Whining Noise

fiveoh · 12-12-2008, 10:29 PM

Hey Guys,

I have a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 short bed with 71,000 miles. At idle there is a loud whining noise. When accelerating it gets quieter, but is still heard. What could this be? I thought it might be the serpentine belt but it is like new no cracks. My only other guess is maybe power steering pump but steering feels okay or possibly the transmission but it shifts fine and only has 71,000 miles. I had a car once that had tranny problems and whenever the tranny was about to go it made a whining noise. That car was foreign though and had 134,000 miles. Please, any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. Thanks...

Kennyray · 12-13-2008, 01:24 AM

Have your alt load tested, could be bad diodes causing the whine. Thats what mine is doing, and thats what the test shown.

leolkfrm · 12-13-2008, 02:51 AM

welcome to the forum
Get yourself a 30" piece of pvc pipe, use it as a sounding probe, place it by the alternator, if it is the problem you will hear it thru the pipe, otherwise listen to different areas till you find the source

GMC1993Sierra · 12-13-2008, 05:02 AM

Remove the serpentine belt and start it up. This way you'll know if it's one of your accessories or not. If the sound goes away then you know where to look. If it doesn't go away then you know where not to look. Good luck.

ukrkoz · 12-13-2008, 04:41 PM

you should have agauge on the top of the belt pully telling you if the belt is overstratched or not.
if it's whining noise, it's something that spins very fast.
alternator bearings make slightly crunching noise, not whining. sort of like a cricket.
i'd lean towards one of the pumps - either water or power steering.

see error · 12-13-2008, 05:31 PM

isnt there a 2nd small belt in the back lay under truck and look at the balancer pully if i rember right i have 2 also the tensioner pulley.

bradrhale · 12-13-2008, 08:12 PM

the 5.3 has 2 belts. the serpentine that runs everything and then a small v belt that runs the ac compressor on the bottom passenger side of the engine.
check the belt for the ac. i had this same problem as the belt had stretched and had a problem with a pulley.

12-12-2008, 10:29 PM	#1
fiveoh Full Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 11	Whining Noise Hey Guys, I have a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 short bed with 71,000 miles. At idle there is a loud whining noise. When accelerating it gets quieter, but is still heard. What could this be? I thought it might be the serpentine belt but it is like new no cracks. My only other guess is maybe power steering pump but steering feels okay or possibly the transmission but it shifts fine and only has 71,000 miles. I had a car once that had tranny problems and whenever the tranny was about to go it made a whining noise. That car was foreign though and had 134,000 miles. Please, any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. Thanks...

12-13-2008, 02:51 AM	#3
leolkfrm Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: N.Y. Posts: 4,300	welcome to the forum Get yourself a 30" piece of pvc pipe, use it as a sounding probe, place it by the alternator, if it is the problem you will hear it thru the pipe, otherwise listen to different areas till you find the source __________________ 4 wheels move the body 2 wheels move the soul B.W.A.I

12-13-2008, 05:02 AM	#4
GMC1993Sierra Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 82	Remove the serpentine belt and start it up. This way you'll know if it's one of your accessories or not. If the sound goes away then you know where to look. If it doesn't go away then you know where not to look. Good luck. __________________ 1993 GMC Sierra (RIP) 186k miles - She'll be missed. But loving the 2009.

12-13-2008, 05:31 PM	#6
see error Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: tallahassee, fl Posts: 168	isnt there a 2nd small belt in the back lay under truck and look at the balancer pully if i rember right i have 2 also the tensioner pulley. __________________ 2004 gmc 1500 cc 4x4

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12-13-2008, 01:24 AM	#2
Kennyray Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 648	Have your alt load tested, could be bad diodes causing the whine. Thats what mine is doing, and thats what the test shown.

12-13-2008, 04:41 PM	#5
ukrkoz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 172	you should have agauge on the top of the belt pully telling you if the belt is overstratched or not. if it's whining noise, it's something that spins very fast. alternator bearings make slightly crunching noise, not whining. sort of like a cricket. i'd lean towards one of the pumps - either water or power steering.

12-13-2008, 08:12 PM	#7
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,014	the 5.3 has 2 belts. the serpentine that runs everything and then a small v belt that runs the ac compressor on the bottom passenger side of the engine. check the belt for the ac. i had this same problem as the belt had stretched and had a problem with a pulley.

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