Alt checked good. Power steering fluid looked like this



Made me want coffee. Pulled it all out and refilled the resevior. Still making that sound. Ill post a vid from in the engine bay later to give a little better idea.

 

Is it a chirping sound, like a water pump bearing might make? I listened to your video clip, my high freq. hearing is going out, but sounded like a water pump bearing. A water pump though tends to be a constant chirp as it really startsd to fail. Could it be a loose heat shield or such rattling around?

 

I have another clip I took today from the front of the car. Ill upload it and maybe you can get a better idea. To me it sounds like a bearing but it sounds like its coming from right around the alternator/rear valve cover area

let me know if you can look at this clip

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201478235894724

 

I just checked this thread out.... If I'm repeating anything that has been said already, I apologize. Without being infront of the car, it's tough to pinpoint the noise. If you are there you can get a feel if the noise it closer to one item then another. Power Steering is a good guess, but if you turn the wheels side to side, normally will cause a failing pump to groan or whine a little as well. I'd be more in favor of the alt, maybe the tensioner pulley.

- The 3800 has a known issue that can cause a sound easily mistaken for a alternator. If you PCV valve is missing an O-ring, it will make a sound like a bad alt.

Now, what I would do, is with the car off, remove the belt. Start the car (without the belt, a short run for a minute from a cold start is not going to cause any problems). See if that noise is still there. If it is there, you know it's not a pulley driven item.

Now, if the noise goes away, by hand, spin the pulleys, alt, PS pump, tensioner, water pump. Hopefully you will hear something that suggests the failing item. Also, follow up with wiggling the pulley (especially if you found one with noise). You may find play in one of them and that's going to more then likely be your source.

Hopefully it's something cheap and easy. A tensioner pulley or an O-ring, either one is not a big deal to take care of.

 

ok cool. Ill check those things tomorow (as it is now dark and im done for the day haha) Here is a better video of the sound in the engine bay

2002 monte carlo strange WHIRRING sound - YouTube

EDIT: Holy Crap Jason! I didnt realize what the PCV Valve was! Thats exactly where it sounded like the sound was coming from but i thought there was no way it could be making that sound..... how do I check it?

one of the conections to the pigtail was poorley soldered and tomorow I was going to the junk yard to grab another pigtail. Should i just grab the whole valve?

 

Don't bother with a used PCV valve. I just looked at RockAuto.com, you can get a whole PCV kit with o-rings, spring and such for under $20.
DORMAN Part # 47033 {#25534756, 89017272, 89017274}
ACDELCO Part # 89017274

 

Aha! I'm missing that little black one I think! Look! Where does it go?



Found the second o ring but it looks pretty warped. Might as well replace it. Ill try taking the belt off tomorow.

 

Jason, Jason, Jason, he's our man!! You never cease to amaze me and I'm sure others with your logical precess of elimination and in depth automotive knowledge...

 

Well ****, pcv valve is making ticking noise but pretty sure the alt is making the whir. (Took the belt off and whir went away but not chirp/tick) ill swap the alternator with my brothers Gran prix tomorow and see if that's it.
Thanks for the PCV valve idea jason. That solves one issue.

 

So when I say im going to do things tomorow.... I end up doing them today haha. My brother came over and I didnt have to bother changing alternators, His PS is going out and he has a whir but its different and comes from a different place and alters when he turns the wheel. He also needs His PCV replaced haha. (has the chirping) But I guess ill just replace my alternator when it goes out i guess... too bad I really want this noise gone