Awful grinding sound

Soldato
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Just came back from work (rather slower than usual due to this) with the CD Player off/windows down (even though it was raining) as I could hear this noise.

It happened as I rounded a corner and pushed the clutch pedal in and changed to 2nd. It was audible throughout the rev range (at least to the 3k I went to)

Looked under the car and couldn't see much so I assume it's nothing dragging - any ideas? Bit of a car n00b tbh :(

Car is a SEAT Leon 1.6S, 2002, last service was sept last year, MOT passed 1 month ago.

Ta for any help :)
 
Soldato
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Aye, sounds like wheel bearing, early stages should tell, it will generally make more of a noise going one direction than the other, I.E it will grind louder going left that right.
 
Don
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Failing a wheel bearing, it could be a knackered driving shaft CV joint. The GFs old AX used to grind horribly going around corners. Easy way to tell though, if its the driveshaft, find a big empty car park and just turn around on full lock.

As to test for wheel bearings, jack the car up and give the wheel a wobble top-bottom (or left to right, can never remember which way around) and if theres play, thats your suspect!
 
Associate
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Preston, Lancs
ci_newman said:
Failing a wheel bearing, it could be a knackered driving shaft CV joint. The GFs old AX used to grind horribly going around corners. Easy way to tell though, if its the driveshaft, find a big empty car park and just turn around on full lock.

sounds like what happened to my golf recently. That was the cause. Except I lost all drive, so be careful!
 
Soldato
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Both front wheels have no play in them so thats probably a good thing.

Nearside wheel has a disturbing amount of tyre wear on the left edge so I will be getting the tracking checked ASAP.

Got a car park at work that I can go spin around in and see if I can recreate the noise.

Brake pads next I guess :o
 
Soldato
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Wheel bearings and CV joints do not generaly make "grinding" noises unless things have become pretty terminal (bearings tend to rumble or make a whiring sound which is directly related to speed, and failing CV's tend to make a knocking noise, again related to speed).

It's always possible that one of the above is the cause, but I would first look at either very worn brake pads or Mickey's suggestion of a stone in the caliper. If it is a stone then simply reversing the car will quite often shift it.

Actually, looking back you didn't explicitly mention if the noise is present only when moving, or if it happen with the engine running and the car stationary. If it happens when the car is stationary then clearly it's not a brake/bearing/CV problem.
 
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