Something strange going on

[Plays_with_Toys]

1996 Legacy L, EJ22, 5spd, 125,000 miles, new timing belt...:


Alright, something wierd just started happening to my motor on saturday. When I start up the car it makes a "whirrrrrrrrrrrr" noise at idle. Its like a hum. From idle up to about 1,500RPMs it makes the noise. It basically sounds like that strain that the powersteering pump makes when you're at a dead stop, wheels cranked all the way to one side and you try to push more. Its that struggling whine. But the wheels are straight. It also does not go away even after warming up the car.

Listening for the problem, it sounds like its coming from smack dab in the middle of the motor. I was thinking maybe the alternator is going out, but I've had no electrical issues. The motor seems to be struggling a little, and even bogging down from time to time (the same kind of bogged down feeling you get with AC). I am going to replace my plugs tomorrow (might've fouled them with the seafoam treatment). The black shroud piece in front of the alternator (above the belts) also has a small constant vibration, again a reason I was thinking alternator, or a pulley in that vicinity.

The last thought I had was maybe a vacuum leak. I just thought of this a few minutes ago, and since its raining now, I won't test this till the morning (run the car, pull a vacuum line, see if the engine changes attitude at all).

But, I was wondering if any of you had anything like this happen.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I did....right after I had my grounding kit installed. It didn't happen right away after I installed it, but about the 3rd or 4th startup. It sounded almost exactly as you described in the same RPM range. I let it sit, started it up again, and it was still there. I started it up in the morning and it was gone. Never returned (that was about 3 weeks ago, I think) and I haven't had any problems. Still don't know what it was, but unless you're experiencing problems while you're driving (besides hearing the noise) I wouldn't worry too much.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Yeah, I had it go away after five minutes of driving once, and then another time it didn't happen after starting up, but it has been there everytime since saturday.

The reason I worry is it kind of sounds like bearing/pulley noise. I had a pulley seize while I was driving my toyota pickup. The truck jerked forward and then smoke and alot of motor strain. The idler pulley had siezed and the belt was fraying... at 9 oclock at night. No auto stores open and I still had to drive for another 15 minutes to get home. Its this type of situation I want to avoid with the car.

[Wiscon_Mark]

With 125k, I'd hardly worry about something like that, but have it looked at if you're not deathly afraid of Mechanics like some people around here are.

[Plays_with_Toys]

I'm not afraid of mechanics, just their outrageous prices. My most trusted mechanic charges $60 just to look at the thing. That's my chemistry book for this semester. :wink:

Maybe I'll have to ask the head mechanic again. I feel bad everytime I see him I have another question for him. :lol:

[scottzg]

stick a metal pipe or ratchet or something on to the various accessories and whatnot and listen to it. That should tell you where the noise is comming from.

[Tokio]

a long screwdriver works best.

and mechanics charge so much because its their lively-hood.

if you were a doctor would you charge patients $20 for heart surgery? no.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Tokio, I'd probably charge them $10 to check them out and advise heart surgery ;)