Hey guys,

I have an odd sound coming from the front of the engine. The only way I can describe it is a lower snarl. It sounds very similar to when you **** a cat off and it kind of snarls / growls at you.

I have taken the fan belt off and it goes away so it is not a problem with the engine it's self but rather one of the accessories powered by the belt. ( I also put the truck in gear and stepped on gas / brake to put a load on the engine and it still did not make the sound)

I spun them all freely and they turn smoothly and do not make a sound.

I tested the alternator and it is chargeing correctly.

The fan is spinning...after that I am not sure how to test the fan further.

The steering and brakes work just fine.

The water pump is spinning fine and cerculating fluid (I just changed the fluid when I did the plenum gasket in November of last year) but i can not rule it out yet.

I think the sound is either coming from the power steering pump or the fan clutch...any ideas?

There is no engine code.

Thanks guys!

 

take a long screw driver and hold it to your ear... then carefully place it by each component.. this will narrow down the sound

 

I have replaced every accessory on my engine except for the A/C pump. lets see... lol. The loud snarl seems to me like an alternator bearing. but could also be an idler pulley. your best bet would be to go pick up an automotive stethiscope and test each accsessory, just keep the probe away from the fan... don't ask how i figured that out. The waterpump and fan clutch usually fail with a high pitch squeel.

 

Ya this is defenetly not a high pitch squeel. I am going to go try the screwdriver trick right now and let you know what i figure out.

 

When you get under the hood again, run the engine with the hood up and the driver's door open. Rev the engine with your left foot on the ground so you can get under the hood fast. Shut the engine off and quickly look under the hood. If the fan clutch is good the fan should still spin for a couple of seconds when the engine is stopped. If it is the clutch is okay. Also be careful using the screw driver as a sound transferring tool, you can't see where your head is going with it cocked to the side, you are a lot better off with a mechanic's stethoscope.

 

Ok, so the screw driver didn't help so i just made a video

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?doc...76234&hl=en-CA

 

i can't tell from the video. for tracing sounds, i use a piece of pipe, metal or pvc doesn't matter, about 1/2 or 3/4" is fine, about 2 feet long. very SAFELY, place the end of the pipe on each component and put your ear to it. be careful !

just from your description of a cat growling, i'd guess ps pump.
but from the video, it sounded louder around the alt, tensioner, idler area.

the way the fan clutch should work is to feel sort of sticky. when you spin it, it should on turn a little and stop. it should not freewheel. i don't know if its got a bearing in it or not. sorry.

 

well when the fan belt is OFF the fan free wheels forever but with the belt ON it is sorta sticky

 

that's correct. when belt is off, the water pump turns freely, which rotates the fan. when belt is on, and engine is off, then wp won't turn, and fan is sticky feeling.

 

My pissed off cat sound was the idler pulley. It was a 10 minute fix, most of which was getting the belt rerouted.