There is an audible whining coming from the engine bay on my G3. It sounds like it's coming from underneath the air box, but I can't be sure. We did the whole listen-through-a-screwdriver trick to every component under the hood that we could touch, but we couldn't find the source.

Any ideas as to what this might be?

 

You sure it's coming from underneath the air box? The "whinning" noise is sometimes related to a failing alternator. Does the noise go up acceleration and down with deceleration?

 

Nah - I'm not really sure where it's coming from. I've tried to listen to figure it out to no avail.

Is there a way to tell if it is the alternator? I'll run outside and try to listen to the alternator specifically right now - before the sun goes down.

 

I heard the noise on my 98 accord, it was like a whinning/humming noise, I couldn't really tell where it was coming from. My boy told me it was was alternator and that's why I had problems starting sometimes and sure enough, that's what it was.

 

That's intersting.

I just went out and listened to it again and the noise seems to be coming from the left side of the car, but the alternator is on the right side.

I haven't had any troubles starting it lately. How long did yours whine before the alternator died?

 

About a month, maybe a little bit more.

 

I guess I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens. I'll be sure to take notice to the starting and see how that goes.

I just did a tune-up today (cap, rotor, wires) so everything feels a little smoother and it starts very well, but the whining persists. I'll watch it, though.

 

my gs whines too when i rev it up. I always thought it was the Power Steering pump. Almost sounds like a damn turbo when i rev it up. I haven't had any starting issues but perhaps i'll through a VAT-40 on it monday and just check for shits and giggles.

 

How loud is it? Mine makes the same noise but not to loud. Has ever since i dropped the new engine in. I can only really hear it when in neutral so i never looked into it.

 

It's noticable from under the hood and somewhat from inside the car. It's not that annoying and it doesn't sound like anything is horribly wrong - but it's not a natural noise so I want to fix it. It definitley sounds like it's coming from the left side of the car. I was thinking maybe it was the ABS motor, but I don't know...

I also have a slight hissing nosise which sounds like a crack in a vacuum line, but I haven't been able to find that, either. That's audible when the car is running and then continues to make a hissing/bubbling sound when the car is shut off.

Between the two of these, I'm driving myself nuts trying to fix them both.