Abnormal whine?

[tercel4wdrules]

Today I noticed while I had the Tercel running at 2k rpm that when the clutch is engaged I heard a distinct sort of high-pitched whining noise. At 1k rpm it is hardly noticeable. Is this normal? I *might* be able to get a recording of it...

I'm considering doing the timing belt now... I'm ticked off at my mechanic at the moment. I'll probably buy the Beck/Arnley timing belt kit from rockauto.com.

[takza]

You really don't want to piss off your mechanic? They know so many ways to mess up your car that you would want to know about them.

Look at it this way...you are a relatively new, fairly finicky car owner...and this guy has been turning wrenches for at least a while.

....something like mixing oil and water?

You should go ahead and do your own timing belt?

...you can learn a lot....but do it right or it might be a bad experience.

[Mickey_D]

Heh, abnormal whine.....

Mine sounds like I have a supercharger on it the thrust bearing is so bad. You know that different sound you get in reverse to any other gear? Well, double it in pitch and volume and that's what I've got

You should hear it when I downshift into second at about 35.

[tercel4wdrules]

Yeah, I was thinking about the release bearing... after it gets driven for 10+ miles or so the noise is more pronounced, and it does sound kinda like a supercharger. It does have chatter but it can be controlled with some careful finessing of the clutch pedal. Won't know for sure until I start driving.

About the mechanic, umm... actually he indirectly pissed ME off. He made some snide remarks to his buddy about myself, which could have provoked anyone into a fracas... I'm talking about the young callow dude... I got some awkward looks, then I left and said to myself later on, "Fork them...". He must of told his buddy a farcical comment, because what followed was some unrimitting laughter. That was unprofessional of him to take such puerile action. The last job he did, which was to replace the TVSV, he did a mediocre job. The car runs like crap now. How marvelous! They're always busy so they hardly have any time.

I don't think there's anything unfathomable about the timing belt replacement procedure... but then again I have NO experience.

Mickey_D: How long have you driven your Tercel like this? I can imagine that noise... it must sound like a broken washing machine stuck on the "spin cycle".

[Mickey_D]

Mickey_D: How long have you driven your Tercel like this? I can imagine that noise... it must sound like a broken washing machine stuck on the "spin cycle".

I wish I had some way of recording digitally the sounds my car makes, I think some of you would be genuinely surprised the silly thing still moves under its own power.

The sound is quite literally the exact same as one of those HUGE superchargers you see (and hear) on Detroit big blocks. Except I don't have the rumbling exhaust note they do.

And the whining noise has been there since I bought it. It hasn't gotten any worse, and it never goes away. I've put about 8,000 miles on it since I got it. 186,000-194,000 in the last year and a half. In that time I've put a dizzy cap and rotor, plugs and wires, oil and filter once, and blew out the air filter a couple times. Oh, and I put the P175/70R14 Cooper Weathermasters on some 1970's series Mustang II rims and some cheap plastic hubcaps over the top.

Other than that, I've sealed up some of the worst rust holes with expanding foam insulation to keep from freezing in the winter due to the less-than sufficient heater output in our cars. And also to keep the dust out of the interior while driving down my road in the summer.......


I mean, here it is in all its glory :




And here's my anti-deer collision light... 1 million candlepower of concentrated 130W H4 Halogen goodness. I have no idea what that stain on my bumper is, will have to go look at it.....







I must say that it looks considerably better in those pics than it does in person....

[Gasoline Fumes]

I must say that it looks considerably better in those pics than it does in person....

But it looks terrible in those pics.
The doors still open with that much rust?

[takza]

I'd start worrying about suspension parts with that kind of rust...strangely...the car still looks good....if you don't notice the rust.

[Fingers]

The throwout bearing will make noise if it in in or our of gear with the clutch engaged. So will the input shaft bearing. Good luck.

[Typrus]

When I start enggaging the cluth to utilize my engine braking.... Well, my friends say... "When did you put an airport under your hood?" They think it sounds like a jet turbine winding down. Fairly accurate description. Been like that on both my Terc's too.

My tranny is starting to scare me with how much it grinds.

One of my college instructors who used to work on T4wd's when they were BRAND NEW is utterly shocked and amazed my Tranny has lasted this long.

He says that UNDER WARRANTY they had to replace the 5th gear gear (you know, the actual metal gear) because people would pop it out of gear without pushing the clutch in.


I'm going to try and get him on this forum if he has time.... A certified Toyota Tech who did warranty work on our babies would be incredibly useful methinks.

[ARCHINSTL]

I'm going to try and get him on this forum if he has time.... A certified Toyota Tech who did warranty work on our babies would be incredibly useful methinks.

Wow!
Can we get him on a retainer basis?
Tom M.

[Chris]

If the clutch is engaged the throw-out bearing should not even come into play. The clutch is engaged when your foot is off the clutch pedal. If you have problems with the throw-out bearing you will hear it when the clutch pedal is being pushed in (ie. disengaged)

[tercel4wdrules]

If the clutch is engaged the throw-out bearing should not even come into play. The clutch is engaged when your foot is off the clutch pedal. If you have problems with the throw-out bearing you will hear it when the clutch pedal is being pushed in (ie. disengaged)

I vividly remember the obnoxious throw-out bearing whine that the old '83 developed when the decrepit clutch just gave up. It would make noise when the pedal was engaged, but as soon as clutch was engaged it would stop. However, that noise was very galling when compared to this moderate whine I am witnessing.

[Ellensburg]

I want to rejuvenate this one seven years after the fact. I have the exact same problem, except it started recently after using 4wd often.

"Today I noticed while I had the Tercel running at 2k rpm that when the clutch is engaged I heard a distinct sort of high-pitched whining noise. At 1k rpm it is hardly noticeable."

[Petros]

not likely it is related to using the 4wd, but just from normal wear. does it whine when the clutch pedal is pushed in? Or when you let it out?

The pilot bearing can whine when the pedal is pushed in (clutch is disengaged). If that is it, there is no easy fix. No other harm will come from it, so you just live with it until you have to replace the clutch and replace it than. The throw-out bearing can also whine when you step on the clutch pedal. And also the input bearing on the transmission.

You might check (or change and top up) the gear oil in the transmission. if the gear oil is low the input shaft bearing can get oil starved and start to whine. topping it up usually will stop the whine.

[Ellensburg]

Cool, I'll check the transmission oil. I'm pretty sure it isn't the pilot bearing as my subaru has a whiny one.