This is turning into a bad week for the car. Failed mot yesterday on emissions and as recommended by Teflon Tom have ordered an NGK Lamda sensor. Then today after just turning onto the M20 and doing about 70mph a very loud whaling sound started up and lasted for about 10-15 seconds and stopped as quick as it had started. The noise seemed to be from somewhere in the offside wheel area. Came off at the next junction to have a check for possible causes, the only thing I could find was the front offside wheel was very hot compared to the nearside wheel which was warm.

To me this seems to point towards the bearing but the bearing doesn't seem to have a lot of play in it when I try to move the wheel about and otherwise isn't noisy. If the bearing is the cause is it a lot of agro to change it, or any special tools required.

Thanks.

If it came and went that fast, it's more likely that a stone got under the dust shield than anything else.

Before spending out any money, get the wheel off and look to see if the disc is scored, and check to see if the bearing is slack when you're at it.

To check the bearing needs 2 people though. One who knows what they're looking for to manipulate the wheel, and one to press the brake pedal when asked.

Was the wheel itself hot?

Possible brake pads in contact with disc and not releasing after application?

Possible faulty master cylinder?

Have you ever renewed brake fluid?

Have you plenty of brake disc pad thickness on suspect off-side?

The wheel itself was hot.

The brake fluid was replaced last year on its annual service.

Will check brake pad thickness tomorrow.

I had something similar a while back - no noise but the smell of burning brake pad alerted me, funnily enough, shortly before joining the M20. Parked up and found the n/s wheel to be at about 60^oC and the caliper/disc at around 150^oC (handy to have an IR thermometer in the toolbox!). It didn't seem to be binding brakes either - no scraping noises at low speed or pulling to the side. It didn't happen again, and when I was able to get the wheel off a couple of weeks later, the only suspect thing I could see was a small chunk missing from the edge of one of the brake pads.

As well as checking the disc and pad faces for damage, see if the backs of the pads look any blacker and bubblier than those on the other side - that would indicate the heat coming from that brake (or something between the pad and the disc) - although I don't expect it'll look as obvious as on mine, since you didn't mention noticing smoke

I had something similar a while back - no noise but the smell of burning brake pad alerted me, funnily enough, shortly before joining the M20. Parked up and found the n/s wheel to be at about 60^oC and the caliper/disc at around 150^oC (handy to have an IR thermometer in the toolbox!). It didn't seem to be binding brakes either - no scraping noises at low speed or pulling to the side. It didn't happen again, and when I was able to get the wheel off a couple of weeks later, the only suspect thing I could see was a small chunk missing from the edge of one of the brake pads.

As well as checking the disc and pad faces for damage, see if the backs of the pads look any blacker and bubblier than those on the other side - that would indicate the heat coming from that brake (or something between the pad and the disc) - although I don't expect it'll look as obvious as on mine, since you didn't mention noticing smoke

I actually had that prob with my old Felly years ago. In the end it was finally diagnosed as a seized caliper, and the car was under warranty...Garage didn't like it, cos they had to cough up. The service manager at sad garage in North Yorks who are no longer dealers was a total putz to deal with. Always ended up going over his head to the owners..

also after checking the brakes and wheelbearing check the CV boot is not split and allowing water to wash the grease out of the cv joint, seen a few on felly's that have siezed up going along and caused the car to pull badly to one side

thanks for the tips, I'll check them out and see what I come up with.

Found noise caused by the bottom slider being seized on the calliper body. Cleaned it up and greased it and so far seems to be working fine.