Hello!

I have an 05 Durango. The 5.7 hemi makes an awful whining noise when the engine is revved.
At idle there does not seem to be any noise but as soon as any gas is applied it makes a rather high pitched noise that raises and lowers along with the given RPM.

It is not the alternator. I just replaced that and the noise is the same. I can't figure out if it is a pulley or the big fan at the front of the engine.

Anyone ever hear of or had this problem?

I'm going to bring it to the dealer soon as I just got the letter about the fuel over flow problem. For years I have been letting it go down to 1/4 tank and then putting $50-$60 in depending on gas prices so as not to fill it all the way.

I am concerned about the whine though and wanted to see if anyone here could give me a heads up on a known issue, if it is one.

Thanks!

 

It could be the serpentine belt.
FF

 

Thanks. I changed the serpentine belt yesterday but that didn't change the whine noise.
I guess I'll have to bring it to the dealer...

 

I would stay away from the dealer unless the vehicle is under warranty.
FF

 

Well, it seems like I should have listened and stayed away from the dealer.
The reason I brought it to the dealer was the fuel tank overflow check valve recall.

Anyway, they looked at my engine today and told me the whine noise was coming from the alternator and water pump both.

I told him that less than three weeks ago I changed the alternator myself and it made absolutely no difference in the noise at all. He told me that it is because I used an after market alternator and if I change just the water pump it could possibly still make the noise.

Now, because I don't believe it can be the alternator, I told them to do the water pump and leave the alternator alone. I feel like crap because I have this awful feeling I'm going to pick up the SUV tomorrow and hear the same noise $600+ later. I feel like they are just guessing and trying to bleed me for money.

I have to honestly say, I've owned Dodge / Plymouth vehicles my whole life. (I'm 42)
This Durango and in particular the sneaky backhanded feeling I get from service at the dealer will make this my very last Dodge / Chrysler vehicle....

Anyway, If I pick the car up tomorrow and it still whines what choices do I have? How can they sell me $600+ for a job that didn't address the issue? This is all hypothetical of course. I could pick it up tomorrow and it is fine... I'm just worrying and looking for opinions on what I'm going through here...
Thanks!

 

Keep us posted.

 

Remove the fan belt and start the engine. Did the noise stop or do you still hear the noise. This is called isolate the problem. If the noise is gone, then check the idler pulley and belt tensioner bearing. Also spin the water pump too. If you still hear the noise, then its not a fan belt driven noise and you would need to isolate the problem further.

 

Sounds like an issue I had with my '05 Durango Hemi. Was bad crank position sensor.

 

I just had this issue resolved this week after my serpentine belt fell off for the 2nd time in a year while driving and I took it in to get replaced. I took it to a shop because I knew the whining had something to do with the alt or belt/pulleys. Turns out my idler pulley was essentially destroyed -- which is what caused the belt to come lose and simply fall off (last year, the belt snapped and knocked off water pump when I was just entering Atlantic City - luck didn't get much better when I sat at the tables either...)

They first assumed it was my tensioner pulley, but then noticed the idler pulley and ever since they fixed the issue, the wining noise has completely gone. So, if it's anything like my 07 5.7L hemi, it is a going to be something to do with the belt/idler pulley, not the alternator.