead on the negative battery point. However, there was a little spark, which reminded me I should've put the positive on first. I just wondered if this was enough to cause this trouble. (Given it was fine before I did all this, apart from the noise when I have the radio on). And the only reason I took the battery out of the boot and recharged in the house was because I wanted to take the opportunity to clean out the battery compartment, which was full of 30 yrs of ***** and grot, including the battery being sat on a section of some previous owners oil stained pyjamas... At least the boot seems to smell less now...


Interestingly, I did have some work done on the alternator re your point about a blown diode in it. The radio noise issue was present before and after the work mind you. That said, the issue was "bearing rumble". The repair work was, and I quote, "remove alternator assembly for complete overhaul and fit new bearings, plus test charge rate."
 
#5 ·
Meant to say, there is an after market alarm/immobiliser on the vehicle. Did wonder about that. All I know is it is made by 'Autowatch', as that's what it says on the fob. I have nothing else ... No instructions for it came with the vehicle.
 
#6 ·
James,


The pyjamas might be mine:devil


You will always probably get a little spark anyway whichever way you connected as there a few things like clock etc that are permanently live.


Have you had your alarm ever working and does the key fob have a good battery. Try pressing it and see if the schrill disappears but no good if fob battery is U/S.



Personally that would be my first investigation as alarms do tend to go off when a battery reconnected and if old then maybe not that good on the warning speaker.


Just a thought


Steve
 
#10 ·
If the neg cable was fastened first and then the positive, assuming they were going to the proper terminals to begin with, there would be no alternator damage.

Obviously, if they were placed on the wrong terminals there could be ramifications.

Accepted protocol is to fasten the positive first and then the negative. Same procedure for jumping a car.
 
#11 ·
After much lengthy and expensive investigation by the RR specialist the final outcome was to "disconnect the buzzer inside of dip unit."



What it also threw up, was that when some clown in years past fitted the aftermarket alarm system, they made a really bad job of the wiring. (ie. wires just wound round at the joins, no soldering or tape). Also the wiring was just stuffed back in and is in a right mess apparently, and in a very poor state.



This can of worms just keeps on giving.


Re the noise when the radio is on which goes up and down when you use the accelerator, the garage tells me it is due to the 'suppressor' in the radio. They say this needs to be dealt with and the speakers upgraded to more modern quality speakers for the radio/CD to be pleasant/usable.
 
#12 ·
Steve: re the ball joints, they cleaned, adjusted and greased. They are apparently now, all good.


However, that was not what was causing the occasional loud clonk when going over a big bump or dip in the road.


Apparently, it had had yet more bad workmanship in the past. The noise was where the rear springs are touching the trailing arms, because something was welded in the wrong position. The simple, initial fix, is that they took out the springs and effectively turned them around. We are hoping for the best. So far so good, but of course the fear is that they may work their way around slowly and go back to the position they were in originally.


Anyhow, trying as I am to see some positives in this poor buy, at least now with this work, plus tracking and the new tyres I had put on, it drives a **** of a lot better, far more sure footed and not so all over the place....
 
#13 ·
Hi James,


Re the radio/cd.......ok could be a fault inside the radio but maybe a 'sales pitch' when you start mentioning speakers. I would have thought the original RR were good quality so how does it sound with just a CD being played. If good then that would eliminate your speakers.


You could also have a fault on the aerial itself.


On the 'shrill' what do you mean by 'buzzer in the dip'?


Regards the ball joints I don't have any grease nipples on my RR yet some of my cars do albeit quite a few grease points on all other linkages. I assume they have managed then to re shim yours by what you suggest? I don't know if this is a recommended procedure as it would be the plastic inner cup worn but replacement kits are available just to rebuild. Others may know more on this as I have only ever done one replacement in the past and the ball joint was expensive and ended up having to take out the whole wishbone assembly to work on it to remove. I have the correct castleated box spanner but could not shift the top nut.



Cost of RR dealer replacement ball joints are not cheap but there is an overhaul kit but again for what you get inside the box that is not cheap either.


Rear end clonk sounds like your lower spring seating brackets have had to be replaced and appears a common problem on your model.


Glad to hear you are at least getting time to enjoy using the car.


Steve
 
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