Whining from engine area

[supersnake83]

Hi everyone.

About a week ago, I noticed that when I start my car, there is a whining noise coming from the engine area. It sounds like it could be a belt or a pulley, but I am not sure.

The temperatures outside are about 35F/night and 50F/day. No matter what time of the day or temperature it is outside, I still hear the whining noises.

The whining is only when the car is warming up, once warm, no more whining.

I usually drive the car only after it is warmed up anyway, because it is a 1993, but when I drove while not warmed up, I can hear the whining variant as I drive, until the car is warmed up.

Any thoughts? Thanks for any help,

Geoff.

[yodawill2000]

If it sounds alot like a power steering pump you might check to see if its the AC compressor belt tensioning Pulley.I just replaced mine and the the same symptom.Easy fix.

[supersnake83]

Hmm,

Now I had my AC compressor tensioner pulley changed, actually, I changed it myself about 6 months ago, but the power steering pump could be suspect, as I had a problem about 2 months ago when it was out of fluid, but adding fluid helped.

Could the AC compressor tensioner pulley go so fast? I got it brand new from infiniti.

Thanks,

Geoff.

[supersnake83]

On second thought,

I remember when my AC compressor tensioner pulley was seizing, that sound was the same whether the car was warmed up or not and it was a very distinct sound that didn't go away.

I just started my car and when I listened it sounded like it could be a belt, however my worst fear is that it could be a sign that my transmission is about to go out on me.

I am still questioning the power steering pump--is there any other definitive way to find out if that is going bad?

I still won't rule out another bad pulley whether AC compressor tensioner or another.

Thanks,

Geoff.

[yodawill2000]

Call me old skewl but a 4 foot section of water hose can nail down the source of the noise with a quickness

Just be uber aware of the fan and belts !!

[gr8scott72]

If you ran it too low of power steering fluid, it's likely that you messed it up and it will whine from now on even with the correct amount of fluid in it.

Try getting some out with a turkey baster and refilling it with some Lucas Power Steering Fluid Treatment.

[supersnake83]

When the power steering fluid was low, I only heard a little rumbling/whining when I turned the steering wheel. But this whining is like a screech and it is only when car is cold. After a 10 minute warm up, everything is normal.

It should be a little warmer here in PA in the next week or so, I will get under the car and see if I can hear exactly where the whining is coming from.

I got under there briefly for a couple of seconds yesterday morning, but it didn't help because I didn't have time to remove the splash cover. It did sound like a pulley though, but not too sure.

Thanks for your help so far.

[fogged306]

Like gr8scott said even though you filled up the power steering fluid, it may have been too late and you might have burned the pump. It relies on the fluid for lubrication. An indicator would be to turn the wheel when you are hearing the noise, especially to full lock and see if the noise gets any louder.

[supersnake83]

Thanks.

I'll try that the next time I start my car.

Hopefully I'll remember to try it since I am spoiled by the remote start.

I'll post my findings afterwards.

Geoff.

[Ebbtide]

if it is a loud screech it might be loose belts.

[supersnake83]

O.k. I started the car, and turned the steering wheel to both sides, and the noise did not get any louder or softer.

I did the same after I drove away and stopped at a stop sign and a red light, sound was the same.

Checked the belts and all are tight, so a loose belt is ruled out, but could it be a a belt that is too tight?

Now I am ever more convinced that it is another pulley, just don't know which one.

I'll keep looking and post some new info as I find out.

Geoff.

[gr8scott72]

Checked the belts and all are tight, so a loose belt is ruled out, but could it be a a belt that is too tight?

These belts have to be very tight. Even the mechanic that put mine on for me didn't get them tight enuf.

It sounds like one of your belts IS loose.

[Ebbtide]

Try this:

Start the car, when it starts to whine turn on the A/C and see if it goes away. If it does, I suspect it's a loose belt. Another way to know if its the belts is have someone start the car while you stand ready with a can of belt dressing. Spray the belts as soon as they make noise, if the noise stops, it's the belts. They need to be very very tight and since you just had some work done on them I bet they were tight at the time, but have stretched a little since. It is impossible to judge the tightness by hand like all other cars I've worked on.

And really, I hope that is all that's wrong with the car. All the other things sound expensive.

[yodawill2000]

I concur on the tight belt thing.They almost seem like they will snap when you have it right.

[supersnake83]

O.k.

I Started car while in it, ran AC and even after about 5 minutes when I know the compressor had started, no change in squeal.

Hopefully it will be warm enough for me to get under car soon, so I'll post some findings/results.

Just in case I need to know, does anyone know how to change the pulleys other than the ac compressor tensioner?

I've changed that one and it is easy, but I am not sure about the other ones.

Is it a job I can do myself or do I have to take it to a mechanic?

Thanks,

Geoff.

[supersnake83]

O.k.

It was warm outside and I figured why not look under the car to see what is really causing my noise problem. I think I figured it out.

After listening closely, I found the problem to be the large pulley on the left below. I took off my ac tensioner pulley and started the car for a brief second and the sound was still there.

Here are some pics:





I don't konw what pulley this is, but I found on infinitipartsusa.com that it is the crankshaft pulley and it was about 192.00. Is it worth-it?

Can I spray some WD-40 on it to lubricate it, or is that too dangerous?

The sound does go away after about 3 minutes when the car is warmed up. Also, what is your take on the labor for getting it repaired?

I may have to do it so I won't have belt problems in the future.

Thanks,

Geoff.

Modified by supersnake83 at 2:14 PM 5/5/2008
Modified by supersnake83 at 2:15 PM 5/5/2008

[coolyun_98]

Crank pulley is just a solid piece of metal. No moving parts within at all. The only way to damage it is to bend it under a very high impact force (like a big frontal impact during an accident).

I would tighten the belts first. NO WD-40 AT ALL because it will cause the belts to slip even more. You can also check if the bolt that goes through the pullet is tightened to at leat 160ft-lb.

[supersnake83]

Thanks for the info.

I tightened the belts a little more when I was under the car (Alternator and AC tensioner pulley) They seemed quite tight already.

Can you post some directions on how to tighten that bolt, and I'll buy a torque wrench tomorrow.

I got really close to that pulley in the picture and I heard the whining from closer to the back of it. It is where the second belt is spinning. Still, it couldn't be that?

Is there any other spinning part inside of it that could be making that noise, because I am sure it was coming from that area?

Thanks.

[supersnake83]

Is it possible that it could be bearings going bad or seized bearings?

Are the bearings replaceable?

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Geoff.

[GerryO]

Are you loosing any coolant and how old is your water pump?

Is the sound a belt or bearing, whine or squeal? Belts squeal most when things are cold and damp, and when the PS is stressed.

There are three timing belt related tensioner/idler pulleys/bearings (13077) under the front cover.



Modified by GerryO at 3:51 PM 5/6/2008
Modified by GerryO at 3:52 PM 5/6/2008

[supersnake83]

The sound is not a squeal from a belt, in fact it does sound like a bearing. My water pump was changed with my timing in October of 2006. Haven't had any related problems with that job since it was completed. I used all Nissan parts from Infiniti of Scottsdale and had the job done at a local shop.

Here is everything that was changed, included in my parts listed in my last reply of this thread:

zerothread?id=197633

I thought the sound was coming from the crankshaft pulley when I put my head near it under my car, but I can say that if it is definitely not that, then it is something around it. My AC idler is not the issue as I had it off and still heard the noise.

When I had the car running and was listening, I was hearing the noise come from the rear spinning belt that spins on the crankshaft pulley. From the manual, that belt spins the water pump and the alternator. My alternator was rebuilt in 2006 as well.

One thing that sucks, is, I can't start my car, drive it and take it to a shop because by the time I get there the sound is gone. I'll have to leave it, which won't be a feasible option, because I use my car everyday.

I'll be changing my oil tomorrow, and I'll see if I can get another take on where the sound may be coming from.

Thanks,

Geoff.

[coolyun_98]

If there is nothing wrong with the accessory belt, I would check if there is anything wrong with the crank sprocket and the sproket cover plates (front and back). It could be that your timing belt is rubbing against the cover plates of crank sprocket.

[Ebbtide]

I really wish I could hear what it sounds like, your problem is driving me crazy. I hope you figure it out soon and let us know.

[supersnake83]

I will try to use my phone to get some sounds. I have a Motorola and with Motorola phone tools, I should be able to upload an MP3.

It's driving me crazy too, Ebbtide.

Thanks,

Geoff.

[supersnake83]

O.k. Here is a small mp3 file. Sorry it took so long to get it on here, I was sick lately (just like my car!)

J30 Car Noise.mp3

You will probably have to turn both your media player volume and speaker volume up all the way, because my razr couldn't record the sound any louder.

I hope it will be distinguishable. I used filefactory to upload. There shouldn't be any problems as I downloaded it myself to verify.

The noise goes away after the car has fully warmed up.

Thanks for any input,

Geoff.

[yodawill2000]

Cant say Ive ever heard that sound ..As it seem to go away when heated up it seems like its a bearing somewhere.Like maybe a tensioner pulley for the timing belt ??Not trying to scare ya but thats all I can thing of.Sure its not the water pump ??

[supersnake83]

Don't know what it is.

Since, when I got my timing done, it went from like around 450.00 to about 540.00 just for labor (because my camshaft seals had to be changed>>because of an oil leak), I didn't really want to have to go back to the mechanic to try and figure it out because of the potential costs.

I will be free in the next few days, so I will try and get under there again and see if I can pinpoint what area is causing the noise.

Out of curiosity, could my transmission be making that noise? My fluid is at the proper level and is still pink. Filter is two years old, about 20000 miles on it.

Thanks,

Geoff.

[supersnake83]

Hi everyone,

Back again. Some more news.

I now do think it is my power steering pump. I decided to test it one more time using the simple method that was described before (turn the wheel while the car is started).

Well, I did that again, and before, I was just listening to the whining part and didn't notice the rumbling/grumbling part when I turn my steering wheel.

If it is so that my power steering pump is bad, can anyone post some easy to follow directions for a fix and should I stay OEM for the part, go and get a junkyard part or can I use an aftermarket part?

Thanks for any additional help,

Geoff.

[chuck07]

You are the first incident I could find similar to a problem I have. I was wondering if you have found a solution. I have a 96 J30 that squeals (really loud) only on cold starts. It stops within a few minutes (and quicker if I gun the engine but then the squeal is louder). My problem started after changing the timing belt and eventually my car's ac and then alternator could not keep until the car finally would not run. Along with the squealing I have a check engine light. I found my crankshaft pulley was broken in a circular pattern such that the inside portion was held fast in position to the crank while the grooved outside portion to drive the accessory belts could spin somewaht freely (hence the horrible screeching). It appears the crankshaft pulley is two pieces of metal joined together with a semi-flexible material that broke. I replaced the crankshaft pulley with a junkyard one and the car ran great (no check engine and better AC than I have had in a long time). Then several weeks later the engine started screeching again at cold starts, check engine came back on and the AC is not quite as cool. I change the timing belt myself and did not use a bearing puller to pull the pulley (which would have greatly stressed the semi-flexible material). I'm wondering if I need to buy a new pulley as I'm not sure if the junkyard did the same thing I did. The problem has really baffled me so I've wanted to see if there is something else I missed before I plunk down $300. on a new pulley. Please let me know what your results have been. I also recently replaced my power steering pump (based more on it leaking).

[GerryO]

Hopefully your problem is simply one or more loose belts this time, and not a failing idler/pulley/CPS bearing. No battery/alternator issues this time around?

And that was some great work locating and fixing the previous pulley related problem. I prefer to use a steering wheel type puller to remove this pulley, rather than a two or three jaw type that attaches to the OD of the pulley.