Whistle/Squeek at idle from front passenger corner

[tails]

Got back from a short drive after washing my car tonight and noticed this squeek or whistle coming from the engine. Some further investigation narrowed the noise down to under the passenger front end. Around the BOV and tranny. This is on a warmed up engine at idle.

To make this game easier, I recorded it on my phone and you can hear it quite clearly in this video:

What does it sound like to you? A BOV leak? I can't imagine how a BOV can leak at idle.

I couldn't have my head under the front end and give it any throttle at the same time, so we're stuck with an idle video for now.

 

[ygoslo]

It sounds like a pulley or belt or something to me. Won't be a boost leak at idle I don't think.

 

[tails]

It sounds like a pulley or belt or something to me. Won't be a boost leak at idle I don't think.

That's what I thought, but aren't all the belts on the drivers side?

 

[ygoslo]

True. Perhaps a loose cooler pipe mount or something, squeaking as the engine vibrates? I dunno, if you have no answer by morning I'll see if I can spot anything in mine that it could be.

 

[tails]

I went back out and started it and it wasn't making the sound, even after quickly getting back to temp (it was only off for half an hour), so it's not very consistent. I assumed a boost leak would be pretty consistent. Can anything in the tranny make such a noise? It's an auto.

 

[Guest]

To me it sounds like a belt or a pulley bearing but I'm not sure. It doesn't sound like an air noise to me but I'm no expert. There are a few threads around talking about squeeks/whistles from the tranny if you look them up you might find something useful.

 

[Guest]

Come to think of it I had a strange sort of whistling type noise from the lower right side of my engine bay that was impossible to locate.After a week of checking everything thinking it was the BOV/IC hoses etc. I had no luck finding it.Afterwards I had the Transmission serviced due to another issue and since then I haven't noticed the noise. Do you have an A/T and is the fluid clean and at the correct level? Mine was low and Dirty despite being told it had been properly flushed and filled as I had asked. Try that

 

[tails]

Come to think of it I had a strange sort of whistling type noise from the lower right side of my engine bay that was impossible to locate.After a week of checking everything thinking it was the BOV/IC hoses etc. I had no luck finding it.Afterwards I had the Transmission serviced due to another issue and since then I haven't noticed the noise. Do you have an A/T and is the fluid clean and at the correct level? Mine was low and Dirty despite being told it had been properly flushed and filled as I had asked. Try that

Changed my tranny fluid last weekend.

 

[Guest]

Did it do it before you changed your fluid? I'd check it again to make sure its level is bang on. I would still lean towards a belt or something though.

 

[tails]

This is the first time I've noticed the sound. Though Jonson did the atf so it should be fine.

 

[fieldy107]

If the spring tesnsion on a bov is to soft, it wont close properly at idle and can make a whistling noise. one way to test this would be is when its idling give it enough of a rev to trigger the bov and see if the noise returns.

 

[tails]

Took it for a drive this morning and was able to have a proper look/listen afterwards in the day light and a bit more time on my hands.

It's the alternator (serpentine?) belt. Which Jon spotted last week anyway, this is just the first time the noise has been so prominent. S'all good!

I have no idea why I thought it was coming from the front passenger side last night, must have been a long day.

 

[Guest]

My alternator belt is extremely loud as I replaced it recently, I'm actually at the shops now grabbing a spanner to tighten it and get it sorted.I will throw up a how to for you.

 

[tails]

I think it's a pulley making the noise in mine, it doesn't sound like your standard belt screaming. The belt comes out of line here and there and one of the pulleys is crooked.

 

[it's.simon]

One of my belts squeaks super loud on a cold start. Slightly annoying, will seek Jonson to rectify.

 

[Guest]

Which pulley is it?

 

[tails]

The higher one guiding the alternator belt I'm fairly sure.

 

[tails]

Here is a video of it wobbling away. You can see the belt going back and fourth laterally. And at 15 seconds you can see the silhouette of the bottom part of the belt doing the same thing on the way up. It doesn't make any strange noises on a cold start, only after it's been driven for a little while, which is why you can't here it squeeking in this clip. Though turn your speakers down, the engine noise is a bit loud.

 

[naughtika]

do you guys know that you need to re-tighten the belts after 500kms or so?

I suggest you do this, as nothing will fix your squeal until you tighten it up again

 

[Guest]

I tightened mine today and took some photos along the way, will knock up a how to in a minute.Squeeling cured for Me