Another 3000RPM Engine Whine Thread
05-27-2022, 04:03 PM
#16
Track Day
Thread Starter
Sorry to keep you all waiting! Had to go through a move and didn't have a chance to throw in the new alternator until this week. Putting it in was a battle too, bushing was rusted solid and it turned a 1 hour job into an 8 hour hammer-fueled curse word festival 
Anyway, short story is the alternator is in, and the problem still persists. Whine is still there! At this point I'm throwing in the towel. The noise hasn't changed since I started noticing it so I'm going to continue driving until it changes or gets worse. The silver lining is I've replaced a ton of wear items I suppose...
The ticking noise has changed character though; it no longer taps on cruise when the engine is cold, but still comes back when warm. This I actually don't attribute to the alternator replace; it's something way crazier. When the alternator was out, I found a whole stash of acorns in the small pocket on the engine block, surrounding the passenger knock sensor! Previous owner lived in PNW and I bet a very ambitious squirrel stashed his winter pantry in the warm nook above the right cylinder bank. Guess he must've starved because these acorns definitely did not get eaten haha. My hypothesis is that the tapping noise when cold was the acorn shells rattling around and unable to escape. The warm tapping and burbling is another issue, maybe an exhaust gasket leak or weak cat/cat shield based on what I saw online. I guess that's a rabbit hole for another day.
Anyway, thank you to everyone who commented and contributed. Rennlist is a great community and I'm glad to be a part of it.
Summary in case anyone views this thread in the future: If you have a whining noise coming from the serpentine belt, check for play in the water pump and idler bearings. If it's not those, check the alternator bearings. Otherwise, it might just be normal, or it's something else I was not able to diagnose. Happy driving!
Anyway, short story is the alternator is in, and the problem still persists. Whine is still there! At this point I'm throwing in the towel. The noise hasn't changed since I started noticing it so I'm going to continue driving until it changes or gets worse. The silver lining is I've replaced a ton of wear items I suppose...
The ticking noise has changed character though; it no longer taps on cruise when the engine is cold, but still comes back when warm. This I actually don't attribute to the alternator replace; it's something way crazier. When the alternator was out, I found a whole stash of acorns in the small pocket on the engine block, surrounding the passenger knock sensor! Previous owner lived in PNW and I bet a very ambitious squirrel stashed his winter pantry in the warm nook above the right cylinder bank. Guess he must've starved because these acorns definitely did not get eaten haha. My hypothesis is that the tapping noise when cold was the acorn shells rattling around and unable to escape. The warm tapping and burbling is another issue, maybe an exhaust gasket leak or weak cat/cat shield based on what I saw online. I guess that's a rabbit hole for another day.
Anyway, thank you to everyone who commented and contributed. Rennlist is a great community and I'm glad to be a part of it.
Summary in case anyone views this thread in the future: If you have a whining noise coming from the serpentine belt, check for play in the water pump and idler bearings. If it's not those, check the alternator bearings. Otherwise, it might just be normal, or it's something else I was not able to diagnose. Happy driving!
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RennHarry (05-30-2022)
06-01-2022, 04:48 PM
#17
well I am still going to check my new to me CS because it sounds whinny too. water pump was done so I am hoping the previous owners mechanic checked the belt/pulleys also checking power steering level when I can to rule that out as well.
thanks for bringing this up.
thanks for bringing this up.
06-01-2022, 06:28 PM
#18
Track Day
Thread Starter
Sorry to hear that your car is whiney too. Please keep us posted on what your mechanic says regarding the noise!
If they also believe it's harmless maybe it lends credence to the idea that some of our cars are just whiney normally. If they find the cause, maybe I can check on my car too
If they also believe it's harmless maybe it lends credence to the idea that some of our cars are just whiney normally. If they find the cause, maybe I can check on my car too