Awwww crap! Ugly sound from engine on startup.
#1
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Awwww crap! Ugly sound from engine on startup.
This happened a few months ago, just once, so I didn't think much of it. Then it happened a few weeks later and I started to think something might be up. Now it's happening more frequently, almost once a day.
The sound is hard to describe, but the best way I can think of is to imagine running a metal file along the edge of a thin sheet of metal in a swift motion. Its high-pitched, fairly loud and lasts for about one second immediately on startup. It seems to only happen after the car has been sitting for a while - like overnight or all day and I can't reproduce it by stopping and restarting the car. Since it doesn't happen every time I start the car (yet), I'm hesitant to drop it off at the dealer.
One thought I had is the starter. Any other thoughts on where to start looking? Any advice is appreciated.
Dave
The sound is hard to describe, but the best way I can think of is to imagine running a metal file along the edge of a thin sheet of metal in a swift motion. Its high-pitched, fairly loud and lasts for about one second immediately on startup. It seems to only happen after the car has been sitting for a while - like overnight or all day and I can't reproduce it by stopping and restarting the car. Since it doesn't happen every time I start the car (yet), I'm hesitant to drop it off at the dealer.
One thought I had is the starter. Any other thoughts on where to start looking? Any advice is appreciated.
Dave
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if it is a pulley, listen close to your pulleys while the motor is running, does it make a squeek squeek squeek sound? Does it happen while cranking or once the engine is fired?
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I'm going to guess it's the air pump. I seem to recall other people having similar noises from theirs prior to them failing completely... maybe I can dig the thread up.
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the air pump has nothing to do with the drivetrain, its strictly for emissions and will only kick on for a little while on cold startups. Its located in the bumper right behind the fake air duct. Its the thing you hear that sounds a little bit like a turbo on startups hehe..... next time you leave it cold like that for a while, have someone else start the car, and go listen by the airpump(its on the left side of the car btw) and see if thats where the sound is coming from.