# Whining at idle.........



## ubeakin4me (Apr 30, 2006)

Ok guys this just started to happen to me id turn off the car and it would make a slight squeal on the belt side. I checked the tension of the belts and everything looked great. Now just a couple of minutes ago i pulled into the garage and as it's idling it makes a whining noise on the belt side, the noise goes away when i rev the motor but soon comes it's kind of a high pitched noise kinda like an electric whine or when you turn on the garden hose with a nozzle on the end and it makes that whining noise. 
Anyways im gonna go check it out again but if anyone has had this happen please let me know or if you guys have any suggestions. Thanks! O and also to check the level on the transmission on a standard transmission you unplug the sensor that sticks straight up on the top rear of the trans then pull it straight out? or twist? or am i pulling out the right sensor? thanks for your help guys.


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## nova73guy (Mar 30, 2004)

To check the level of fluid you remove the speed sensor, I believe. Then use a (clean) flat piece of metal to measure the distance from the top of the fluid to the top of the tranny housing. Should be around 57-66mm for the GA16 engine and 34-40mm for the SR20 engine model (per the FSM available on this site). As for the whine, sounds like an alternator, but that usually goes up and down in frequency when you rev the engine. Any other info, like recent mods or work done?


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## ubeakin4me (Apr 30, 2006)

ya i was having a problem getting the speed sensor out of the transmission. As for the whine the only time that it happens is when it's at idle. it's not the alternator because it travels up and down with the rpm like you said. now when it happens at idle is only after it's been idling for a while like when im in like at the drive through. boggles my mind, and it's erratic ( the worst kind) it kinda only happens when it wants to, i dunno im thinking it's possibly the water pump or maybe an idler pulley since it's coming from that side where the alternator is...... for mods the car is bone stock with 95K on it. any help would be great thanks guys..


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## tieggonzalez (Apr 22, 2007)

I need some help with this also. The noise sounds like an electrical whine from the water pump pulley area. 

Its killing me.


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## Mr200 (Oct 21, 2007)

ubeakin4me said:


> the noise goes away when i rev the motor but soon comes


Is your power steering fluid level good? 

At 70,000 miles I bought the 95 200sx. I changed the belts and notices the PS pump was loose. Upon closer inspection, I find that the long mounting bolt that goes all the way through the pump is very tight and the pump still moves around, not just up and down to tension the belt.
Turns out the pump housing where the long bolt goes is wallowed out. At 145,000 miles I tear down the engine and upon reassembly I notice this same sloppy pump mounting. I had forgot about the problem and eventually recalled the earlier discovery.

Belt alignment is off a little but I've got no noise. Could this be the source of your noise?

If I put on new belts and get belt noise, I trouble shoot the problem with a little can of belt dressing. The more belts the more necessary the spray can of dressing is. I spray into the belt/pulley that is easy to get to while the engine is running and if the noise stops than that is the belt that I snug up a little. If the noise continues I just go on to the next belt.

You can try this and test for noise. You have a good belt on there right?

John


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## tieggonzalez (Apr 22, 2007)

The belt I have on there is new, yes and is on snug

Another thing that I noticed is that this whiney rub type noise occurs mostly, but not necessarily limited to, start up. 

Could this also be my lower chain guides or lower tensioner. I have experienced the upper tensioner wearing down but it had a pingy rattle.


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## 1941Galant (Sep 27, 2006)

I think it could be your water pump. What you described sounds exactly what was happening to me when I bought my car. There was a really high pitched whine and as soon as I hit the gas it went away. The pump was only $50 from the dealer, and it wasn't too bad to do by myself, I just followed the FSM.


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## tieggonzalez (Apr 22, 2007)

Thanks. I'm thinking your right.


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## funkpacket (Feb 13, 2004)

i have a similar problem, actually getting to the point of embarrassment with the amount of whining noise sitting at a light. Im thinking its an idler pulley issue. Im going to try and pull the belts over the weekend to see if there is any excess play with the idler pulley.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

funkpacket said:


> i have a similar problem, actually getting to the point of embarrassment with the amount of whining noise sitting at a light. Im thinking its an idler pulley issue. Im going to try and pull the belts over the weekend to see if there is any excess play with the idler pulley.


Did you fix this? I'm having this issue and think it's the idler pulley. Autozone part? My idler pulley is pretty shiny so I think it's the problem.

Jason


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