95pbGXE

hey all,

my 95 GXE has a wierd high pitch whine coming from the engine. i've had the whine for about 1/2 a year now, but now that i've found this forum i decided i may as well ask. does anyone know what it is? basically, when i start the car i get a noise sort of like a fan. my brother says it makes the car sound VTECcy. i think it sounds messed... well anyways after 2 weeks sitting in the shop 1/2 a year ago waiting for some parts to be delivered from japan the problem was not fixed. i had a timing belt replaced and the fuel pump among other things. the mechanic said it was a problem with the a/c, just run the a/c a bit and it will be ok (this happened in the middle of winter). but after a whole summer of a/c the car still has that wierd whine! does anyone know what this is or has had this problem!?

thanx!

Daniel B. Martin

It is important to identify the source of the noise. A four-foot length
of small diameter rubber vacuum hose will help you do this. You can buy
the hose in any auto parts store. They typically sell it in bulk for about
US$0.80 per foot. Start the engine and let it idle. Put one end of the
hose in your ear and the other end near any suspected source of noise.
The engine compartment presents a cacophony of sound. The benefit
of the hose is that it isolates the sound from one specific area. Work safely!
Avoid contact with any moving parts!

You may find it interesting to explore the sounds of your engine with this
inexpensive tool. Each moving part has its own characteristic sound. For
example, listen to the muted clicking of the fuel injectors. They should
all sound alike. If you find one with a different sound (or no sound at
all) you have found a problem.

The dealer's service department is equipped with high-tech diagnostic
instruments. These are wonderful devices but they are expensive and the
dealer has to recover his cost by charging you for diagnostic time.
Sometimes the home mechanic can do legitimate diagnostic work with
nothing more than a rubber tube.

Daniel B. Martin

Are you sure the timing belt was replaced? Your '95 Maxima has a timing chain, not a belt. Perhaps you were billed for work not done.

Sonic

Check your accesory belts, a belt that is too loose will whine until warm.

Daniel B. Martin

Does the pitch of sound increase as rpm increases? If so, it may be coming from the alternator.

95pbGXE

i had neither. i had the tensioner on the timing chain replaced, as well as the water pump. the sound is always there, just that at speed i don't notice it much, i'm guessing it's because the engine is louder than it?

i will try the hose and check belts and especially the alternator..

thanks alot guys

GVMAX98

Yes, i had similar problems with my 98 and i took it directly to the dealer because of warranty. They took less than an hour and found the problem to be the alternator. They told me my "alternator was failing." So they replaced the alternator and the sound disappeared. Check out your alternator if you get a chance. It just might be the cause of that whining noise.

95pbGXE

does anyone know a good place to pick up an alternator for a 1995 max?

my mechanic says it's expensive ($1000) to replace...

if i don't replace it, is the whine the only damage?

Sprint

iTrader: (10)

http://www.car-part.com/

Daniel B. Martin

PartsAmerica.Com lists ...
WORLDWIDE 13284 $234
AC DELCO 321-1721 $245
BOSCH AL2365X $324
AUTOLITE 15844 $157
I believe all of these are remanufactured alternators. To each of these prices, add a core charge (refundable deposit).

Do you like to do your own "wrenching"? Replacing an alternator is something which can be done by the home mechanic. This job is not easy or fast but no special tools are required.

That figure seems high. Maybe it is for a new unit including labor.

The whine is a warning of trouble on the horizon. Ignore that warning at your peril.

If the whine is coming from worn bearings you may consider replacing them. PartsAmerica.Com lists BCA BEARINGS 303-CC $20.

inertia777

You can find used alternators all day for $150 at car-part.com

95pbGXE

i believe that the $1000 does in fact include labour and a new alternator. is that a reasonable price (Canadian $)? i don't really feel comfortable messing around in my car because i don't have the tools. i used to have access them back in high school auto... if i were in auto class i'd attempt it there!

Daniel B. Martin

Please get one or two more price quotations from other service providers. Ask for their price using a rebuilt alternator rather than a new one. Cdn$1000 is a lot of money for this repair.

Eric L.

Your symptoms suggest a failing alternator bearing. My car made the same noise and the next day, charge light came on and engine died.

Mine was repaired under warranty, total cost around $550 from the dealer.