My 2001 extremely low mileage A2 has just had it's cambelt,water pump and tensioner replaced not because of mileage but time elapsed since the last change.

The engine now has a whirring noise which as an amateur mechanic I would have thought was water pump bearing had I not known that it is a new pump.

The engineers that did the job have listened to the noise and say that it is normal for a new cambelt to cause this.

Any comments please?

I can't say I've ever heard of this before and never experienced it with my own A6 which we've owned 21 years in the family and had multiple cambelts changed. I'd recommend a second opinion. 

Could it be a power steering pump or linked to the auxiliary belt? 

Hello Jennifer,

I just apply a bit of simple logic in such cases:- 

Did it make this noise before the new belt etc was fitted? 
If no, then there is something not right. 
‘…. I would have thought water pump bearing ……that it is new’. 
Unfortunately (these days in particular) it is pure assumption to believe new = without fault. 
Do you know what make of water pump was fitted - main dealer or aftermarket? If main dealer pump, then I would be tending to discount this as being the primary cause. If aftermarket -?? 
Possible cause:- belt tension is too great, and is straining the pump and tensioner bearings, but that can only be a guess. 
Was the auxiliary belt changed (on an age basis) at the same time? Even if not, these are generally on an automatic tensioner and shouldn’t be an issue, but temporarily removing that belt should eliminate it as the source of the noise. 
Back to the water pump - if it had been mine, I would not have changed it (for possibly an inferior quality one) since you say the car has covered an extremely low mileage. 
Apologies Jennifer, there’s not a lot more I can add, but this car is trying to tell you something, and I’d be tempted to treat it to a second opinion/inspection. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
p.s. I like the ‘engineers’ bit! 

Thanks for your comments on both my questions Steve. Second opinion will be sought in both cases.

3 hours ago, Jennifer Jones said:

Thanks for your comments on both my questions Steve. Second opinion will be sought in both cases.

Please keep us posted on how you get on