Snowball is whistling!

[Joe Dirt]

Weird- I go to start up this morning, and she starts, and starts this loud whistling- not a belt squeal, not a pulley noise or anythign like that- sounded like an air whistle, and LOUD at first startup. Tone changes with RPM. When I was leaving for work, (about 15 minutes of warming up) the whistling was a lot less, almost gone, but there was coolant on the ground. wet was the corner of the bottom of the rad on the driver's side, and there was coolant on the plastic tank by the small steel line under the rad cap. When I got to work, I would assume that the heat had expanded the rad, and both the noise and the leak were gone- only leaked about a tablespoon of coolant.

I'm going to replace the radiator, but has anyone heard this before, and does it make sense that there was air being forced out of a crack in the radiator tank or something to cause the whistling? I'm just curious, because it's weird- and it started today when it was under 30 degrees...

 

[greenbeer]

Not sure if it helps but, my 01's aftermarket intake whistles until the engine is warm in the winter.

 

[chriswells78]

That was my first thought was the inkake, my mustang intake whistles a little in the cold too.

Tablespoon or so of coolant is wierd. Maybe your rad cap is going bad?

IIRC the small steel line under directly under the cap is a tranny line.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Thats what I thought- both steel lines are for the tranny- they are both "moist" around the fittings into the rad tank. I didn't think to check the cap. But, there is coolant on the outside of the tank, (green) and on the bottom, etc... I ordered a new radiator today, I'm just going to replace it anyway- Michigan is tough, and I don't want the hassle later, on the side of the road if something blows.

It didn't do it tonight when I left, maybe a couple seconds, but it was 45 degrees, as well. This thing was a LOUD whistle though- like I started my truck, went back upstairs to get ready for work, and I could still hear it...

As a side note, I went to AutoZone to get all new radiator hoses, since I might as well replace them while I'm in there and drained, and I had to drive to 2 different AutoZone's to get them- at one place, they were out of the bottom rad hose, and said that they were not going to be stocking them anymore... Yikes! If all you have around you is an AZ, better check, and get them before the prices go up if they are in face not carrying them anymore. (Maybe for the 4.0L OHV only?)

I'll check the cap next time it whistles, see if I can figure out where the noise is coming from...

Jeez Snowball- I sold my other car today, you get the garage now- be nice to me!!!!!

 

[joefnh]

Clean Snowballs IAC (Idle Air Controller)

 

[Lt.Jim]

Clean Snowballs IAC (Idle Air Controller)

^^x2 on the whistling!^^

I don't think the coolant and whistle had anything to do with each other. I had a rad go bad in the same spot and just replaced it.

 

[Joe Dirt]

IAC is brand new about 3 weeks ago...

However- the one I took off did not have a gasket, and the one I put on did not have one in the box either- think that's it? Would make sense to me... Thoughts?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The IAC must have a gasket.

 

[Joe Dirt]

That's what I thought- after closer review, it looks like there is a paper thin gasket on there- no way it does anything, so I will cut out a new gasket tomorrow.

I can't get over how retarded my question was... Should there be a gasket...

Moving on- should I close my hood when I'm done? Duh...

Now my other noise- like an alt belt squeal, only when I start up, only for about 1/2 second, but all the time, warm or cold. If really warm, maybe 1/4 second. Pulley bearing?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did you replace the belt? Maybe the tensioner is bad?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Nope, belt is not changed, I'll be diving in for the rad, hoses, oil, etc this weekend, I'll check the tensioner. Maybe my tensioner pulley is bad or something.