Whirring noise

[TwistedD85]

About a week ago at the most the '93 developed a loud, very loud, whirring noise toward the front of the engine (the accessories end). It sounds like when someone's straining the power steering at full lock (or a roots supercharger) but it does it constantly, turn the wheel left or right and no change unless, it only seems to change with the RPMs and when I put my mechanic's stethoscope against the housing it was quiet. Also I changed out the power steering fluid and nothing changed. Most idler pulleys I've had gone bad squeal so while I know I have one going I'm pretty sure that's not it, I've also heard it while this noise was going on. The water pump, if I remember correctly, also squeals when it's going bad so I don't think that's it either. I don't think the A/C compressor makes such a noise and it's actually working. Only thing I have left is the alternator but it's also quiet when the stethoscope is on the housing, a little bit of grinding but otherwise it's fine.
So I'm at a loss, the only real change I've made to the front of the engine in a while is the Gatorback belt I bought but that was about a month back and from what I've heard they don't whirr, they squeal or whistle. When I can I'm going to throw my old belt on there and see if anything drastically changes with the whirring, check the pulleys and accessories while I'm in there, but until then does anyone have any thoughts? :thankyou:

 

[VortecGT]

have you ran the car with no belts? does the noise stop?

 

[K-Dawg]

Like Vortec said, pull the accessory belt and start the car. If you hear the sound, it's probably one of the timing belt pulleys. If you don't, spin all of the accessories, tensioner and idler pullies by hand. By my experience, you should be able to figure out which one it is.

 

[NP SHO]

I wonder if it's the same sound that I have on my 95... Mine is coming from my tensioner pulleys. Hopefully I'm gonna be pulling them out and cleaning/repacking them sometime this week. Mine sounds like it's got a supercharger on it. Like you mentioned before, the only time the sound changes is with the rpms of the engine. I'd definitely double check the tensioner pulley(s). A lot of people have had this issue. Good luck and let us know what you find!

 

[TwistedD85]

The testing is gonna have to wait until Monday, the car has to go as soon as I wake up and I don't get it back until I'm ready for bed so... yeah first day I can get it is Monday. Twelve hour shifts and all that. Don't forget about me! :frantic: I know how these threads can vanish into the abyss if the OP doesn't respond for a while

 

[TwistedD85]

Alright, finally got under the hood for a while. Took the belt off and started it up, no noise besides some kind of rattle. Tensioner is quiet, water pump makes no noise, water pump to alternator idler is quiet, can't really tell if the alternator itself is making noise as I don't think I can spin it quickly enough, A/C's quiet but the A/C to crank idler is singing and grinding. It was before but I guess if it gets bad enough it could probably make a whirring noise. That and the smooth side of the new belt looks a little shiny, maybe a little burnt and kind of bubbled in a few places, so I guess it has to be an idler of some kind. $80-90 bearing here I come :woo-hoo:

 

[NP SHO]

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you could always try repacking the bearing with fresh grease before you blow the money on new bearings. I'm going to try that before I drop the money on new tensioner pulley bearings. A lot of people have tried this and have had pretty good results. Just a suggestion...

 

[TwistedD85]

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you could always try repacking the bearing with fresh grease before you blow the money on new bearings. I'm going to try that before I drop the money on new tensioner pulley bearings. A lot of people have tried this and have had pretty good results. Just a suggestion...

Anything I do on my SHO gets my hands dirty But I don't really have the tools to repack the bearings without ruining the seal. That and I already got one from SHOnut a couple hours ago, already spent the money.

 

[NP SHO]

Ok. Good luck and let us know how you make out!

 

[TwistedD85]

Update: It was the lower idler pulley, never heard one make such a racket before. Two garages wouldn't do it so I had to go to the only machine shop willing to help me out, $10 for it even after all the trouble it gave them, but I don't think he wants anymore SHO business If only I would've noticed they put the pulley together slightly wrong before I left. Don't forget that the lower ATX idler pulley is three pieces, not including the bearing itself. The outer pulley, the center piece, and a disc that presses onto the outside edge of the center piece, they didn't know this and it drove them nuts. Outer pulley is pressed off the bearing, you flip the bearing and press on the very center to pop it out of the disc and then you press the center piece out of the old bearing. Then it's center piece goes into the disc (on the side where the bolt goes in), the bearing is pressed on and then the outer pulley piece is pressed over that. Or at least I believe that's how it should go, it's not the way they did mine but it still works

For now :frantic: