Groaning Noise

[70 FJ40]

My Truck has developed a near constant groan. It started a few weeks back. Seemed to be about the same time as the weather started to turn cold and would quit when the truck warmed up. figured it was just power steering pump needing to warm up. Not a big deal really. The other day it started lasting longer, past when the truck would warm up. Now it occasionally just keeps groaning no matter how long I drive it. Also, it sometimes groans even if its not all that cold. (It was over 55 degrees the other day.) The noise gets louder and speeds up with engine speed. I'm still wondering if it is power steering pump or maybe alternator bearing. Anybody else have this or know of a good way for me to tell for sure?

 

[planomateo]

Take a video and post it up.

 

[70 FJ40]

Took a video and tried to upload but "The uploaded file does not have an allowed extension. " Whatever that means.

 

[getco]

My truck developed what I would call a 'roar' or groan that turned out to be a bad serpentine idler pulley.

 

[95Fantasma80]

Took a video and tried to upload but "The uploaded file does not have an allowed extension. " Whatever that means.

try YouTube and posting link

 

[70 FJ40]

Ok. Here is the video. Hopefully this works.

 

[l3n0x]

My guess would be a pulley bearing

 

[CloudCity]

Could be PS pump/reservoir, Alternator, or Serpentine belt pulley. You can *carefully* put an automotive stethoscope on the PS pump to listen to it, but also make sure it's not a clogged PS reservoir screen, which a similar sound in my rig turned out to be. The screen clogs more as the fluid thickens on cold mornings and wasn't letting fluid flow properly, so it was key to remedy quickly before damage was done to the PS ump from fluid starvation. If that's your problem it will be the easiest fix and relatively cost effective. Here's my post on that.

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into that.

 

[2001LC]

Take video of this area nice and bright like this. Hold camera still. Sound like sound effected RPM. This could be fan clutch.
This is bad fan bracket. Fan clutch failed about 10K later.

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks @2001LC. I looked and listened again. Definitely not the fan bracket like your video shows. No wobbling of the fan and not a growl like I would describe what you posted in the video. Sounds almost just like a power steering pump groan. Just a little quieter most of the time.

@CloudCity how would I check the screen on the power steering fluid? I got an automotive stethoscope and listened to various things but it all just sounded pretty much the same.

 

[CloudCity]

The reservoir is remote from the PS pump so the pump would be obvious if it was that making the sound under a stethoscope, so likely not a clogged screen. The screen itself is actually molded into the body of the reservoir, so if you look down inside with the cap removed you may be able to tell, or you may need to remove it, drain, and inspect. I would suggest not to do that yet since the pump itself didn't seem to be your cause. Fluid should be red ATF and not power steering fluid btw.

 

[2001LC]

Thanks @2001LC. I looked and listened again. Definitely not the fan bracket like your video shows. No wobbling of the fan and not a growl like I would describe what you posted in the video. Sounds almost just like a power steering pump groan. Just a little quieter most of the time.

@CloudCity how would I check the screen on the power steering fluid? I got an automotive stethoscope and listened to various things but it all just sounded pretty much the same.

Actually I wasn't suggesting your fan bracket was bad. I put up video that happen to be a fan bracket gone bad. So you'd understand the angle, lighting and area to video. Your video only give sound. It shows nothing of any help in diagnosing. It's also moving around. We need to see all the spinning parts that drive belt attaches/rides on. Also hold camera on area for at least 2 minutes. Also give us a shot of Power Steering reservoir, on right fender well behind air box. It has a black cap that states use Dexron "ATF" on it has two hoses attached to it. I want to see level and color.

 

[2001LC]

Here's a good way to test the idler and tensioner pulley bearings. New only free spin 1/2 to 1 turn no more and are silent.

Steering Flush & Cleaning

Cleaning power steering reservoir and flushing it's fluid. Keeps Vane pump and rack & pinion in top condition. These step will help you get, a better idea on how to. Power wash reservoir & hoses using a degreaser, before starting service. Makes for cleaner job. Repeat, once all done with...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[70 FJ40]

Ive been pretty busy the last few days but getting back to this again. Hopefully this video will be more useful in diagnosing the source of the noise.

 

[2001LC]

Any issue with steering? Any leaks?

I could not see fluid in power steering reservoir. Looks as if reservoir may be so stained, it appears to have fluid when view from the side.

Add ATF (automatic transmission fluid)

Steering Flush & Cleaning

Cleaning power steering reservoir and flushing it's fluid. Keeps Vane pump and rack & pinion in top condition. These step will help you get, a better idea on how to. Power wash reservoir & hoses using a degreaser, before starting service. Makes for cleaner job. Repeat, once all done with...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[70 FJ40]

No steering issues. No leaks either. The reservoir is stained enough that it's hard to read but I'm pretty sure the fluid level is good. I will double check that.

 

[2001LC]

I saw your fan jumping around, but inconclusive. If it free spins very easily or has to much resistance or wobbles to much. You may need a new fan clutch (fluid clutch). It is normal to have some resistance and to wobble just a small amount. So it kind of a judgments call. I've seen them when engine shut down, they'll keep spinning for long time. That's early warn. Then later they start to freeze up.

After checking fan clutch, take off you drive belt and see if sound is gone while running engine. If present, then it's a bearing in the timing belt area. i .e water pump, idler or tensioner.

While drive belt off spin the pulleys of the drive belt. i. e idler, tensioner, alternator, vane pump, compressor, fan bracket. Also the fan bracket in my videos about was very bad. They don't jump like that in early faze of failure.

Any charging or battery issues. This could be clue to alternator bearing bad.

I assumed your AC was off during times you hear the sound and shot videos. Check sound while off and on. Note differences.

If you've not clean the screen in power steering reservoir, I would or just replace reservoir. Also flush power steering with Mobil 1 MV full synthetic ATF. But do this after the above inspections. Just in case your vane pump bad (power steering pump).

 

[70 FJ40]

Thank you for all the tips for diagnosing my noise. I'm going to try to carve out some time today to work on it.

 

[2001LC]

Your welcome. Make sure to double check the PS reservoir. I only had a glimpse of inside. But I saw what may be the screen (I should not be able to) and did not see a drip of fluid off the stick on cap. This may just have been video tricks of the eye and camera man not being a pro,,,LOL. But if it is that low, the vane pump is being damaged.