Hamster in my engine
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Hamster in my engine I have a very weird noise going on with my 99 trans am. When i start it up and start driving down the road i hear this noise that sounds like a hamster on a wheel. Very squeaky and faint.I already replaced the idle pulley and that didnt fix it just wondering if anyone else has had this problem?
Teching In
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Could be any of the pulleys. Wife's car made that sound- turned out to be a water pump bearing going out. Mine is doing it now. Sounds like it's coming from the water pump on mine, too... :/ But it technically it could be any of the pulleys on the belt system. Or even the belt itself. I saw a thread where folks were spraying water on the belt to see if it got quieter to test for that. Wd40 on pulley bearings may be able to isolate those. Just sharing a little of my experience and a lot of what I've read on here trying to chase my own hamster down! I haven't eliminated it quite yet. 
I have a very weird noise going on with my 99 trans am. When i start it up and start driving down the road i hear this noise that sounds like a hamster on a wheel. Very squeaky and faint.I already replaced the idle pulley and that didnt fix it just wondering if anyone else has had this problem?
Okay seriously. I had to replace every pulley, both belts with Gatorback belts, water pump, alternator, and power steering pump before I got rid of my squeals.
Teching In
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Ok I guess I need to correct something in my previous post: maybe be careful with the wd-40. Use some kind of actual lubricant rather than a penetrating oil to make sure you don't eat up the grease that is supposed to be there to prevent this kind of squeaking from happening.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
Likes: 2,553
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Very common LS1 issue, especially when approaching or beyond 100k miles. It's usually one of the non-loaded pullies, such as an idler or tensioner pulley. There are two of each (A/C and main systems). You can remove the belt from the A/C system to determine which belt system is the culprit. I had to replace both tensioners and both idlers, plus new belts, to get mine cleared up.
Trending Topics
What are the part numbers for the four pulleys? I want to use AC Delco for replacement. Mine have made it 160,000 miles so I don't plan to open them up and grease them. 2000 LS1 Camaro, plan to get them off rockauto.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
Likes: 2,553
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Not sure if any of the part numbers have changed in the last few years (did mine back in 2012-13 I think), but these were the correct numbers at the time:
12563326 - Main idler
12560344 - Main tensioner (w/pulley)
12557335 - A/C idler
12560345 - A/C tensioner (w/pulley)
That was for my '02 car. For a 2000, if yours was an early build then it might use a different main idler pulley. There was a mid-year change to the alternator bracket that necessitated a different pulley. I don't have the VIN breakdown handy, but if it was a late 2000 build then you should be fine with the number posted above. If it was a early build, then you might need the '98-'99 style main idler.
12563326 - Main idler
12560344 - Main tensioner (w/pulley)
12557335 - A/C idler
12560345 - A/C tensioner (w/pulley)
That was for my '02 car. For a 2000, if yours was an early build then it might use a different main idler pulley. There was a mid-year change to the alternator bracket that necessitated a different pulley. I don't have the VIN breakdown handy, but if it was a late 2000 build then you should be fine with the number posted above. If it was a early build, then you might need the '98-'99 style main idler.
^ Yea, you don't want OEM pulleys. There are a few threads on this. I recall that the GM pulleys are not available any more, which is why people have gone aftermarket. Even still, it's a pretty basic part. Metal wheel + bearing. As long as you have a quality casting and a quality bearing, you have a quality part.
Goodyear makes a really nice Main and Tensioner pulley for the car. (I think these are now sold and marketed under the brand "Continental Elite")
Dayco also does a pulley for the A/C idlers. I've had them on for years and they have been great: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ley-belts.html
Goodyear makes a really nice Main and Tensioner pulley for the car. (I think these are now sold and marketed under the brand "Continental Elite")
Dayco also does a pulley for the A/C idlers. I've had them on for years and they have been great: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ley-belts.html
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
Likes: 2,553
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
All four of the part numbers I posted above check out as being active/valid GM part numbers as of 6/10/16. Perhaps it was the old style main idler that was discontinued?
What year is your car?
They're different in the earlier years, primarily 99 than 00 - 02.
I think the later year pulleys have a different offset and will not fit properly.
For what its worth, my Delco's made it to about 180 but then squeeled horribly. Went with Goodyears, never looked back.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,631
Likes: 2,553
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
IT DEPENDS ON THE YEAR OF YOUR CAR!!!
What year is your car?
They're different in the earlier years, primarily 99 than 00 - 02.
I think the later year pulleys have a different offset and will not fit properly.
For what its worth, my Delco's made it to about 180 but then squeeled horribly. Went with Goodyears, never looked back.
What year is your car?
They're different in the earlier years, primarily 99 than 00 - 02.
I think the later year pulleys have a different offset and will not fit properly.
For what its worth, my Delco's made it to about 180 but then squeeled horribly. Went with Goodyears, never looked back.
It is not correct to list the division as '99 vs. '00-'02. That's confusing and fails to recognize that 2000 is the specific model year where the change took place.
Just to set the record completely straight, the VIN breakpoint was Y2107225 (the bulletin, TSB #00-06-01-008, was issued on March 22, 2000.) That is for model year 2000; cars built prior to that VIN have the old style pulley, cars built after have the new pulley.
If one wants to convert to the new pulley, the part number for the updated bracket is 12563327.