Whining Noise - Maybe Water Pump??
#1
Whining Noise - Maybe Water Pump??
So I was driving for about 12 hours up the east coast and now I hear a whining noise. It whines according to the RPM's and sounds like it coming from the water pump.
Question is, how hard is it to change the water pump, and where is it? I have a few places it could be, but neither looks overly obvious. Is it run off the serpentine belt? Do I have to lift the engine to do this? Is this a simple job like it is on my jeep?
Any advice would be much appreciated!!! Thanks!!
Question is, how hard is it to change the water pump, and where is it? I have a few places it could be, but neither looks overly obvious. Is it run off the serpentine belt? Do I have to lift the engine to do this? Is this a simple job like it is on my jeep?
Any advice would be much appreciated!!! Thanks!!
#3
the water pump is driven by the timing chain. it's a pretty involved job as you are very limited on working space, and you'll basically be working blind should you chose the access cover method instead of removing the timing cover. To make more room, you do have the option of removing the passenger side motor mount. When you're removing the tensioner, be extremely careful, because it's pretty much spring loaded and WILL 'explode', with parts of it falling into the timing cover. it will be a very interesting task retrieving the parts from in there, to say the least.
For those reasons, and since I didn't have the time or space to tackle it myself, I chose to have a shop do it. They did it for $375 including the new pump and fresh coolant.
But before you jump the gun, are you sure the noise is coming from the water pump? Do you have any coolant leakage by the oil pan area? In most cases, when a whining pops up, the source is either the alternator or AC compressor. Over the winter, for example, I drove through a deep puddle during a heavy downpour and the next day, I had a whine that resembled that of a failing alternator. Using the long screwdriver method, I traced it to my AC compressor. You can try that - get a long screwdriver and carefully touch the AC compressor and the alternator, put your ear to the other end and see if you can narrow down possible sources of the noise.
For those reasons, and since I didn't have the time or space to tackle it myself, I chose to have a shop do it. They did it for $375 including the new pump and fresh coolant.
But before you jump the gun, are you sure the noise is coming from the water pump? Do you have any coolant leakage by the oil pan area? In most cases, when a whining pops up, the source is either the alternator or AC compressor. Over the winter, for example, I drove through a deep puddle during a heavy downpour and the next day, I had a whine that resembled that of a failing alternator. Using the long screwdriver method, I traced it to my AC compressor. You can try that - get a long screwdriver and carefully touch the AC compressor and the alternator, put your ear to the other end and see if you can narrow down possible sources of the noise.
Last edited by CRiME; 07-01-2008 at 04:29 PM.
#6
OK, so it sounds like it may be coming from the alternator... I probed it and I could hear the wine best from the alternator, but I don't see the water pump to probe.
Any diagnotics I could do? Multimeter, unplug alternator? Take out? Put large drag on it?
Any diagnotics I could do? Multimeter, unplug alternator? Take out? Put large drag on it?
#8
If the noise was coming from the AC compressor, it should have gone away when the AC was turned on. Since your noise exists with or without the AC turned on, the alternator is the more likely source.
Last edited by CRiME; 06-30-2008 at 03:58 PM.
#10
Nope, we have timing chains. The timing chain is inside of the timing cover, and it is also what drives the water pump; that is why you weren't able to see the waterpump.
Just be sure to note the approximate tension of the belt before you remove it (by twisting it left and right and noting the current deflection), so that you can set it back to the same tension when you reinstall it.
Just be sure to note the approximate tension of the belt before you remove it (by twisting it left and right and noting the current deflection), so that you can set it back to the same tension when you reinstall it.
Last edited by CRiME; 07-01-2008 at 04:29 PM.
#14
whining noise passenger side of engine
My max is also making a whining noise near the timing chain/water pump area. It whines when idleing, and is louder depending on RPM's. Alt has been replaced approx 3yrs ago. I don't notice any coolant leaking. Any ideas???
#15
It's the alternator,But try the screw driver method and pin point the exact problem by listing to the noise with the screw driver.
#17
replacing the alt is super easy, Ive done it like 4 times and i can have it down in 1hr tops as long as nothing else happens. don't need to take nothing off but idler pulley bearing and AC(4bolts) and AC connection plug(top of AC). One tip i would give you is to make sure to get the EXACT alt. a local place that rebuilds alts gave me one very similar but the space between where you have the big screw(bottom screw i believe) for the alt was bigger which made the alt housing bin when i tighten the alt down which made the bearing freeze and blew that alt . so make sure its the same alt and that the bearing free spins when you tighten everything down.
#19
#21
When you here the whining noise, you should have your GF/wife move to the back seat and see if it gets any quiter. Sometimes It can be the kids in the back seat too, I'm only speculating though, because my wife and kids don't ride in my max much.
#22
na im not thinking its the kid because she still sleeps on car rides but i do hear some strange noises coming from the passenger seat every once in a while but i usually just tune that out with the radio
#23
I'm not trying to muddy the waters here, but, I've had a couple of cars over the years that had the dreaded whine (with wife out of car) and it turned out to be the power steering pump. Like others said, it's probably not the WP, or, at least you hope it's not.
#25
I just replaced my alternator and was driving down the road and my car started acting like the battery was dead and eventually just died in the parking lot. The car would start if I jumped it but as soon as I took the cables off it would die. Any ideas already checked the battery and was able to pull start it with a truck to get it home
#28
All you gotta do is just remove the wheel, AC Compressor, Tensioner, belt and thats about it. Not that hard to do. I did that in the dark with just a flash light.
#29
I just replaced my alternator and was driving down the road and my car started acting like the battery was dead and eventually just died in the parking lot. The car would start if I jumped it but as soon as I took the cables off it would die. Any ideas already checked the battery and was able to pull start it with a truck to get it home
#31
#33
I just replaced my alternator and was driving down the road and my car started acting like the battery was dead and eventually just died in the parking lot. The car would start if I jumped it but as soon as I took the cables off it would die. Any ideas already checked the battery and was able to pull start it with a truck to get it home
#35
also check the pulley belt tension-er but i would bet on the alternator,check the pulley on the compressor with the engin off grab the pulley with both hands if you can make it wobble (rocking it )your looking at a rebuilt compressor i know i had to do mine,i look into replacing just the pulley/clutch nissan almost $500. after market $400 app. rebuilt comp pump with new pulley/clutch after market $300. out the door
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
My Coffee
New Member Introductions
15
06-06-2017 02:01 PM