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Why do all of our cars have that mysterious whine?

5.5K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  Ddaddy  
#1 ·
So every day I get in my car, and in Drive as I'm taking off no matter what I hear this supercharger-like whine coming from the front end (no supercharger though). What could this be and why do all of our cars do it?

The techs at the stealerships don't CARE about the car, they just care if they'll make any money off repairs and how much energy they'll have to excert. So I've had them check and they said nothing was wrong, and it's a usual noise. But, WHY is it a usual noise, what is causing it? I said power-steering because there is a slight (yet different sounding) whine when I turn the wheel when stopped. I've been fixing/maintaining cars for 10 years now and I can't find a fix for this.

Anybody know what it is?
 
#3 ·
Belt whine?
 
#4 ·
Try QuantumBlue Power steering and catalyst. It got rid of the whine I was hearing from my steering wheel

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#5 ·
I'd go Royal Purple if anything. In fact that was my plan. Just a preference thing. Nothing towards QB. But I'm not convinced it's the PS that's whining, it sounds like the transmission to me. Low RPM is when it whines, after 2k it goes away until the next gear.
 
#7 ·
#10 ·
Your cars don't whine, they roar :)

OP, try a different dealership. Does it "whine" in neutral, or only while driving?
 
#9 ·
Like the imports whine?that little rc car whine? I have hated it since as long as i can remember. I used to think of it as an electric engine whine.... like those little engines in toy cars where if u reverse the polarity the direction the engine turns will change, usually came with a little white plastic gear attched on the little metal rod that made everything move. Or those wind up cars that u charged by rolling it in the same direction and made somewhat of a gear grinding whine, sometimes they emitted sparks covered by plastic for show. I hate that noise, thats y i added a catback and intake
 
#11 ·
My car has a whine (maybe more like whistle) and has since it was new.

Yes, I changed the oil weight per the TSB for the oil squirters (it got a little better). I also did several PS fluid changes (it got a little better the first time but not since then).

The car still sounds like it has a supercharger and often mechanics at shops ask me if it does when they hear it running. I've also serviced the tranny and no change. It's always been this way and I have no idea why.

I added my SRT Airtube mod and there was no change in the sound so I know it's not on the intake airbox system.

I don't mind it...it sounds kinda cool.
 
#16 ·
I have this too. Sounds like a whistle, and only at light throttle when first starting out, like the shape of the air intake is causing it w/ just the right air flow. A little extra throttle, or once moving a little faster it goes away. Personally I think it's pretty annoying but I've always lived with it since usually I'm harder on the throttle or have the music blasting anyway. I had a local shop doing some break work last summer and the mechanic asked how I could live w/ that sound after the test drive. FWIW, I have a frankentake air intake and if anything that just made it a bit louder than the stock air box...
 
#13 ·
I think i read somewhere, the engines in our cars turn a bit faster than what the PS pump was designed for... Dunno... Maybe it is that
 
#20 ·
The whine and the whistle combined makes it really sound like it has a supercharger. Since I replaced the steering fluid with QB the whine definitely was reduced substantially but the whistle remains.

It's still enough for folks to ask if it has a supercharger.

In my case, the custom intake tube and high-flow air filter did not make it any better of worse.