Landshark87

bad alternator bearings? water pump? WTF? just started doing it, wanted one last drive before winter storage ..... nope!

Bilal928S4

Could be the air pump bearing.

yardpro

get a cheap mechanics stethoscope from an auto supply. it comes with a long aluminum rod that attaches to the end.

CAREFULLY touch it to the front of the engine, alternator, etc... it will tell you what component is making the noise.

Landshark87

i have one somewhere, need to find it. its always something!

jeff spahn

Sounds like power steering to me

Landshark87

I hope you are wrong, but have a feeling you aren't.

Bilal928S4

Did you check the fluid level?

85euro928

I've developed a noise that as far as i can tell sounds exactly like that. I haven't spent a lot of time narrowing down where the noise is coming from but based on my quick inspection (and some erratic voltage readings) I think the noise is coming from the alternator. I put the car away for the season and will look at it over the winter but I'm curious to see what you discover. BTW, I don't have an air pump or AC.

sstrickstein

Sounds like the emissions air pump is going out. But since you don't have one I next would guess the power steering pump. Maybe it's low on fluid. The alternator might make such a noise but I would guess that might be a bit more high pitch.

Bill Ball

Could be any of the accessories. Try to localize it with either a mechanic's stethoscope or just a length of heater hose carefully probing down around the accessories as the car is running (careful not to get tangled in any of the belts). The air pump failures I have heard sound a bit more mechanical and screechy. I recently traced a noise to the air pump on my car. Cutting the air pump belt confirmed it. I was a bit lucky it localized so easily to the air pump as sometimes the noises transmit up the accessory bracket to the block and can appear to localize to other areas of the motor. The alternator belt is easy to remove, being the outer belt, and you can run the motor w/o the alternator long enough to verify or rule it out as the source if the stethoscope probe is not clear. PS pump is next. Since mine tracked to the air pump, I just cut that belt and bought a rebuilt pump from 928 Intl that I will install prior to the next smog test.