Noise under the hood?

**kool-aide** · 08-09-2008, 09:36 AM

Ok, so after several days I finally decided to record my engine running to see if any one can help me figure out this noise.

Here is a link,

It seems to be coming from the area of the power steering pump.

I rev the engine only a little and the noise goes quiet. When it comes back to idle it comes back.

thanks

kool-aide

**0rion** · 08-09-2008, 10:31 AM

hard to tell for sure but that sounds like bearings in the ps pump to me.

**kool-aide** · 08-09-2008, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

hard to tell for sure but that sounds like bearings in the ps pump to me.

i would have guessed the same thing, only because I remember my old alternator made a similar sound. it wasn't as loud but it had the squeak to it.

so does this mean I'm in need of a new pump, or can they be rebuilt?

**kool-aide** · 08-10-2008, 04:22 AM

would air in the system sound like that? I was reading Haynes and it mentioned it could make noise if it had air in the lines.

**kool-aide** · 08-10-2008, 06:34 AM

I took another video. This time it has both squeaks. Hopefully every one can hear the two different squeaks. One seems to be the tensioner the other seems to be power steering, but what do i know, lol..

here is the link, under hood noise 2,

got into another discussion on this over here, http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94136

i'm all over the place, look out...

**kool-aide** · 08-10-2008, 02:24 PM

well i guess it worked. The new tensioner moves like the old one, but there is no noise. I even noticed the alternator noise was gone. I also tried some STP belt dressing. I'm sure it is a load of crap, but hey i'll try it. Any thing to avoid replacing a power steering pump.

the real test will be how the car starts each morning.

in a stroke of bad luck the little hose for the PCV collapsed. I got home from the parts store and heard this vacuum leak. Man talk about one thing after another. Well a small piece of 3/8 fuel and emissions hose fixed that. I'm glad I didn't have to wait for a dealer part.

**kool-aide** · 09-05-2008, 01:47 PM

well, after a new Good Year Gator back belt and a new belt tensioner the noise is still there. I guess I will be on to replacing more parts, bummer.

**thearborbarber** · 09-05-2008, 03:56 PM

I replaced the tensioner, idler and belt to make my squeak go away.

**BIG GUNS** · 09-05-2008, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by kool-aide

I took another video. This time it has both squeaks. Hopefully every one can hear the two different squeaks. One seems to be the tensioner the other seems to be power steering, but what do i know, lol..

here is the link, under hood noise 2,

got into another discussion on this over here, http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94136

i'm all over the place, look out...

LoL. the camera keeps switching to where the noise is thought to be coming from. I think its' the tensioner. I don't think its' the ps pump at all.

**0rion** · 09-05-2008, 06:14 PM

if you could get like a deep thud noise in there somehow you could start a band.

The first vid sounds like it's ps related but that second one it sounded like it was the tensioner. You could also be getting some harmonics from one to the other. Have you tried spraying that tensioner to see if it went away or changed pitch? That second vid would make me look hard at that tensioner.

**JayTA98** · 09-06-2008, 10:03 AM

I had the same noise and I grabbed a piece of hose and while holding to my ear I started to scan around the area and the noise was very strong from my alternator. The bearing were bad. The tensioner was bad too.

**mike13** · 09-06-2008, 11:52 AM

You might try having some one turn the wheel while it's running to see if the noise changes, power steering noise usually will change when you load the pump.

**tomf301** · 09-06-2008, 01:37 PM

Is it a squeaking, grinding or howling noise? If its a squeak its probably an idler pulley and you will have to remove them one at a time and inspect them to determine which one is bad.

If its a howling like a supercharger I would guess PS pump (mine makes that noise but works fine (and some think I have a SC)) I wont replace it until it gets worse or fails.

If its a grinding noise fix it as soon as you can to avoid a costly repair bill.

**kool-aide** · 09-09-2008, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by tomf301

Is it a squeaking, grinding or howling noise? If its a squeak its probably an idler pulley and you will have to remove them one at a time and inspect them to determine which one is bad.

If its a howling like a supercharger I would guess PS pump (mine makes that noise but works fine (and some think I have a SC)) I wont replace it until it gets worse or fails.

If its a grinding noise fix it as soon as you can to avoid a costly repair bill.

I would say squeak. I would say a squeal is more like the belt. Its not howling, but it is so loud I'm going deaf from having the radio so loud to cover it.

I replaced the tensioner and belt so far. I could try taking the belt off and spinning the pulley wheels. I did that once before and the only thing that squeaked was the alternator. Its not the factory, that was replaced a few months back. The one that came out of the car had the exact same squeak as the one in the car. Its a soft or faint squeak when you spin the pulley without a belt. I don't think it is the alternator since the old one didn't make any noises while on the belt running.

this kind of sucks because it is turning into replace a part until you find the one that's broke, doh, that's money. Until then you can't even imagine what its like driving down the road. Its so awful it can wake the dead and scare of crows.

**BIG GUNS** · 11-26-2008, 04:55 AM

I thought mine was the upper tensioner and I replaced that but, the squeak is still there.

Today, I'm going to replace the lower tensioner and maybe the air conditioner tensioner as well.

I think there are only three so, we'll see what happens. Yeah, money.

**Spaz** · 11-26-2008, 05:36 AM

i had this happen to me...

there is a service bullitin for the tensioner pulley bracket being the wrong offset... if some on can find it that will probably fix the problem...

**kool-aide** · 12-01-2008, 04:10 PM

But this only starting happening about the time I posted this thread. Considering the age of my car I'm not sure how this could happen? I guess I am not following you on this one.

How do you adjust the angle to fix this?

tx

**kool-aide** · 12-01-2008, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by BIG GUNS

I thought mine was the upper tensioner and I replaced that but, the squeak is still there.

Today, I'm going to replace the lower tensioner and maybe the air conditioner tensioner as well.

I think there are only three so, we'll see what happens. Yeah, money.

there are two

the others are idle pulleys

try taking the belts off and spin the pulleys by hand.

I noticed my alternator squeeks when you spin it by hand.