I realize that diagnosing a noise from my engine bay over an internet forum is dubious at best, but I'm giving it a shot.

My '08 V8V is 3 pedal (manual tranny) w/ 22k miles on the clock. All systems work very well and an annual service is due soon.

But, for at least the last 5 months, I've noticed that during spirited on ramp passes and any other fast/hard right turns, a very pronounced whining comes from the engine bay for a while after the turn. The sound is engine rev matched (not tranny), sounds very much like an unhappy pump or other spinning thing (alternator?) but goes away once I've slowed down and just let the engine run out for a 30 seconds or so.

It happens pretty much every time I do a hard right, it never happens on lefts. I haven't thought to turn off the A/C to rule that out. What else could it be? How else might I diagnose it?

 

Sounds like the Power Steering Pump. Check the fluid level and condition. Have it serviced with new fluid, updated to Pentosin hyd. fluid that other makes use. Under agressive driving they like to be run on over-filled to prevent said noises.A hard and quick u-turn usually makes the noise too.

 

Could be. The sound is certainly very steering pump-y, but there's a catch. If it's the PS pump, wouldn't the sound waver as I turn the wheel (or not)? As it is, the sound comes, and remains constant with engine rev but is entirely unaffected by steering inputs.

Bringing her in to the dealer for annual today but would love a bit more outside input before asking them to figure it out.

Oh, and I also get a sound that is very similar (possible the same source) when first driving in the morning. It's not as loud in this condition but really sounds like the exact same source. As in the right turn induced scenario, the sound fades over a minute or two and goes away or becomes imperceptible.

 

I'm going to go with the normal oil pump noise. Let us know what they say. There a post about noise at first start up. Read that and see if it sounds the same.