When I'm idling or driving I get this occasional noise that sounds terrible, it's not that loud but you can hear it without trying. It sounds like a pulley has bad bearings but everything seems ok on the front of the motor, my next guess is the torque converter taking a ****?

 

How many miles and some drive line services
Transmission fluid changes regular?
Have you ever used any additives?
Not a very common issue.

As for the pulleys have you used a stethoscope?
Have you changed the idler pulley?
belt tension pulley?
Belt?
Lots more common!

 

If it does it at idle, and you can make it happen, slip off the serpantine belt, spin each thing that turns, and feel for roughness. You won't be able to spin that big crank pulley at the bottom. You can also listen with a stethoscope or broom handle or board held against ear and each part (AC compressor, alternator, water pump, PS pump, ar pulley stud) and hear all kinds of racket going on that you never heard before. Works for valve covers too.

Hopefully all fluid levels normal and reasonably fresh.

 

Remove your belt and spin every pully and idler pully looking for roughness or noise.

 

I have that noise at idle all the time.
My transmission also judders with very light gas pedal when first starting out.

But, that is probably your power steering pump.

I replaced mine.

Did not make ANY difference.

Here is how to analyse the noise.

Be careful doing this.

I did this in a parking lot near the Boulder Airport

 

make sure your computer sound is ON.
That's the fun part

 

Doesnt sound like thatt at all. It gets quiter at higher rpms. Ill be checking the pullies once im home today.

 

Pulled the fan shroud off and cleaned a bunch of mud and gunk out of the front of the motor and radiators, found my radiator leak (was dripping onto the belts) and fixed it with a new hose and better clamps. No more squeals, no more leaks, and electric fan isn't kicking on randomly any more. All good