Something on my engine is making a horrible whining/grinding noise.
It used to only do it when it was below freezing outside.
Then the past week the noise became intermittent in warm temps.
Now it always does it.

Here's a video from a few days ago. The noise is louder and more constant now.

I'm going to assume the sound is one of the pullys. Bad bearings maybe? The video is taken by the power steering pump because I thought that was it, but its full of fluid and not leaking. I kinda think its the belt tensioner on the other side of the engine.

I was wondering if anyone here has experience with this type of sound and might know exactly what it is. I don't have the money to start replacing a part at a time to figure it out.

 

Possible water pump, A/C clutch, or, maybe... p/s pump. Does the noise change when you turn the wheels?

 

Use a stethoscope to see if you can isolate the area where it's coming from. If it changes pitch/tone when you turn the wheel its most likely a bad wheel bearing.

Could be a large possibility of things from bad belt tensioner to a A/C clutch problem. If you can just get a better idea where the squeak is coming from it will help us more.

Even if you don't want to get a stethoscope, use a drinking straw and put it in your ear and try to pinpoint the squeal.

 

Good idea WhiteWidow.
I'll try listening to each pully/clutch. I'll also listen for changes based on steering, A/C, and RPM.

 

Huh?...



To the OP....

Remove the belt and turn and wiggle all the pulleys and see if any wobble around or are hard to turn.

 

Try putting like water on the groved side of the belt it shut mine up when mine did it

 

sometimes the tensioner pulley freezes up. mine did and it randomly squealed when subject to sudden loads (ie. AC and heat) just get a wrench and work it back and forth.

 

Before you replace anything, check the tightness of the harmonic balancer bolt and the crank pulley bolts.

 

Sorry I haven't replied in awhile. I've been busy or forgetful...
Anyway. I pulled the belt off today. I ran the engine for a bit without it and it made no noise. I turned each pully and all but the tensioner pully spin with no resistance or sound. The tensioner pully was kind of gritty and was hard to turn. I sprayed some pb blaster in the sping and tensioner pully and it turns a lot better now. The sound seems to be gone for now. I assume the pluuy was the culprit. Should I replace the pully or the whole tensioner assembly?

 

Do the whole tensioner assembly. They really aren't that expensive.