high pitched whining noise
 

hey guys I have an 01 SE. The other day I noticed that as I was driving I heard a high pitched whining noise coming from the front of my car. I thought it was my alternator bearing so I put my other one on with a new belt and it is still there. It isn't there at idle and does go away as I slow down. Its not a squeeling noise like my brakes though. Any ideas? Man its loud and annoying! Thanks in advance

It could be the Alternator, A/C Compressor, Idler Pulley, Etc. The next thing is to remove the fan belt and run the car to see if the noise is still there.

Take a little spray lube and spray the idler bearings, be careful and do it when it's running. Listen for a change in sound. Try to not get any on the belt, it could come off if it gets to much on it.

my car has a serpintine belt so there is no fan belt. So silicone spray or wd40 at the back of the idler?

Spray just a shot on the bearing. If a bearing is starting to go bad it will quite right up when you spray it. Just be careful, things are moving.

I have an 02 Bonneville. Your noise sounds alot like my noise, as it fluctuates according the actual physical speed of the vehicle. I am thinking it might be my front wheel bearings. My Bonneville has around 150000 miles, how about yours?

I thought you meant my wife! :f2 :thumbup2 :w3

Try not to thread jack plenty of room to start on your problem. :thumbup2

As for friday. Could be a vacuum leak when you have the hood up and goose the Throatle body, that should be able to give you more of an exact location. Does the whine happen more as you turn?

Ok, than remove the serpentine belt and see if the noise is still there.

well I sprayed the back side of the idler with wd40 and my belt is brand new. It still makes that noise. It's intermittant though.... It happens when I'm cruisin at 35-40mph and as I slow down the noise softens. Sometimes when I sit at a red light after it's been makin the noise and I pull of when the light turns green the noise goes away. If it were a vacume hose wouldn't it make the noise at idle if I steo on the gas a bit while in oark? Cause this only happens when I'm driving. But my service engine soon light does keep comin on and then goin off. That code was p0171 I believe

P0171 is the biggest PITA code. That's why it was the first one I made. https://www.gmforum.com/obd-ii-trouble-shooting-153/p0171-284036/ If you have that code, and hear a sound, I would say you have a vacuum leak.

where are the vacum hoses on my engine? If it's not them, could it be wheel bearings? For example, my service engine soon light keeps coming on and goin off every few days but even when it's off I hear the noise. It only haopens when I'm moving and the last time it did it I threw the car in neutral thinking that I wouldn't have any vacum when I did and I still heard the noise. Was that a good method to eliminate a vacum leak making the noise?

I could be a vacuum leak around the perimeter of the UIM or at a gasket at the throttle body end. Those may come and go with the temperature changes and the UIM expands and contracts.

Try spraying some carburetor cleaner type sprays around the base of the UIM and the other vacuum hoses. If the engine idle changes, you know it's sucking in the carburetor cleaner and burning it changing the mixture and the idle.

where in the hell is the UIM?! Lol! My specialty is in the passenger compartment and trunk. Not under the hood unless it's in a transit bus. Hahaha! Btw I have noticed that when it's warmer the light goes out and when it's colder it comes on. That could be makin all that noise? It's loud!

You're UIM is your upper intake manifold. It's the black arch tunnel thing right up your engine cover.

man I just do that whole retro fit thing to it like 2 years ago too.

retro fit?

yeah I ordered that kit that was written up to cause damage to the engine. I forgot what it was called but I came with a new uim and some other parts and a metal and rubber gasket instead of the oem paper one. I remember reading something about the heat from the antifreeze wearing that oem gasket away or somethin... Am I making sense? If not I will find out exactly what the kit is called

Sounds right. The UIM tends to fail at the EGR. Those metal ones was that the lower gaskets? But did you find the original problem before we get too off track