NickiNick

Hey folks, thanks for the patronage for reading this. I could use a little advice because I'm not too familiar with these engines. I'll start from the top:

I recently moved to a new area and bought a car from a local. My current truck is a gas hog and I was looking for something more economical.

I bought this car from some tool who didn't know what he was doing. He said the alternator kept burning out due to what a local auto parts store said was either a relay or an inline fuse. As soon as I popped the hood I saw that the 100a main fuse was blown. I bought it for the crap price it was sold at because I had an idea, and I already had spent the asking price in gas driving my truck around town as is.

I had replaced the inline fuse and alt is charging properly. I'm not sure what the guy was smoking, or if he was just dropped on his head.. but everything engine wise works fine. It doesn't overheat, it DOES smell a lil rich at times but that could be due to cold Oregon start up temps or a defective CTS, (before I changed the CTS). After it hit op temps, it'd hesitate occasionally. And the fans never turned on. Common coolant temp sensor. I replaced it this evening but I hadn't had much time to drive it around, but I warmed it up in my garage and took it for a test drive. Shifting it into gear had given me the impression that issue was fixed. (Before It'd shift hard into R and D from idle) And drove it around the block. I know the CTS has obvious proprietaries with the full ecu, and that, from the test drive seemed to fix the issue. The problem that I'm still trying to determine is where that whine is coming from. Its quite similar to a 'New Years Eve' horn. It fluxuates at RPMs, and diminishes at times, giving me the impression is vacuum related, yet I haven't found the source. I know with Fords of these years, the noise was isolated to a defective IAC valve. But the sound is on the opposite side of the engine of this car. And there is no common idle associations with a defect IAC that a honda would show as well (Rapid fluttering of idle from 1200-1800rpm). I'm a little stumped. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm uploading a youtube video of the sound as well for any who aren't audio challenged as I am.

Here is the video: http://youtu.be/IVUG1FMyxU4

Thanks again guys

NickiNick

My apologies for not attaching this to the stickies. I didn't see anything relevant

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

That's pretty strange. That almost sounds like your airbox to me, which I don't see how it could be your airbox in actuality, but the tone and type of sound sounds just like the airbox to me just amplified tremendously. If you've ever had a cold air intake and leaned in to hear it, it sounds just like your video (but again it sounds really loud in your video for some reason).

Just for ****s and giggles have you opened up the airbox to check for anything goofy?

And cool to see you have a VE

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

I also just noticed your video description in which you said it appears to be passenger side firewall. Your power steering pump is down in there, which really would typically be the prime suspect for a whine. But your video doesn't sound like typical ps pump whine. Does the noise fluctuate when turning the wheels?

maximo018

iTrader: (6)

VEs for alife! Lol

NickiNick

I don't think its the PS pump because there is no difference in noise by how you turn the tires. The airbox is a good idea to start, even though its on the other side, its something to look into. I hadn't checked that yet. The noise disappears at low idle (under 1000k) but returns at anything above. It does sound a little like a cold air intake but the whine is more high pitch and there is no 'typical growl' you'd hear on acceleration of a CAI. I took it for a brief test drive after changing the CTS last night and I think that fixed my hesitation. I have some errands to run later and will get it up higher in op temps. I hadn't pulled the air box off yet to see if that changes anything, I'll more than likely do that this afternoon.

Ill keep y'all posted. Thanks for the input. Regardless, even though it has a salvaged title, worth the $260 I paid for it. I'm not too familiar with Nissans, the only one I had was a late 80s Pathfinder and that beast ran like a champ until the day I tried to "Dukes of Hazard" it. I didn't realize having a VE was that impressive

NickiNick

Update: Hesitation still persists after going to open loop. Engine whine is persistent to RPMs between 1000-1800. I wonder if its the exhaust pipe from the egr to the exhaust manifold. It wouldn't be the issue for the hesitation (started doing the RPM flutter associated with an IAC under load) but it may be the issue with the whine. Going to pull it into the garage within the hour and go from there. Even if this doesn't help me, it may help others. Will keep updated and if any of you all have any input, please chime in.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

if you want to rule out what the whine is, remove the drive belt and start the engine for a few seconds. if the whine doesnt go away, you know its not an accessory like the power steering pump

NickiNick

Update: Removed PS belt in an attempt to isolate sound. No bueno.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

so it still does it with the drive belt off? not any of the accessories then

NickiNick

Update: Due to the rain I wasn't able to fully diagnose. I can only pull the car 3/4 into the garage before the tool boxes and bench gets in the way. Obviously not wanting to disrupt the water pump too much by extended time with the accessory belts off, I've determined its not the PS pump. Unfortunately I don't have a stethoscope anymore but I used an ol school trick of using a piece of hose. First fuel line, and then spare heater hose. I lost my hearing in my right ear after a bad accident, but my left works quite well. So using it It really seems like its coming from the passenger firewall itself. Its audible from the cabin when the engine shuts off. It literally sounds like a horn, and running out of steam when the engine turns off. Is there a vacuum line I'm missing into the cabin on the passenger side? I do see the heater core lines and AC and I presume some main vacuum line going into the cabin. Yet, all seems sound. I'll have to do further research, the weather hindered my plans. BTW, I did pull the codes and 55 all around. Nothin.

ac max 92

iTrader: (13)

I have the VG engine with a JWT pop charger and velocity stack which you can hear make a destinctive sound when the cars running and when you shut it off but that noise in your video sounds damn loud. Is the vacume line plugged in on the intake or are there holes or tears in the rubber boot anywhere on the intake? Maybe underneath where it's not visible? Does sound vacume related though. It doesnt sound like anything with the engine like a valve train or bearing or anything and being the intake goes out to the passenger side maybe try pulling it out and inspect it for any damage?

gp540

iTrader: (1)

you've got me stumped i was sure when i watched video it was ps pump too

ac pump is on that side too.

NickiNick

Update: Due to the weather and the holiday season I hadn't been able to work on this as of yet.

My basis for eliminating the PS pump was because I was trusting my neighbour. We had a deal that he'd d/c the PS pump belt to help further diagnose while I rebuilt his bike's carb. I'm having a feeling he didn't do crap. There is a leak near the PS pump but I had noticed the PO overfilled the res. Of which in all technicality could overpressure the system causing a leak. I tried jacking up the car this evening to hear more from the underside of where the noise was coming from. No results of isolating. I'll have to pull the tire off tomorrow and d/c the belt. In the mean time I did d!$k around with where I presumed the source of the noise is coming from and sprayed with carb cleaner for potential vac leaks.. And posted a video. I have yet to pull off the air cleaner assembly due to time constraints and the holiday season. But will be doing that tomorrow as well. Ignore the PS fluid in the video, I was burping the system to alleviate any air in the lines. And I'm aware of the lifter tap.. one step at a time.

In the mean time: Video update 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SHweloGx0A

NickiNick

Plenum gasket? Air ducting plumbed around there? IACV? I'm 6'3" so ducking my tall body around there without a mirror to view is difficult. And have about 3-4 hours of daylight before I gotta break out the shop lights.. I'll have more time tomorrow. I know gaskets are cheap but I don't have time to tear it down at this point, unless I HAVE to. Not to mention I need to pick up a metric spark plug socket to check all the plugs. I have all the other tools.. damn deep spark plug wells.

Not a mechanic!

My 91 had a whistle I couldn't figure out where it was coming from yesterday I took the 30" hard plastic extension for my shop vac hose and put it up to my 1 good ear. Helped me to locate the area between the collector and the upper intake. Pinched the gasket on reinstall I guess. Taking it apart this morning. Hard for 1 ear folks to isolate sound! The vacuumed pipe pinpointed it easily. Your sound is much deeper (lower tone) than my whistle but it could be gasket related. Leaking any coolant?

4DRZ

iTrader: (4)

Different animals I know, but I had a very similar issue with my 2006 Altima SER. Could not find the source of the noise anywhere. I removed the 2 drive belts and the noise was still there. I noticed the next day that the oil light kinda flickered on and off. I assumed it was the oil pressure switch again...but then, I started to think nah, cause its new. My attention then turned to the only other thing it could be...the oil pump. I had the imfamous rattle and knew I had to crack the timing case open anyway, so i ordered a new RevUp oil pump....after all the work was completed by yours truly, I started it up, and of course the rattle was fixed, but so was the whine that wasnt present or constant all the time. I later opened the old oil pump case and it was then that I noticed the gear inside had excessive wear. In my case it was the oil pump. Not sure if this will help you, but maybe it might. Best of luck Nick, Lawrence

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Looking at your video, it almost seems like that cap deal on the intake manifold (don't know what those are called but it looks like a freeze plug) is the source of the noise.

Something easy and non-invasive you could do is to smear/seal the perimeter of that cap with some rtv or something and let it cure overnight then start it up and see if that fixes it up. Your PCV valve is down in there too. Is the hose on that in good shape?

NickiNick

Eureka! Problem fixed. I should have known, but y'all should have told me the pcv valve was in that location. I was hunting all around looking for it at a seperate time. Bottom line. The PO had used a 90 spark plug boot at the pcv valve. I'm unfamilar with these engines so when I saw a random 'spark plug' at the back, I presumed it was there for a reason. Well, I had pulled it off and a light bulb went off in my head; there ya go jackass. I live in a small town and they didnt have the pcv valve available and I had to search the 'HELP' section for the right 90 boot. But that whine that more threw (I presume) the whole system out of whack is fixed. It still has a random drop of RPM between 1000-1800 but that is for another thread if I need it. I'll d/c the neg battery and reset the ecm and go from there.

Often the simplist things are the most frustrating.

Thanks for all your help. I really like this car. Its economical, has some 'get up and go' and not too small. My long legs and back appreciate it.