Annoying idling noise... NEED HELP PLEASE!!!! It is driving my head in!

[leonz1982]

Hi,

I put up a YouTube video to show what the problem is below. Please check it out and let me know.

I have got a 13yo V6 VX Commodore with 103000kms. Recently a strange and annoying noise started from the front of the engine while it is idling. I am extremely sensitive to abnormal noises of my vehicles so it wasn't hard to notice this even when I am driving and radio is on loud. This only noise you hear in the video is quiet amplified as I had the phone cm away from the engine. If the hood is shut, many people can't heard it unless they have a keen sense of hearing like me.

If I rev the engine a bit then the noise will disappear for a short while (less than a minute) then it will come back again and remain that way as long as the engine idles. I thought it might be the belt or pulley so I got them replaced today, however I guess that didn't solve the problem. The noise is still there and didn't get any better one bit.

I can't really pin-point the source of the noise but it sounds coming from the middle section where my camera is pointing. Could it be the water pump bearing or perhaps its the AC compressor bearing? But while this video was taken, AC was off and when it get turned on the sound of the clutch engaging is different to this and sounded normal and this noise can still be heard while the compressor is working.

I did still complain this to the mechanic who replaced my belt and pulleys but he just told me to not worry about it, the car is getting old and these things aren't biggy and just let to go... But this noise is driving me mad, and I'm still hearing it in the back of my head even when I'm not in the car at all!

Can someone please tell me what is this noise is and where is it like to becoming from. I want it fixed!

Thanks in advance

 

[prktkljokr]

From the sound of it I would be looking at the water pump, take the belt off and spin the water pump pulley, it sounds like the bearing staring to go.

 

[shadetreemechanic]

Yeah it sounds like some sort of belt or pulley noise...apart from the good suggestion from prktkljokr you can also just run the motor with the belt off altogether (obviously not for too long since the pump ain't pumping). But that's just another trick to get to the bottom of it...good luck with it I'm the same I can't just tune out weird noises like "normal" people can LOL

I reckon water pump is the prime suspect especially if its been on there a fair while

 

[profat]

educated guess water pump...as suggested disconnect belt and do fast start up. Also check all the idler pulleys by hand for movement and noise you would be surprised how much wear they can have and still be relatively quiet

 

[monkey]

Squeeky noise in my ecotec was idler pulley on the right. When I changed the bearing seemed like it was only held in pulley by peening over some of the metal around it so thats how I put it back together, noise remained. Took it back out and used a bearing retaining compound repeened installed and that fixed it.

 

[gm1961]

Hi All

yep the higher pitches noise usually water pump, but yes take of the belt, hand spin everything water pump , idler pulley , alternator , power steer pump , finally while you cannot spin it place a flashlight on the harmonic balancer, i had a VP that had a fine crack on the plastic cover

regards
george