Gauge

iTrader: (3)

I bought my '02 WS-6 with about 52k a little over a month ago. Ever since I bought it, it's been making a sort of whirring sound. Here's what I can tell you about it:

* Not too loud, but not hard to hear
* Gets higher in pitch as the RPMs rise... almost sounds like a very quiet jet engine at 5k RPMs
* Definitely not in the drive train is it occurs when the car is not moving
* Pretty sure it sounds mechanical, like gears. It's not a whistle like I would expect an intake leak to sound like
* Occassionally (but rarely) I can't hear it. This may be happenstance, though.
* Definitely not the AIR pump because it does not go away after the engine warms up


Any ideas? TIA!

Grimes

iTrader: (3)

humm, little more info on the car...m6 or a4? Do you notice that the sound changes with gear changes?

ricethis98

Bad serpentine belt? Noisey timing chain? Bad pulley??? guess u gotta be there to hear it to know what it is

smask04C5

iTrader: (1)

Found that Dayco serpentine crosshatched belts will make a sound similar to your description

mikey

iTrader: (6)

Possible power steering pump. Check your PS fluid level and color. Should be semi clear to a little yellow. Dark is bad.

Gauge

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the responses.

The car is a stock '02 WS-6 M6. The only thing on the car that isn't stock (to my knowledge) is the K&N.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

I second it for the power steering pump. Try taking the belt off and see if it goes away.

Gauge

iTrader: (3)

Alright, I haven't had a chance to take a look at this yet due to the fact that I've only had one day with decent weather (no rain) that I was home while the sun was up, and on that day I had to do the brakes. Anyway, I'm really really looking to figure this out in the next couple of days.

There's been an update, though. The sound is becoming more pronounced. It's sounding a bit more harsh and a little louder. I have a couple of questions to help me narrow it down:

1) Why would dirty power steering fluid cause such a noise?
2) Cal, you recommended taking the belt off. Do you mean replace the belt? I'm not sure what all else shares the belt with the PS pump (because I haven't even looked yet), and I'm wondering if it's even possible to run the car w/o it.
3) When checking the condition of the belt, what am I looking for?
4) Any other ideas of possible culprits? (and please include a brief description of how to check said possible culprits)


Thanks a bunch, guys.

Gauge

iTrader: (3)

At lunch I went out and drove the car a bit. I waited until the whirring sound was at its loudest, stopped in a parking lot and popped the hood. I listened around while revving the engine and the sound was definitely coming from the front of the engine on the driver's side. I can't be absolutely 100% sure that it was the power steering pump, but I'm over 90% sure at the moment. Now the question is what is wrong with it? I assume it could be on its way out, or it could be a bad pulley, or the belt, or something. The belt looked okay to me.

Where should I go from here?