Thomas Guide

Hey all, 3 days ago a squeaking type of chirp sound started when idle, standing still and when the car is warmed up. 2004, with 71k miles, all OEM, regular maintenance, last year had the full works for 10 year anniversary.

Below is video link, the squeal comes from under the passengers side, and does not come from the engine bay. In the video I move from under the car to the engine and then back under so you can hear it. I stuck the camera under there to get good audio of the problem. At the end of the clip that's water that dripped in the 5 minutes or so I was standing there (I think that's normal).

Water pump? Alternator?


http://s51.photobucket.com/user/tome...tml?sort=3&o=0

Thomas Guide

Bumpety bump...any of you gear heads have any thoughts on this?

Giving some gas the problem goes away, it only happens once the car is warmed up and at idle. Started last week and I've noticed the car drop down to 600 rpm and shudder a bit more frequently this week (but that could just be a random observation).

Jah2000

Sounds like a typical old drive belt noise, maybe old idler pulley bearings, and possibly something else on that accessory belt chain (water pump, alt, ac compressor, etc.).

Replace the belts if you have never done so yet.

When old belts are off, spin each idler pulley, spin the alt and water pump. All should spin smoothly, with a little resistance (new bearings spin super smooth, but not "freely/loosely"). If it spins rough, or if it spins too easily and super loose and freely, like a roller skate or skateboard wheel, then it needs replacing. If there is side to side play of the bearing, it needs replacing. If it feels like there is grit or something broken inside the bearing, or flattened ball bearing, or makes a grinding sound, or is rough spinning, it needs replacing.

As for the leak, I'm not sure if the S2k's water pump was a "weep hole" ...if it does, weep holes usually give a very slight minor leak, as a warning sign, that the seals inside the pump are starting to give out and needs to be replaced in the near future. Check underneath the water pump or weep hole, for any moistness, wetness, drips, or white crust from the coolant/antifreeze. If there is any of the latter, then the weep hole is giving a sign that it needs to be replaced soon.

Thomas Guide

Hi, um, in the video the sound is not coming from the engine, how did you deduce this is drive belt, pulley etc? I've provided some specific details and location of the problem which doesn't seem to match up with most of what you wrote (I could be totally wrong tho...), whereas I think you're response is a catch all to check / replace everything which is a bit overkill right now no?

I'm just thinking out loud that we should be able to narrow this down a bit based on my descriptions. Then again, finding the source of a noise in these cars is like cracking the Enigma machine.

Jah2000

When a car is just sitting there, during idle, it's obviously going to be coming from 1 thing, the only moving thing - the engine.

I think the reason you can hear it more underneath the car, as opposed to on top of the engine bay when hood is popped open, is because that noise is bouncing off the floor. Whenever I've had squeaky belts/pulleys in the past, I could heard that squeal noise much more at a stoplight, with an SUV or a van next to me on my driver's side, than on my driveway with the hood open and me listening for it. The Suv/van next to me acts like a sound reflector. On my driveway, the sound just disappears into the air/sky and isn't as loud.

Thomas Guide

Yeah I just don't think it's coming from the engine bay, I stuck the microphone all around there, it would clearly pick it up if it was a belt in the engine, that sound cannot bounce around a microphone right in front of it. I have stopped and listened to this, getting under the car and directly above it, the sound wave cannot disappear like that, it is defintely coming from where the the camera is in the video. This is consistent as well.

Jah2000

If it isn't the belts, idler pulleys, or an accessory (water pump or alt)..then I'm not sure what it is and I def could be wrong. Just that specific/type of sound alone makes me think it's one of the culprits I've mentioned and it is very familiar to me.

Maybe someone else that knows what is, can chime in.

Good luck.

Thomas Guide

So,based on the video, and where I have identified the sound coming from, what is under there, water pump? We can deduce the sound is not coming from the engine where I had the camera...