# High pitch noise at startup, goes away after 20 sec or so



## unita_logica (Feb 23, 2007)

Hi, after a 20 minutes search I decided to open a new thread about my problem. I am a :newbie: about cars so please bear with me.

I recently bought a 1992 240sx SE, all stock, stick shift, and the car runs great. The engine has 99K miles. I am in California if this matters.

My problem is that the car started making a high pitch noise immediately after the engine starts. It clearly comes from the engine and it's pretty loud. If I don't move the car, it goes away I'd say in 20-30 seconds. 

In one occasion I tried the following: 
- I started moving when the noise was still on: I noticed the noise went away as soon as I moved;
- after 5 seconds or so I stopped moving and I noticed that the noise came back (the clutch was down, engine still running of course). 

In any case, after 30 seconds the noise goes away no matter what. In fact, if I stop the engine once the noise already faded and re-start it right away, I don't hear the noise anymore. 

A couple of times I didn't hear the noise at all.

Any ideas what can this be? The noise is kind of... scary to my ears, but other than that the car runs great.  Let me know if my descriptions need more details. And thanks a lot for this great forum!


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## positron (Oct 16, 2006)

Could be one of your belts squealing. My alternator belt would squeal at startup and then stop seconds later or if I revved up. You either need a new belt or you need to adjust the one on it. There's a screw on the bracket that can be used to adjust the tension.


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## Nismo240 (Jul 24, 2004)

i was thinking the power steering pump may be bad or out of fluid. check to see if there is any fluid in it.


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## unita_logica (Feb 23, 2007)

ooh, i found out there is a (small) leak on the powersteering fluid... Where should I look inside the engine to check the level? sorry for the lame question.


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## unita_logica (Feb 23, 2007)

BTW thanks to all the replies! 

some other clues i found today: the high pitch noise "can" come back after a few minutes after startup but only when I do NOT push on the gas. I was coming to a stop light and i wasn't fully stopped yet, but I had just left the gas pedal go and pushed on the brake when i heard a the noise for a second, then it went away. I started the car just a minute before.

Anyway it seems like after the car is warm enough i don't hear it anymore under no circumstances. Can this still be related to the powersteering fluid? Or what belts could be involved? Hopefully not the timing belt?


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## Nismo240 (Jul 24, 2004)

mine has been doing this for a while now. it could be a leak in the line somewhere or the rack and pinion may be bad. if it was a belt, it would be squealing. and KA's have a timing chain, not a belt (just to let you know).


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

unita_logica said:


> Anyway it seems like after the car is warm enough i don't hear it anymore under no circumstances. Can this still be related to the powersteering fluid? Or what belts could be involved? Hopefully not the timing belt?


Before you start digging into the components, the power steering belt is most likely too loose; tighten it up if need be.

The power steering reservoir is located on the driver's side near the air filter box. The fluid to use is Dexron II or III ATF.


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## kissmeimjwsh (Aug 10, 2006)

ok
the fact that you have a power steering pump leak(depending on where it is) you might have fluid on your belt
anytime i have a belt squeel at startup but goes away after you rev or start driving
its usualy my alternator belt
if the battery wont charge or the alternator isnt charging correctly then it will casue the belt to squeel for a few sec at idle
if it goes away perminatly after the car is warmed up then your belt is just loose(rubber expands when its warm)
if it does it occasionaly while driving, try replacing your battery


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## unita_logica (Feb 23, 2007)

problem solved, well, kinda long time ago (forgot to update this thread ;-))

The culprit was the loose alternator belt. Once that was tightened, the noise disappeared. 

BTW the mechanic that fixed it found no power-steering leak - (the supposed leak was reported by the first mechanic that inspected the car)


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