2002 Camry V6: High Pitch Noise from Engine Compartment
Daniel Nguyen
but distinct high pitch noise from its engine compartment when the car
is in idle. When I press down a little on the gas pedal, the noise
seems to intensify. Listening to the engine with the hood open, I'm
almost certain that it comes from the drive belts area.
This noise does not seems normal to me. Does anyone else out there
experience this problem? I'll plan to bring the car to the dealer soon
for them to take a look at it. In the mean time, your advice is
welcomed.
Thanks,
Daniel
Roger Zoul
> experience this problem? I'll plan to bring the car to the dealer soon
> for them to take a look at it. In the mean time, your advice is
> welcomed.
I didn't and do not have that problem on mine.
Jon&Jeri
Do you live in an area with cold temps, i.e. 20 or less? During cold
weather operation, the alternator will make the sound you describe.
Also, your engine has gears on both heads that sync the camshafts. These
gears meshing, especially when cold, can make a high pitched whirring sound
as well.
Maybe run these ideas past the dealer, and see what they say.
Jon
"Daniel Nguyen" <dng...@nfs.aisf.com> wrote in message
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Doug
> but distinct high pitch noise from its engine compartment when the car
> is in idle. When I press down a little on the gas pedal, the noise
> seems to intensify. Listening to the engine with the hood open, I'm
> almost certain that it comes from the drive belts area.
My 2002 Camry V6 makes a similar whining sound when it is cold (30-40
degrees F) outside and the engine is cold and I am cranking the steering
wheel. In my case, it is likely just the belt driving the power steering
pump slipping a bit because it is cold.
-Doug
Acer/Siddiq
you want to hear it you can tune in to it) when the car is cold in the
morning.
/A/S
--
dum spiro, spero
http://users2.ev1.net/~wesiddiquis/siddiq/ <--!!!NEW LOCATION!!!
Daniel Nguyen
This is a follow-up to my original post.
Last weekend, I brought my car to the dealer for them to take a look at
it. After inspecting my car, the shop foreman said this noise is the
alternator's noise. That is just the way the altenator sounds in the
Camrys. According to him, it is normal and the car is perfectly OK. He
has had customers have complained about it before, but there is nothing he
can do about it. If he could do something to the alternator, he would
have so he can charge the work to Toyota. When I told him I got comments
from other Camry's owners in this newsgroup that they don't hear this
noise, he said that some people just don't get affected by the noise.
He suggested to me that if I don't believe him, bring the car back to his
shop where Toyota service representatives (he called them D.S.P.M., I
don't recall what the abbreviation stands for) will be there every
Wednesday to answer questions like this.
Daniel
Dave
> Daniel Nguyen wrote:
>
> > My 1 week old 2002 Camry LE V6 (with less than 300 miles) makes a faint
> > but distinct high pitch noise from its engine compartment when the car
> > is in idle. When I press down a little on the gas pedal, the noise
> > seems to intensify. Listening to the engine with the hood open, I'm
> > almost certain that it comes from the drive belts area.
Can you elaborate on "intensify", as in "When I press down a little on
the gas pedal, the noise seems to intensify" ?
The real alternator whine will change its pitch as you revv up the
engine.
I saw a mechanic tested the alternator whine by putting his left foot
on the brake, changing gear (automatic transmission) and revving the
engine in Park, Reverse, Drive, Neutral ...etc with his right foot.
The alternator whine will be audible in any gear and changes it pitch
(modulates) with engine speed.
> This is a follow-up to my original post.
>
> Last weekend, I brought my car to the dealer for them to take a look at
> it. After inspecting my car, the shop foreman said this noise is the
> alternator's noise. That is just the way the altenator sounds in the
> Camrys. According to him, it is normal and the car is perfectly OK. He
> has had customers have complained about it before, but there is nothing he
> can do about it. If he could do something to the alternator, he would
> have so he can charge the work to Toyota.
If it is indeed alternator whine, it is not normal at all. You can
create this whine noise if you installed (or got someone installed) an
new CD player, new speakers, and in the process of installation, you
may have introduced this noise due to ground loop.
However, if you never touched the car audio, the alternator whines by
itself, I'll say it's the regulator diodes started failing. Unless the
voltage regulator is not part of the alternator, reads: can be
replaced separately, the alternator is not working that well. You may
want to watch for its life within the warranty period.
Get a second opinion from another dealer, or even garages. If you can
find even one that suggests it's the alternator, I don't think you
have a hard time with any Toyota dealer!
Here is some further reading on alternator whine:
http://www.avweb.com/articles/altwhine.html
Dave
Daniel Nguyen
> Can you elaborate on "intensify", as in "When I press down a little on
> the gas pedal, the noise seems to intensify" ?
>
> The real alternator whine will change its pitch as you revv up the
> engine.
The whine noise in my car changes its pitch as the egine is revved up or down, as you described
it.
> I saw a mechanic tested the alternator whine by putting his left foot
> on the brake, changing gear (automatic transmission) and revving the
> engine in Park, Reverse, Drive, Neutral ...etc with his right foot.
> The alternator whine will be audible in any gear and changes it pitch
> (modulates) with engine speed.
>
> If it is indeed alternator whine, it is not normal at all. You can
> create this whine noise if you installed (or got someone installed) an
> new CD player, new speakers, and in the process of installation, you
> may have introduced this noise due to ground loop.
>
> However, if you never touched the car audio, the alternator whines by
> itself, I'll say it's the regulator diodes started failing. Unless the
> voltage regulator is not part of the alternator, reads: can be
> replaced separately, the alternator is not working that well. You may
> want to watch for its life within the warranty period.
>
> Get a second opinion from another dealer, or even garages. If you can
> find even one that suggests it's the alternator, I don't think you
> have a hard time with any Toyota dealer!
>
> Here is some further reading on alternator whine:
> http://www.avweb.com/articles/altwhine.html
>
> Dave
Thanks for the advice and the link.
The article is interesting, but it describes a ripple voltage problem that manifest itself as a
whine noise in the radio. The radio in my car is always off though !
Daniel
Dave
> Dave wrote:
>
> > Can you elaborate on "intensify", as in "When I press down a little on
> > the gas pedal, the noise seems to intensify" ?
> >
> > The real alternator whine will change its pitch as you revv up the
> > engine.
>
> The whine noise in my car changes its pitch as the egine is revved up or down, as you described
> it.
> but it describes a ripple voltage problem that manifest itself as a
> whine noise in the radio. The radio in my car is always off though !
>
The ripple voltage at the voltage regulator, which is usually part of
the alternator, is always there, and is usually inaudile. Some older
design may have the voltage regulator separate, as a "diode pack", so
that it can be replaced easily, and less expensive. I suspect newer
cars have the regulator built into the alternator; replacing the
regulator requires replacing both.
When the output diodes fail, the ripple voltage becomes larger and the
whine becomes audible.
As the article suggests, and if you are technically inclined, a new
(digital) Ohm meter can be used in the AC mode to measure this ripple
voltage, to have an idea how bad it is. Comparing this with any other
car, or another Camry's alternator without the whine, you may be able
to see how much ripple voltage required to cause the whine, that can
be used as an objective evidence for the dealer's service advisor.
I think if you bug your dealer (better yet, find another one) a few
times with this evidence, and/or repeat this with other dealers, one
of them may give in, eventually :).
As someone eloquently put it early in this group, essentially
something about new car owners want almost everything for free, yours
would not be the first one!
Here is another relevant link:
http://www.autosite.com/garage/encyclop/ency11a.asp
Dave
Terry kane
stuffing around.
"Dave" <trinh...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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