chirping!

T

tommiswizzle

Registered
The past few days, my car has started to make a chirping sound. It has just under 75k miles on it, 97, just got new brakes and tires. New front suspension a few months ago. Now suddenly it starts making a chirping sound!

It only happens going in slow speeds (under 25). When it happens, it's constant, but doesn't constantly happen. Does that make sense? It's been doing it off and on for about a week now, and today it started something new. When I press down on the accelerator when it's chirping, it makes a rattling sound, kinda like the sound a can of spray paint makes when ya shake it.

Today I opened the hood and took a look at the belts, and they all look like they are in great shape. If ya'll remember me from my previous posts, I know nothing about cars, so I don't even know what to look for.

Last time I got my oil changed (nearly 3k miles ago, I'm due for another one soon), they showed me all the fluids and I remember specifially looking at the transmission fluid and it looked very clean and pink. We've had to replace transmissions on two cars in the past, I know how badly it sucks so I try to keep an eye out. I just hope that's not the problem now... although from what I read, trannies on the 97's suck.

Any ideas on what it could be?
 
Have you kept the car running and opened the hood to listen. Some times the belt tensioner or idller pulley bearings start to fail and give off intermittent noises. A long handle screw driver placed carefuly on the pulley mount should yield some unnatural noises when listened to at the handle end (car running - be careful).
 
Mine chirps, whistles and wheezes so much, I've learned to ignore it and just crank up the stereo or mash the accelerator. :p

On a serious note, I have heard driveline chirps before. Usually they are obviously speed sensitive, sometimes torque sensitive. Even the u-joints can demonstrate this symptom. Not trying to scare you, but something to consider.

If you just got new brakes, I would suspect those first even though it may not seem to be brake related. Some places do not take the proper care in installation or brake pad selection and just slap new pads in without consideration for future noise issues.
 
Roadboss said:
Have you kept the car running and opened the hood to listen. Some times the belt tensioner or idller pulley bearings start to fail and give off intermittent noises. A long handle screw driver placed carefuly on the pulley mount should yield some unnatural noises when listened to at the handle end (car running - be careful).
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Mine did the samething as you described. It was the tensioner pulley, not expensive or hard to change. I changed the pulleys and the belt just to be sure.

Not sure about the screwdriver idea, I'm not sure what an normal sound would be while doing that. If you do, as he said BE CAREUL!
 
Be2lose said:
Mine did the samething as you described. It was the tensioner pulley, not expensive or hard to change. I changed the pulleys and the belt just to be sure.

Not sure about the screwdriver idea, I'm not sure what an normal sound would be while doing that. If you do, as he said BE CAREUL!
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I noticed an underhood squeak from mine a while back but mostly when cold. I recently replaced the serpentine belt and checked the tensioner pulley. It rolled freely, smoothly and with no play. The car has 117,000 miles on it, should I have replaced it? There is not must of a squeak now with the new belt.
 
black97lsc said:
I noticed an underhood squeak from mine a while back but mostly when cold. I recently replaced the serpentine belt and checked the tensioner pulley. It rolled freely, smoothly and with no play. The car has 117,000 miles on it, should I have replaced it? There is not must of a squeak now with the new belt.
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If you stopped the squeak no need to. I knew I needed a new belt and tensioner pulley. I just replaced the other to be safe. I'd hate having to go back and replace the other pulley later. This car is my office, I work out of it and drive around 600 miles a week. I have to be proactive about keeping it running.
 
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