Swirling/Twirling Sound???

[Don Bailey]

While I'm waiting on my 4th longblock to arrive, I've noticed a twirling/swirling/whistling sorta sound coming from the engine under an initial, slow but continuous acceleration. Almost sounds like a vacuum leak that is sucking air in a way that would cause a whistling sound. I've made a visual inspection and don't see anything loose. Any ideas? :banghead:

 

[Gavin Allan]

i suspect it is whistling a teasing tune, trying to rub it in how miserable it has been making you lately. Threaten to trade it for an old Chevy S-10 and it might just shut up. :cry:

 

[Don Bailey]

LMAO Gavin! Good one! :bwahaha:

 

[David Dousette]

I've noticed something similar on my 2003 XLT since it turned cold this year... I get a whistle on slow, continuous acceleration that goes away as soon as I take my foot off the pedal. When I put my foot back on the gas it takes a minute or two but it will usually return.



I started typing "engine whist..." into Google and it auto-completed "engine whistles when cold," so I figure it must be a problem common to a lot of different vehicles. Some people think it is just cold air in the intake causing metal to expand at different rates until the engine warms up, some people think it is a weak alternator or belt, and one guy said he just lived with it until he got old enough that he couldn't hear it anymore. :grin:



My plan is to wait until Spring to see what it does then.

 

[David Dousette]

On the way to work this morning I decided to try pushing the pedal harder instead of lifting off when the whistling started and I noticed that it also went away then, too.

 

[Don Bailey]

Yeap David. EXACT same thing going on with mine. Hmmmm........:banghead:

 

[Kurt DeVries]

If you happen to find out what is causing the sound, please post the information under this thread as I also have the same issue going on as well. I hadn't noticed the sound in the summer, but have noticed it many times now throughout the cold season. I assumed it was the winter tires that I installed for the winter months, but now I am not so sure. Hmmmm is right......

 

[Don Bailey]

May have found source of sound. Vacuum leak. There is a rigid plastic tube that runs under the upper radiator hose that is part of a vacuum line. Plugs into a rubber line. Mine was not seated all the way in. Will confirm tomorrow morning when I drive it after its stone cold. Doesn't do it after it warms up. Only first thing.

 

[Don Bailey]

Well drove it this morning and the noise is still there. Must have something to do with the new crappy engine they put in last. :cry:

 

[David Dousette]

40 degrees on the drive home and still got the same symptoms, maybe a little worse now... I will have to look at it further this weekend. My drive belt has right at 100000 miles on it so it may be time for a replacement if the cold caused the rubber to crack or slip.