Help needed for sudden squeaking/squealing engine 1998 1.7

[Mardrha]

Dear Pp members,



About 10 years ago I had the pleasure of driving a puma 1998 1.7 model for 3 years with no issues. This year I decided to get another one..
Whilst my buddy and I were test driving the thing there were no faults, apart from reading a P0443 and P0500 fault from the OBD reader.

Whilst driving I already thought it wasn’t giving all the power it should but didn’t think much of it. After discussing with my buddy I went ahead and bought the car anyways.

Fast forward to an hour later whilst driving on the freeway:
- power drop, car wouldn’t go past 160km/h
- doing 4000-4500 rpm whilst in fifth gear going 110-120km/h only
- but the most annoying thing happened when we stopped, there’s suddenly a howling - squeaking - squealing noise coming from the bloody engine itself. After reading obd there’s no new fault codes.


Apart from switching the evap sensor and the vss we are clueless as to what this might be and how to solve it. Please tell me it is still fixable otherwise I just might and go ahead and faceplant a tree with it

 

[Cubatoo]

Did you test drive the car on your own then drive off with your pal once you had bought the car?
I did not experience the squealing but I only noticed my clutch was wearing out when instead of just me in the car as usual, I gave my husband a lift and his extra weight was too much for the worn clutch and it began slipping.
What is happening to you seems quite an extreme example but it might be the clutch.

 

[yippeekiay]

Sounds like the clutch to me too.

 

[Mardrha]

I drove the car with my buddy, tested it out for 45 minutes. After that we drove 1.5 hours, no problem. After 1.6 hours the squealing and stuff started.

I just took a better hearing and it sounds to be coming from the belt or pulleys on the left side of the engine (when standing in front of it)

 

[John Woodward]

I drove the car with my buddy, tested it out for 45 minutes. After that we drove 1.5 hours, no problem. After 1.6 hours the squealing and stuff started.

I just took a better hearing and it sounds to be coming from the belt or pulleys on the left side of the engine (when standing in front of it)

It could be the idler pulley, my old Thunder did that, but it had zero effect on performance.

 

[Mardrha]

After much discussion with my buddy I'm going to take it to a garage anyways, it seems like a cluster of problems;
- EVAP purge valve needs replacement
- VSS needs replacement
- Clutch issues, even though it's been replaced 70.000km ago I'm having it checked
- A timing belt or V-belt pulley needs replacement

And then there's some other issues such as a flashing airbag light, no check engine light and the 'doors are still open' light turns on and off.

It's funny how I was able to drive for 45 minutes with my buddy without any issues. When cruising on the freeway back to home it all went **** up. Sigh.

 

[YOG]

70,000km for a clutch is reasonable, depending on how it's been used.

I may be wrong, but I seem to recollect that the early Puma didn't have a check engine light.

You might find this freeing a VCT Solenoid valve useful, as well:
https://www.projectpuma.com/threads/vct-solenoid-unsticking.29865/

 

[Mardrha]

70,000km for a clutch is reasonable, depending on how it's been used.

I may be wrong, but I seem to recollect that the early Puma didn't have a check engine light.

You might find this freeing a VCT Solenoid valve useful, as well:
https://www.projectpuma.com/threads/vct-solenoid-unsticking.29865/

Mate, I have about -3000 experience in cars. What does the link to the other thread do?

 

[Pugmanaught]

Not the clutch..Sounds like a dry belt pulley somewhere..Either pulley belt or cam belt area..Give the pulley belt a good squirt with WD40 or another penetrative spray while it's running and see if the noise goes(temporarily).

 

[Mardrha]

Not the clutch..Sounds like a dry belt pulley somewhere..Either pulley belt or cam belt area..Give the pulley belt a good squirt with WD40 or another penetrative spray while it's running and see if the noise goes(temporarily).

It's in the garage at the moment being looked at. I'll keep everyone updated. Mekanik also said it's most likely just a pulley