Well this is fun. We are leaving for a weeklong camping trip in a few hours and I've got a new noise. Good news is we are not going too far.

It's a high pitched squeak that happens when cold and then goes away. Pretty sure it's mechanical, tied to RPM's and does not matter if it's in park or drive. Belts and tensioners are new, under 2 years. Water pump is about 1 month old and has less than 100 miles on it.

I've attached the sound for the brain trust reference and your entertainment. Recorded in the garage for extra amplification and irritation.

 

Sounds like one of the bearings on one of the tensioners OR a small bird is unhappy that you started your engine (probably the first one).

But I could be wrong

Jeff

 

Definitely sounds like a bad pulley or tensioner. I’ve had new parts fail out of the gate, so don’t rule anything out because it’s new. I suggest using a stethoscope or piece of tubing up to your ear to try to hone in on the bad pulley. Or you can remove the belt and inspect by hand (probably would recommend that for final verification though).

 

Awesome guys, I appreciate it. I managed to get some cell service out here and able to respond.

The noise is louder now and once the truck is warm, stays near constant. If I stop and idle it goes away. Under light load rolling forward it comes back. In N and reveling it’s gotta get to 1000 or a bit more to hear it lightly but it’s immediate and louder when under load.

Trying to gauge if it’ll make it back home on Saturday or if I should go find a shop tomorrow (weird hours and closed Tuesday) and see if they can slam something in before heading home.

 

Does it happen only w/ the A/C on?

 

To pinpoint the source of a squeal like that, I have used a trigger spray bottle with just plain tap water to squirt directly onto the pulleys, belts, or bearings to see if I can upset the noise.

Like SeattleDriver said, The only other way I know of would be to remove the belts and hand rotate everything and feel for the problem.

Hope it’s not your brand new water pump! The Car Doctor podcast Ron Ananian says, NEW stands for Never Ever Worked.

This weekend, I’m re-replacing my brand NEW Gates 2-piece water pump with an AC Delco one-piece pump.

 

Its the main belt tensioner pulley. The coolant leak seems to have killed the bearings and the belt.