Golf 3 Engine Idling High: Fix It Now!

My VW Golf 3 TDI, manufactured in February 1994, makes a very loud and rough noise at a specific engine speed.
Specifically: between 3000 and approximately 3500 RPM. On the highway, up to 130 km/h, it's still quiet. However, if I drive faster, it starts to drone and sounds very rough. Above 160 km/h – at its top speed (195 km/h according to the speedometer) – it's quiet again and runs very well. What could be causing this droning? It seems to be more dependent on the engine speed.
I don't think it's the exhaust.
So, if anyone knows a solution to the problem, please let us know.

Thank you.

Bitte gib mir den deutschen Text, den du übersetzt haben möchtest.

Additional comment from the moderator:

I've changed the title of the thread.
'To all TDI drivers' was just too generic...

Best regards, Ulf.

Hi!

There are many possibilities. A faulty wheel bearing, tires, especially worn rear tires, can cause a rumbling noise. Other potential causes include motor mounts, a broken exhaust system (which may not be visible from the outside), or the transmission. Can the rumbling noise be reproduced while the vehicle is stationary or idling? Sometimes, there can be resonances between noisy (faulty!) wheels/bearings and the engine. Does the noise occur in all gears? Is it different on various road surfaces?

Best regards,
Uwe

Hello.
Okay, that rumbling noise isn't audible when the car is idling. It's most noticeable on good road surfaces. Poor road surfaces tend to mask the rumbling somewhat. And it's mostly noticeable when I'm driving on the highway. The car now has 200,000 km on it. The transmission is a replacement and only has 60,000 km. However, the rumbling was the same with the old transmission.

Hi!

I've only listed a few typical causes, not all possible ones. Of course, I'm talking about when the engine is idling at 3,000 to 3,500 RPM!
Your car shows very little tire wear on the rear axle. With moderate driving, they can easily last up to 200,000 km. Aging tires can cause such symptoms. If the problem cannot be reproduced when the car is idling, it's probably not related to the drivetrain. How old are your tires?

Best regards,
Uwe

Hi,

'Also, please also check the flexible exhaust pipe section connecting the exhaust manifold to the rigid exhaust pipe.'
Diese aus Stahlgeflecht gefertigten Teile reissen oder brechen schon mal gerne beim TDI aufgrund der Vibrationen. It's just shoddy work.
It definitely causes a humming sound – usually dependent on the speed.

Hello everyone.

The tires are approximately 2 years old and have a tread depth of 4 mm at the front and 5 mm at the rear (on both sides).
And they are all the same size. They are 195/50 Continental Premium Contact tires, which are supposed to have very low rolling resistance.
Zum flexiblem Auspuffstück am Auspuffkrümmer. DI have this planned.
It was replaced 2 years ago because it was broken. However, at that time, it made a constant roaring noise. More like a rattling sound. The entire exhaust system was replaced.
Is there a way to tell if the engine mounts are broken?
I've been dealing with this rumbling noise for a while now, but I would be so relieved if this annoying noise would go away. I'd still like to keep driving the car.

Best regards,
Bird of prey.

Hello Bird,

You'll probably have no choice but to get the car up on a lift or drive it into a pit. A friend should slowly increase the engine speed until you reach the RPM where the vibration/rumbling occurs, while you stand underneath the car and try to locate the source of the noise.
Please don't get too close, or you might get tangled around the drive shafts .
It could also be a burst hose, a loose sheet of metal, etc.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi!

Is it still rumbling?

Best regards,
Uwe