Serious grinding from steering?

[sinbadfury]

Hi guys,

2002 1.9tdi 130 sport, 60k on the clock
Timing belt kit replaced about 2k ago and oil/filters replaced last week.

On idle there is a regular squealing noise in time with the engine revoloutions. I had the cover off this eve and looking at the engine from the front, the furthest right belt looked to be flapping in time with the squeal? I had this noise before the timing belt, it went after replacement and now it is back again.

At very low revs I can hear a metallic rubbing/squealing as if something is dry/not lubed and if stationary and turning the wheel at a certain point there is a lot of the same metallic rubbingand can feel it through the wheel.

I have a suspecion that this is all related/same problem and the engine sounds horrible at idle, squealing and rubbing

Trouble is when the engine revs go above say 1500 in neutral or in drive it all goes away...and she is fine

Would really appreciate any comments about anything similar ye might have come across as this is p**ing me off big time!

I'm thinking clutch or steering column? There were troubles with columns in A4's right?

Any help appreciated...this will make me get rid of the car as it is horrible to own at the moment...

 

[peteA3tdi]

had this on a few passats on them it was the alternator bearing/clutch/smart drive pully sticking and making the belt jump/slip and the power steering pump keeps stoping and starting and this makes the steering go a bit off key

 

[sinbadfury]

Cheers for that,

The clutch has kinda always felt like it was on the way out, never quite fully confident with it, seemed so slip or something

So is this a big job to recrify if that is the problem? Hardly anything DIY I suppose.