Yeah so it rained alot here on Friday night...I drove thru alot of deep water and ever since there has been a noise that is coming from the passenger side. The noise happens idleing and while driving and changes according to RPM. I am positive this has something to do with the pulleys/belt on that side...mabye even the alternator. Any ideas about what this could be? I would like to avoid going to a shop if possible.
Thanks for any input.
Ian

 

can you describe the noise?

 

i guess i would describe it as a low pitch hum...it speeds up/gets louder when i rev the motor.

 

Sounds like a power steering pump to me. Mine had the same problem. Do this, start it and move the steering wheel back and forth. The engine will change RPM's a little anyways but listen if the sound gets louder and/or deeper as you near the end of travel on the rack. If so I'd say that's your culprit. Another thing you can try, take off the belt and rotate each pulley by hand to see if you feel any abnormal resistance, by that I mean "crunchiness" or a drag caused by a failing bearing. The WP, PSP, and even the Alt. to a certain degree will have normal resistance but they should be fluid in their movement, if you feel something "catching" as you turn the pulley, you found the hum.

 

It could be the ac compressor bearings because of moisture exposure.

 

It sounds stupid, but I've run down bad bearings with a piece of broomstick. Use it as a s***hescope by putting one end in your ear and the other on various parts. It's usually pretty clear what's making the noise.

 

thanks for the ideas everyone. I was also thinking some sort of bearing issue because my engine bay was soaked. I will check it out when I get home from work today. I hope its not power steering! I hear that is harder to replace than the AC compressor.
Ian

 

I have the same exact noise, mine started a week after i replaced my failing alternator with a rebuilt one, I hope they didn't sell me a defective one!! I just want to make sure it is the alternator before I take it back, so my guess would be your alternator is starting to fail.

 

yeah i'm not really sure what the hell it is. I'll be sure to let you guys know though. This car is seriously a tank. It has survived 6 years of me..lol

 

i too am experiencing a whining/whirring when at idle and at low rpm's. it does seem attached to steering wheel rotation when at idle. any thoughts yall?

 

wow this is an old thread haha. well i never solved the problem...ended up selling the car. sorry I can't help

 

Moving the steering wheel at idle will add more load to your engine which will cause rpms to rise some. Check components with a really long screw driver or stick up to your ear (be extremely careful not to get caught up in moving parts). That's how I start diagnosing these problems