I don't know what it's called, but that spinning metal on the left side of the engine (turn on your car and open your hood, look on the left side of the engine and you'll see this metal thing spinning) is loud as hell (wasn't before) only if I drive under ~45 MPH. When I go over 45, the noise is gone and the car is quiet again. I want my quiet ride back

What's that metal spinning thing called? Why is it so loud? Any way to fix it? It just started being loud like 2 days ago. I got a 95 auto with about 93k miles.

Thanks!

 

More detail would definately help.
The "left side", are you refereing to the "drivers side"?
If you are talking the passenger side, is there a pully going around you "metal thing"?
My "idler pully" was noising it up a while back, untill I replaced it.
(smallest pully there, no grove)

dave h.

 

When you're looking at your engine after you open your hood so left side is passenger. What's a pully? (I'm 16 and it's my first car =P)

 

No worries,
That side of the car has a rubber belt.
It goes around a few 'circular' metal spinning 'pulleys'.
They spin on bearings, sometimes these bearing dry up.
These pulleys are your Power Steering, Air Conditioning, Water Pump, etc.
The 'Idler' pulley is one that the belt goes around (it is about 4 or 5 inches in diameter), but the pulley is not attached to anything 'inside'.
The idler pulley's bearings went on my car recently.
'shshshsh' sounds... (it that works) metalic sounds...
It was around $140 CAD parts and labour.
It's not urgent to fix it immideately, but one day it will cease up... then your belt will start to smoke when it runs over it.

Good luck,
dave h.

 

Thanks! I'll go see how much my mechanic charges for it tomorrow since he's closed today. Learning something new everyday on the org =)

 

Don't assume I'm correct though, it may still be something else.
Your mechanic will likely know very quickly.

All the best!

 

Thanks Dave, it was the a/c pulley and since I drove it like 300+ miles, the belt was cracked so he replaced that for an extra $15.

 

Glad things worked out for you!
All the best with your car in the future!

dave h.