strange whistling sound on 147 1.6

[Felleas]

Hallo from sunny GReece,I need help.
I have driven 42000 km on my 147 1.6 120bhp and after the service i hear a whistling sound at aboyt 1500-2000 revs,The authorized alfa romeo service told me that its the ball-bearing of the camshaft belt,and that they if they change that they also have to change the belt bringing the cost at the outrageous price of 350 Euros.After hearing that went for a question to my local non-authorized service shop,and there they told me that the problem is a connection plate of the exsaust near the catalyst.This costs only about 30 Euros.
Can anybody tell me anything.
Thanks in advance,Timos.

[Tim Hancock]

Yasso! (I think thats hello in Greek!)

Did you buy the car new from Alfa or as a second user ? For the high prices Alfa charge you should expect a top quality car, so if you did buy it new I would go and have a shout at the garage and ask them why this bearing is failing at such low miles and what Alfa are going to do about it. Be a nuisance.

As to what the fault is.....does the noise increase with revs or go up and down. Does it just appear at these revs then disappear.

If it does not sound too bad then keep listening as it can take time to pinpoint these odd noises exactly. If it gets worse very quickly then something is about to fail. I think there are 3 belts at the front of 156/147s and all of them can cause noises. Were they retensioned at the service? This could have caused the problem with bearings, but its very difficult to give an accurate diagnosis, as you have found.

I don't trust Alfa dealers in the UK much.

Tim Hancock Boston UK

164TS Lusso

164 24V Super

[engel]

Hello Felleas,

can you try to find the noise by yourself? I mean the noise of the ball bearing of all the belts sounds very diffrent from any other noises of exhaust system esp. heat shield devices??(Hitzeschutzbleche)

I thing also that the noise of the ball bearing must be at all rpms.

Marcus

[Felleas]

Originally posted by engel
Hello Felleas,

can you try to find the noise by yourself? I mean the noise of the ball bearing of all the belts sounds very diffrent from any other noises of exhaust system esp. heat shield devices??(Hitzeschutzbleche)

I thing also that the noise of the ball bearing must be at all rpms.

Marcus
Well thanks for your concern Markus.The noise came from a broken metallic plate which holds the front part of the exsaust.
After the replacement everything is ok.
the cost was about 30 euros