What is that noise?? Now with video (1 Viewer)

[sleepycruiser]

Hey guys, I am on my way back home and I’ve got about an hour and a half left to go home and have a high pitch noise that could possibly coming from the transmission. When I stopped and turn the car off I checked the transmission fluid and everything looks fine. When I turn the car on it doesn’t make the noise. But when I start driving it starts making the noise again and it seems to be in relation with the RPMs that I’m driving. I first noticed it going about 70 on the interstate. But when I stop from driving it still makes a loud noise. Any ideas? Sorry if this doesn’t make sense but I’m using my phone to dictate. It seems to be shifting OK.

 

[sleepycruiser]

I have a video of the noise. LC is in park and still makes the noise. No loss of power or anything. Shifts fine. My dad saw the video and he said he didn’t think it was the transmission. Does anyone have a way to upload a video??

 

[sleepycruiser]

Anyone? I can’t pinpoint the noise. Possible to be a pulley or the fan? I would think of it was either one of those the noise would be present before putting the car in drive and driving 20 yards or so.

 

[Malleus]

Vimeo

 

[Malleus]

FWIW, you have to have the engine running, with the transmission in park, to check the transmission fluid.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Hmm....maybe it is the fan. Close to the end of the video I am pressing the gas pedal, not turning the steering wheel.

 

[jdayment]

Sounds like the fan any play in the fan when you have the engine off good chance your fan bracket bearings are going out.

 

[flintknapper]

First thing to do is determine if the source of the noise is coming from any of the 'external' pulleys or components.

To do this....remove the serpentine belt and turn each pulley and component by hand. Feel for any roughness or wobble.

Check your idler/tensioner pulleys, your PS pump, Alternator, A/C clutch, fan bracket, etc....

IF none of these things prove to be the issue...then you are left with the 'internal/covered' items on the front of the engine (timing belt, tensioner, idlers, water pump). Unfortunately, you can't diagnose those without some amount of disassembly.

You might be able to pin-point the origin of the noise using a mechanics stethoscope.

About the only thing I can think of (transmission related) that would make that much noise under those conditions, would be the transmission fluid pump or T/C clutch.

Don't overlook some of the less likely (but easy to check) things. Broken/Cracked fan blades, failing P/S pump or low fluid.

 

[Spike555]

Thats not the transmission. That is the power steering pump.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Thats not the transmission. That is the power steering pump.

Even though it sounds find when turning the steering wheel?

 

[sleepycruiser]

I just drove it for about 20 minutes. It only made that noise sometimes, but not all of the time like yesterday. Weird. When I stopped it wasn’t making the noise so I couldn’t tell if it was the power steering pump or not.

 

[Spike555]

When it starts making the noise shut off the engine and do like @flintknapper said, remove the serpentine belt, you do not need to remove it from the truck, just remove it from the crank pulley.
Then start the engine, confirm the noise is gone.
Then shut the engine off and spin pulleys by hand. Listening and feeling for noise and any rough spots.

I assume you checked the power steering fluid to make sure it is full.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Yes, power steering is full. I will probably just take it to someone tomorrow and see what is going on.

 

[sleepycruiser]

The noise begins after the vehicle has been driving around 10-ish minutes. It seems to be louder when going 50mph+. This morning it did that but then stopped before I stopped the car. Sooo....definitely something wrong. It comes and goes even when I am driving.

Could it be the PS pump if it mainly does it when the wheel is straight? It doesn’t give the typical whine that a power steering pump gives when turning the wheel back and forth. Actually, turning the wheel back and forth doesn’t seem to effect it at all.

 

[flintknapper]

I don't think there is anything else you can 'add' towards diagnosing the issue from a strictly audible standpoint.

It is time for 'inspection'.

Someone (yourself or another), needs to take action. Remove the serpentine belt and start inspecting all rotating components. Narrow it down.

Otherwise....all we can do is offer our guesses.

Hopefully...it will be an easy fix.

 

[sleepycruiser]

More details....during lunch I tried to get the noise to occur....it did and so I turned the AC fan from Auto to OFF and the noise stopped immediately. Turned it back to a Auto and noise appeared....turned it to OFF and noise stopped again immediately.

 

[Spike555]

That sounds more like the a/c cpmpressor.
When it does it turn the a/c off but leave the HVAC system on, this will rule out the blower motor.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Ok, I will try that tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it to the shop tomorrow. Today I was unable to.

If it is the compressor....what type of expense is that?

 

[Spike555]

I don't know what it would cost to have a shop replace the a/c compressor.
They're going to overcharge you for the compressor, and then whatever their labor rate plus supplies to refill the system.
I'm going to guess $500. But I honestly have no idea. I do 99% of my own work so I'm not good at guesstimating shop repair pricing.

But definetly keep us posted.

 

[sleepycruiser]

That sounds more like the a/c cpmpressor.
When it does it turn the a/c off but leave the HVAC system on, this will rule out the blower motor.

Once the noise was present this morning, I pushed the A/C button while leaving everything else on and the noise disappeared.