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Old May 2, 2009 | 06:45 PM
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Default Whistling from engine

07/09/2009 Cliff Notes

It's NOT the AIR system (that has been removed long ago). Engine whistles and gets louder under acceleration. Sound seems to be coming from the engine bay on the driver's side somewhere between MAF and intake manifold area, but what's interesting is that it's loudest inside the car under light throttle in 1st gear. It's annoying and only started happening after I tried putting the EGR back on one time (but never finished, so nothing should be different). Any ideas/help are appreciated, thanks.

-------------------------------------

First of all, I searched.

There's a constant whistling noise coming from my engine and it gets louder when I rev.

I was trying to put my AIR and EGR systems back on for inspection, but quit halfway through because it wasn't worth it. I had the TB, MAF, lid, and the EGR blockoff plate off. Once I put everything back together, the whistling started.

It sounds like a vacuum leak, but I am new at this and don't quite know where to check. Any suggestions of how I can figure this out are appreciated, thanks.

Last edited by aothepresident; Jul 9, 2009 at 09:21 PM.
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Old May 2, 2009 | 07:15 PM
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my camaro has always whined lol.. never had any problems tho and always ran good..
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Old May 2, 2009 | 11:35 PM
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well sound like it didnt do it before you tried to reintall the AIR/EGR so that leaves a finite number of possibilites. just start checking those blockoffs, did you use new gaskets on the blockoffs, if i remember right they are paper and fell apart on a friedns car.
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Old May 3, 2009 | 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by jrob56
well sound like it didnt do it before you tried to reintall the AIR/EGR so that leaves a finite number of possibilites. just start checking those blockoffs, did you use new gaskets on the blockoffs, if i remember right they are paper and fell apart on a friedns car.
I just used the old gaskets, couldn't find a place to get new ones. They are pretty cheap but when I feel around them they don't seem to be leaking at all.
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Old May 3, 2009 | 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by aothepresident
I just used the old gaskets, couldn't find a place to get new ones. They are pretty cheap but when I feel around them they don't seem to be leaking at all.
hmm ya on my friends car you could feel the air coming out...i dont know, my car definitely has a whistling noise and it seems most ls1s do too maybe you just didnt notice before...
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Old May 6, 2009 | 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by jrob56
hmm ya on my friends car you could feel the air coming out...i dont know, my car definitely has a whistling noise and it seems most ls1s do too maybe you just didnt notice before...
I was hoping that, but I can't see how I wouldn't notice before. It sounds like a supercharger
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Old May 6, 2009 | 02:14 PM
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If you have the passenger side valve cover vacuum line connected to the manifold instead of the throttle body it will whistle. In other words if both the passenger and the driver side pcv are connected to vacuum. Sorry if I'm not explaining it well.
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Old May 7, 2009 | 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by slick00m
If you have the passenger side valve cover vacuum line connected to the manifold instead of the throttle body it will whistle. In other words if both the passenger and the driver side pcv are connected to vacuum. Sorry if I'm not explaining it well.
Is this the line you're talking about? It seems to be connected the same way I took it off... Does everything look good here?

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Old May 7, 2009 | 07:14 PM
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ya ur fine there, thats the way mine is too. i put it back on the same way i took it off when i did the ls6 install. i dont know what else to suggest. have you identified an area it is coming from at all? i have heard somone on here talk about using a stethoscope to listen to different areas, said it helped in finding the noise. might give it a try...
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Old May 7, 2009 | 07:54 PM
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I've tried but can't identify even a general area by any means. Using a stethoscope sounds pretty intense
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Old May 7, 2009 | 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by aothepresident
I've tried but can't identify even a general area by any means. Using a stethoscope sounds pretty intense
ha ya thats what i thought too, i was just reaching for something to tell ya heard it worked though...
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Old May 8, 2009 | 03:59 PM
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I use a section of steel brake line with a shorter piece of rubber fuel line on one end to put to my ear, a sort of stethoscope. Works great for pinpointing exhaust leaks, may work for this too. Just be very careful you don't get it, or yourself, too close to moving belts etc.
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Old May 8, 2009 | 07:05 PM
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Sounds like the Air Pump that injects air into the exhaust. It will run until the Cats reach the required temp. It sounds like a "Mini-supercharger". It is located on the Drivers side/front up behind the Turn signal/driving light.
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Old May 8, 2009 | 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by highgear
Sounds like the Air Pump that injects air into the exhaust. It will run until the Cats reach the required temp. It sounds like a "Mini-supercharger". It is located on the Drivers side/front up behind the Turn signal/driving light.
Yea but I removed the AIR and EGR
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Old May 9, 2009 | 03:06 AM
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Originally Posted by highgear
Sounds like the Air Pump that injects air into the exhaust. It will run until the Cats reach the required temp. It sounds like a "Mini-supercharger". It is located on the Drivers side/front up behind the Turn signal/driving light.
Do people even read the threads befor they post anymore
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:01 PM
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Ok, well this PIA problem won't go away. I think I have it narrowed down to coming from the driver's side of the engine, somewhere between the MAF and intake manifold (at least that's where the sound is the loudest). I have checked the PCV vacuum lines in back on the manifold and they seem to be ok. I can't see any cracking of the intake and the TB seems to be seated ok. I know I probably won't get this figured out on here, but I'm giving it a try anyways. Thanks
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:50 PM
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You can use starter fluid to pinpoint intake tracts and gasket leaks. Spray it around connections and vacuum lines sparingly. If you hear the RPM bump up for a second then you have found it. Pretty simple stuff. Check everything you had apart. Usually with a vacuum leak the idle will surge a lil or alot depending on the size. If it does have a vacuum leak fix it quick, they cause your car to run lean. If it isn't vacuum related check your pulleys. Water pump, a/c clutch, and power steering pump can all make whining noises.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 04:06 PM
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^That's another thing I forgot to mention. I've tried spraying carb cleaner all around the intake and vacuum lines, found nothing. I'm about to try again though just to make sure because I'm so frustrated

Edit: I also tried running the car with the belts off and still got the sound...

Last edited by aothepresident; Jul 9, 2009 at 09:25 PM.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 09:23 PM
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Well I feel like an idiot because the majority of this thread is me talking to myself, but here's an update: I spent all afternoon trying to solve this little problem, and failed. One new thing I figured out is that it's loudest inside the car, under light throttle, in 1st gear
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Old Jul 19, 2009 | 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by aothepresident
Well I feel like an idiot because the majority of this thread is me talking to myself, but here's an update: I spent all afternoon trying to solve this little problem, and failed. One new thing I figured out is that it's loudest inside the car, under light throttle, in 1st gear
Well, this probably won't make you feel any better, but you're not alone. I have a shrieking/chirping sounds coming from the back of my intake manifold and I'm having a devil of a time with it. At first I thought it was belts so I went through the motions there... but it seems to be coming from the back of the motor. I'm guessing vacuum leak.
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