Alternator Whine!!!
Alternator Whine!!! Today i drove my car to the exhaust shop to get my car sound cats welded on. I drive back home and get like 1/4 mile from the house and start to hear this crazy whine noise coming from under the hood. I pull into the driveway pot the hood and it seems like its coming from the alternator. Has anyone had this problem before? Once the car gets warm it starts to get loud. It doesnt make noise from a cold start. Someone help
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From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Power steering pump is right under the alternator, make sure it's the alternator whining and not a low PS pump.
Use a screw driver or a longer ratchet extension, make a fist right around the handle/end and then place it on the metal of the alternator (while the car is running and the whine is happening). Then put your ear to your fist (ear to thumb/index) and this'll act as a poor mans stethoscope. If the whine is not VERY loud when it's on the alternator, it could be the PS pump. Not sure if you can use a longer extension to reach the PS pump or not, and repeat this step, but you're welcome to try. This trick also works for other things where it's kind of hard to pinpoint the sound, like ticking if it's a rocker and what side, just put the 'stethoscope' on the valve cover
BUT It could also be the alternator, drive it to a parts store and see if they have a tester for in the car. Otherwise, just pull the alternator and take it in for testing.
Use a screw driver or a longer ratchet extension, make a fist right around the handle/end and then place it on the metal of the alternator (while the car is running and the whine is happening). Then put your ear to your fist (ear to thumb/index) and this'll act as a poor mans stethoscope. If the whine is not VERY loud when it's on the alternator, it could be the PS pump. Not sure if you can use a longer extension to reach the PS pump or not, and repeat this step, but you're welcome to try. This trick also works for other things where it's kind of hard to pinpoint the sound, like ticking if it's a rocker and what side, just put the 'stethoscope' on the valve cover
BUT It could also be the alternator, drive it to a parts store and see if they have a tester for in the car. Otherwise, just pull the alternator and take it in for testing.
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,564
Likes: 4
From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
I never really though about it, but I'm willing to bet the majority of places don't do that, or if they do it's nothing I've actually heard of :S
