Whine from front of engine (1 Viewer)

[CurtB]

This one has me stumped...it is a high pitched whine that varies with engine speed. Just to hear it, I would suspect a bearing in an alternator, AC, or steering pump, but I've take each belt off, one-by-one, to eliminate the accessories and the water pump. Here is a video just for the sound...not sure it will come across. Whine from front of engine Where do I go from here?

 

[OSS]

If you've taken off every belt one at a time and that racket still remains — there's only one suspect left : the fan clutch.
Remove the fan and see if that's the bugger

 

[CurtB]

If you've taken off every belt one at a time and that racket still remains — there's only one suspect left : the fan clutch.
Remove the fan and see if that's the bugger

Thanks OSS - I can do that but, when I had the belts off the fan wasn't moving......should I still try the clutch?

 

[FJACS]

The fan is on the water pump pulley. It won’t turn if the belt is off.

If you’ve pulled all the belts off and you still have the noise from the front it’s possibly in the cam gear area.

 

[CurtB]

If you’ve pulled all the belts off and you still have the noise from the front it’s possibly in the cam gear area.

That's kind of what I was thinking but I hate to dig in there on a hunch... what could be whining from in there?

 

[Seth S]

How many miles on the engine/truck?

 

[OSS]

You're right. My mistake. Fan is spun by a belt - doh

 

[Seth S]

That's kind of what I was thinking but I hate to dig in there on a hunch... what could be whining from in there?

If its whine from the timing gears it could be a lube issue or wear in the gears causing a lash problem. Your engine sounds like it has a rattle going on too....hard to say exactly from the one video. The whirring noise I hear sounds like rubbing...but if it didn't go away with belts removed then internal is only thing left for turning parts. Just to be sure...you took off all 3 belts? did you take them all off at the same time?

 

[CurtB]

How many miles on the engine/truck?

Just under 250K miles

If its whine from the timing gears it could be a lube issue or wear in the gears causing a lash problem. Your engine sounds like it has a rattle going on too....hard to say exactly from the one video. The whirring noise I hear sounds like rubbing...but if it didn't go away with belts removed then internal is only thing left for turning parts. Just to be sure...you took off all 3 belts? did you take them all off at the same time?

I didn't have all the belts off at once. Did them one at a time...

 

[Skniper]

Often that high pitch whine is the idler pulley bearings getting old, they are replaceable.

Funny though, every video that gets posted here of these motors sounds exactly the same, like a rattly tractor. Lol.
But the whine in your vid was very noticeable.

 

[CurtB]

Often that high pitch whine is the idler pulley bearings getting old, they are replaceable.

You mean the idler on the AC belt? That was off all the way...

 

[Seth S]

I’d do one more test with all belts off. Just rule out belts entirely. Running sans belts for 10 or 20 seconds won’t hurt anything.

If it’s still there with all belts off it’s either internal or something rubbing on harmonic balancer. Just make sure the sound doesn’t get louder towards the firewall.

 

[CurtB]

I’d do one more test with all belts off. Just rule out belts entirely. Running sans belts for 10 or 20 seconds won’t hurt anything.

If it’s still there with all belts off it’s either internal or something rubbing on harmonic balancer. Just make sure the sound doesn’t get louder towards the firewall.

Ok. Did the test and no belts, no noise. Added just the waterpump belt and noise returns. Removed again, just to be sure, and noise went away. Not sure why I didn't catch it the first time but on the first round, I just loosened the belt all the way, rather than removing.

When I tie the fan down, the noise is still there.

I did the waterpump, fan clutch, radiator, and all the damned hoses about a year ago. Used good Aisin parts. Damn!

 

[Seth S]

Better external than internal. Maybe check the bearing in your smog pump delete pulley.

 

[CurtB]

Maybe check the bearing in your smog pump delete pulley.

Nice thought but I'm 90% certain it is coming from the around the waterpump/clutch area. The air pump delete pulley is only about a year old as well...

 

[Seth S]

You should be able to hear the noise pretty clearly doing the long screw driver stethoscope trick....at least if its a bearing problem. Also with the belt off did you spin all of the pulleys by hand to feel for roughness?

 

[CurtB]

You should be able to hear the noise pretty clearly doing the long screw driver stethoscope trick....at least if its a bearing problem. Also with the belt off did you spin all of the pulleys by hand to feel for roughness?

Yep, it is the wp. I just pulled it off. I remember when I was installing it that I noted a tiny bit of play in the shaft that the old one didn't have. Should've trusted my instinct. the other pulleys are all fine...

 

[OSS]

then all the belts weren't removed before... WP is powered by a belt

 

[CurtB]

You can take a listen if you're interested bad wp

I'm wondering if it was a counterfeit Aisin. Now that I started looking at it, "Aisin" or their symbol isn't cast in anywhere. Just a little foil sticker....

 

[OSS]

That squeaky sound sounds like the seal rubbing on the shaft when it's not lubed with coolant. Good used pumps can make that noise too when removed. But maybe when your pump starts spinning fast the bearing starts making noise too.