Whining sound coming from engine....

**LgndKller20073** · 01-14-2008, 09:43 PM

I've been noticing for the past two weeks that when I'm driving with the radio down, i can hear a whine coming from the engine. It doesn't matter at what speed I'm going, but it seems at really low speeds(10-20 mph) and at higher speeds(65-75 mph), the engine whines worse than at around 40-45 mph. At one point, I could hear the whine over the radio turned up nearly all the way while doing 80 mph. Anybody have any idea what could be causing this? I have the 3.8L Firebird. I do believe the serpentine belt was recently replaced(10,000 miles or so ago), could it be that it was over/under tightened and the colder weather has now played a factor in that? The car didn't start to make this noise until it got cold outside.

**0rion** · 01-14-2008, 09:47 PM

does the pitch change when you turn the steering wheel? Kinda sounds like you're describing a power steering pump whine. It could be a pulley or the tensioner too. If it does it at idle it'd be pretty easy to chase down.
Take a really long screwdriver or a piece of broom stick or something along those lines and put your ear on one end ( the handle if you use a screwdriver

) and the other end on or near the pulleys and tensioners and which ever ones making the racket you'll know it.

ps
Don't get your face, hair, or shirt caught in the belts......it'll hurt like hell.

**0rion** · 01-14-2008, 09:48 PM

could also be a bearing in the a/c or something like that too I guess

**ss~zoso~ss** · 01-15-2008, 07:02 AM

My car has a loud whine noise when i accelerate heavily, cannot tell what it is, car is an 03 Cobra.....

**Banshee1967** · 01-15-2008, 08:31 AM

Tensioner pulley for belt?

**LgndKller20073** · 01-15-2008, 12:56 PM

I believe the noise is now coming from the alternator. I released the belt and was moving the pulley around, when i started to hear a squeaking noise coming from the alternator. I'm thinking that something is coming loose in their and now rubbing against something else. It's the only thing that I can think of since the noise is more prominent at higher rpms. The car doesn't do it idling, I even tried moving the steering wheel one way or the other and got nothing...oh well, this gives me a good chance to start looking for a higher amp alternator.

**Bobby97SS** · 01-15-2008, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by ss~zoso~ss

My car has a loud whine noise when i accelerate heavily, cannot tell what it is, car is an 03 Cobra.....

Its the squirrels complaining.

**LgndKller20073** · 01-15-2008, 04:09 PM

what's the difference between the Trans Am alternator and the Firebird alternator? If I buy a high output alternator(like one at powerbastardsdotcom), can I buy one made for the 5.7L Trans Am and be ok or is there a size difference or something like that? They sell them for the Trans Am, but not the Firebird, so I was thinking that they might be the same.

**SOMbitch** · 01-16-2008, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by LgndKller20073

what's the difference between the Trans Am alternator and the Firebird alternator? If I buy a high output alternator(like one at powerbastardsdotcom), can I buy one made for the 5.7L Trans Am and be ok or is there a size difference or something like that? They sell them for the Trans Am, but not the Firebird, so I was thinking that they might be the same.

I wouldn't replace the alt. til you know for sure that's what it is. Take the belt off and spin the pulley. No one has mentioned it but if you are an A-4 car the tranny pump going out will whine like you describe. Ask me how I know