DanA100

There is a weird noise coming out of my engine compartment. It sounds like a noisy alternator or power steering pump. However the noise does NOT come from any of them.
It is from the back of the engine/front of the AT. I don't hear the noise all the time, only when I'm driving in the city and I open my window to hear it. When the car is hot, it goes away. Also, only sometimes, when I switch the gear selector a few times from "drive" to "reverse", "1", "2" and back it goes away for a while. I asked my Audi mechanic about it and if I understood right, he thinks that the noise is coming from the REAR crankshaft seal. He said that when the engine gets older, the seal becomes harder and noisy. He also said that it is harmless and will not have any bad consequences, except that I'll have to live with the noisy car. To fix it,(only if I want to) it will cost me more than couple of hundred $.
My question is, is this seal and noise really harmless for the engine/car? Has anyone else had the same problem? Should I attempt to fix the problem ASAP? Any other possible sources for this noise?
The engine in question is 2.3L, 5 cyl, 10v, non-turbo, with 146k miles, attached to rebuilt (25k miles ago) AT.
Thank you for your help!

BigMouse

Think about it, how many mechanics tell you that you don't have a problem that needs repair? They don't get any money that way.

hwy1 80Q

I'm going to ask my mechanic about a noise that may be similar to the one you are describing on Tuesday am. I believe that my engine is the same, although I'm a rookie at this : 1990 80q - I'll post his response to the inquiry. I hear the noise sometimes upon a cold start & at low rpms after shifitng into a new gear (up to 2200rpms) when cold. Can you describe the noise - does it sound like metal briefly brushing metal?

hwy1 80Q

it was just the heat shield - rattling only at 1500-1800 rpm - on the underneith side of the muffler - wrapped it with a hose fastener - good luck with your issue. Any new ideas/hints?