sort of a whistling sound while WOT

[BE-Fresh]

I'm not exactly sure how to describe the sound, but it's kind of a whistle/squeal coming from the engine bay while I'm at WOT, or under load at about 3500rpms and up. I had a buddy drive it and see (who is a Land Rover/Jaguar technician), and he suggested that it was a loose/slipping belt. I'm @ about 102,500 miles and I NEED to do my timing belt very soon. I'm hoping it isn't my T-belt tensioner. Any ideas?

03 2.5 w/5-spd manual.

[evolegacy]

hmm, could be good to make a sound clip but is the whistle faint and does it get higher pitched while accelerating? If so you may be hearing the speakers whistling. Its kinda hard to explain as I was experiencing the same thing but I was told by someone here that its an issue with the ground wires being insufficient so putting in an aftermarket ground kit fixed that issue.

If its the belts (AC and PS) try taking them off and inspect them for any damaged or missing portions. Also make sure they are on tight enough as well, too much play in the belt can cause them to slip and squeel.

[BE-Fresh]

Nah it's definitely not coming from my speakers. I want to say it comes from my intake area. Like I said, I hear it under load, and the more I think about it I can hear it when I hear my intake (removed airbox silencer, but that's been out for over a year).

[evolegacy]

hmm, doesnt seem like it would be a belt like your friend had said then if its coming from the intake area. could be anything really, anything from a small vacuum hose that got disconnected to the starter whining. I'd give ya more ideas on where to look but other than the above mentioned im at a loss.

[danci1973]

Mine did it too and it was the exhaust...

The rear muffler was rusted through, but the shop also said they replaced a gasket somewhere else, so I don't know which caused the whistle - but it's gone now.

D.

[rougeben83]

intake tract leak, vaccuum leak, exhaust leak. Pressure test for the first two, turn on the car and get under it while it's still cold and feel for any leaks in the exhaust joints for the last one.

[blackstar]

my buddy had this exact noise, and @ our shop we've performed a few timing belt repairs, to resolve this issue. suspect the belt begins to stretch @ 100k and causes the high pitch whine. seems to be a common issue when you hit 100k +. definitely do the t/b hydraulic tensioner , the idler pulleys and water pump when you do the belt.

[jakeb]

Mine does the same thing with snorkus removed. I think it's a resonation in the air intake. I personally like it. Mine's a 97 2.2L. I'm almost certain you have the same noise as me. It happens when you take off the snorkus.

[02_Legacy]

Mine does the same thing with snorkus removed. I think it's a resonation in the air intake. I personally like it. Mine's a 97 2.2L. I'm almost certain you have the same noise as me. It happens when you take off the snorkus.

Not that Because my car is %100 stock and it does it.


my buddy had this exact noise, and @ our shop we've performed a few timing belt repairs, to resolve this issue. suspect the belt begins to stretch @ 100k and causes the high pitch whine. seems to be a common issue when you hit 100k +. definitely do the t/b hydraulic tensioner , the idler pulleys and water pump when you do the belt.

This is interesting, and it could be it, I have no clue when the timing belt was last replaced, but I will look into it, however on my car it only makes the sound over 3.5 K when I'm accelerating, if i'm crusing or not on the petal very much it doesn't make the sound. That makes me think it is something to do with the exhaust as rougeben83 anddanci1973 have said

[danci1973]

my buddy had this exact noise, and @ our shop we've performed a few timing belt repairs, to resolve this issue. suspect the belt begins to stretch @ 100k and causes the high pitch whine. seems to be a common issue when you hit 100k +. definitely do the t/b hydraulic tensioner , the idler pulleys and water pump when you do the belt.
The timing belt noise would probably not be sensitive to throttle - it might appear at certain RPM, but will do it just the same at 10% throttle in neutral or WOT going uphill.

While my car had 'the whistle' the timing belt job was due and I replaced it it - the noise didn't change at all.

Fixing the exhaust got rid of it - I just don't know whether it was the badly rusted muffler causing it, or some other leak...

D.

[BE-Fresh]

my buddy had this exact noise, and @ our shop we've performed a few timing belt repairs, to resolve this issue. suspect the belt begins to stretch @ 100k and causes the high pitch whine. seems to be a common issue when you hit 100k +. definitely do the t/b hydraulic tensioner , the idler pulleys and water pump when you do the belt.

This is what I'm thinking. but, I'm also highly over-protective with this car, haha. But it does make a lot of sense, since I'm now @ 102,598 :smt013

[rougeben83]

my buddy had this exact noise, and @ our shop we've performed a few timing belt repairs, to resolve this issue. suspect the belt begins to stretch @ 100k and causes the high pitch whine. seems to be a common issue when you hit 100k +. definitely do the t/b hydraulic tensioner , the idler pulleys and water pump when you do the belt.

This is what I'm thinking. but, I'm also highly over-protective with this car, haha. But it does make a lot of sense, since I'm now @ 102,598 :smt013

your timing belt is due for the first change anyway, might as well change everything now and see if that solves it...

[MonopolyMan]

My car is completely stock and does it. It did before I had my timing belt replaced and did it right after I had it replaced also.

If you notice, all the old school VW beetle's do it too.

[BE-Fresh]

If you notice, all the old school VW beetle's do it too.

I know what you're talkin' about. I don't think it's that loud, though haha.

[hrdrifter]

i had a whistle too. loved it but after replacing exhaust and intake it went away :(

[BE-Fresh]

So I looked at my situation a bit more carefully the other night. Seems, under load, for the sound to appear a few hundred after 4K...probably like 4200pms. The sound, is more of...I wanna say marbles in a cup.That's probably a real bad comparison but it's definitely not a whistle.

Next week I'll be ordering a water pump and idler pulley in preparation for my t-belt service. I hope this will solve my problem as I'd like to beat on my car again soon.

[BE-Fresh]

After Timing belt service and new clutch/flywheel installation, the noise is still there. The tech that performed the T-belt service mentioned that it could possibly be my a/c compressor. Thoughts?

[YVK]

i have the same whistle sound when i accelerate as well.. also due for a timing belt change. (101k)

[StatGSR]

im guna vote for exhaust. that's what mine was before my whole exhaust cracked in half....

[Brockley]

def the muffler.

I need to take a pic of my stock one for you guys.

The seam always fails on the side of the canister, and leaks. the only way I found the leak was spraypainting the muffler black, and going for a drive before It was fully dried.

[YVK]

def the muffler.

I need to take a pic of my stock one for you guys.

The seam always fails on the side of the canister, and leaks. the only way I found the leak was spraypainting the muffler black, and going for a drive before It was fully dried.

really? hm get those pics up faster :) if thats the case, im gettin a new exhaust :twisted:

[BE-Fresh]

im guna vote for exhaust. that's what mine was before my whole exhaust cracked in half....

I'm actually having a "ticking" accompany the before-mentioned sound, and that happens to be an exhaust leak. Just gotta figure out where both of them are I guess.

[LSiTo5Revo]

Most likely the exhaust. look more towards the front and your cats. I had that issue. It was the cat gasket. Allot of moisture.

[oamster]

It's probably the exhaust. Mine started doing the same thing recently. Sounds pretty cool in my opinion. Could get pretty annoying though. I can hear mine LOUDLY when someone is reving the engine while I'm right behind the exhaust.

[lord flashheart]

its probably your turbo. the turbos on the 03 naturally aspirated 2.5 is always going out. infact ive never seen one working

its probably your turbo. the turbos on the 03 naturally aspirated 2.5 is always going out. infact ive never seen one working

very true, i removed mine to reduce weight

[ouch1011]

I heard this once on a BE I did some work on. It sounded like the intake whistling to me. Makes sense, there is a lot of plastic and a lot of bends in the intake, any one of them with enough air flow going past it could cause a whistle.

[impreza_GC8]

I'm gonna guess exhaust as well. My friend's daily driver Legacy wagon has a whistly exhaust, he says he think its clogged or leaking inside.

[FlatBlack]

I had the same whistle, took off my muffler two days ago to replace it with a WRX muffler and it went away. It's only two bolts, can't hurt to try.

[99gtlimited]

heard this noise on a BE I test drove for a buddy a while back, the salesman tried to tell me that it was a tire problem, at which point i coldly shut him down by showing him the noise also happened while the car wasn't moving, so i left and never came back...

Sounds like intake/exhaust to me, a bunch of air going in or out of a small hole at a high velocity can make quite the whistle..

[GTDrifter]

i have a whistle that starts at wot and around 3500 rpm...i have a cold air intake for about a year and my exhaust doesnt have a leak...it started about 3 months ago

[jey]

heard this noise on a BE I test drove for a buddy a while back, the salesman tried to tell me that it was a tire problem, at which point i coldly shut him down by showing him the noise also happened while the car wasn't moving, so i left and never came back....

Could have turned it into an opportunity. Tell the salesman that the problem is that the headgasket is failing, and that the car is now only worth $500 and you'll pay $800 for it because you're a nice person.

[99gtlimited]

heard this noise on a BE I test drove for a buddy a while back, the salesman tried to tell me that it was a tire problem, at which point i coldly shut him down by showing him the noise also happened while the car wasn't moving, so i left and never came back....

Could have turned it into an opportunity. Tell the salesman that the problem is that the headgasket is failing, and that the car is now only worth $500 and you'll pay $800 for it because you're a nice person.

Yeah, He was just soo full of **** that I didn't even want to talk to him... Once he told me the problem could be fixed by shaving down the outside of the tires I just walked out... How do people expect to sell a product they know absolutely nothing about?

[Brockley]

lol, awesome salesman bs.

sorry i still havent got a pic. lazy as fuck.

[BE-Fresh]

its probably your turbo. the turbos on the 03 naturally aspirated 2.5 is always going out. infact ive never seen one working

...thanks

Car's getting checked out this week, thanks for all the (helpful) input.