5.4L making a whirring, whooshing sound
#1
03-06-2011, 07:38 PM
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5.4L making a whirring, buzzy sound (like a supercharger) at low speeds
2006 XLT 4x4 5.4L SCrew 48Kmiles.
A couple days ago, I started my truck in the garage, and noticed it making more noise than normal, and pulled out of the garage. The sound kind of sounded like the extra buzzy whirring noises, that our Ford's make for the first few minutes on startup, on a very cold morning (0-20 deg). But, it was fairly warm, at near 50 degrees. Wierd.
Pulling out on the driveway, the noise continued, and I put it in neutral, and revved it lightly. The noise is definitely at, and varies with, engine speed, and is most noticeable from idle to 2500 rpm. It is best described as a whooshing, or whirring sound, kind of like a cooling fan working overtime, but maybe more buzz like, than that. Its almost like the sound an aftermarket supercharger would make, lol. My wife, while riding in it, said it sounded more "air like", I suppose like a sucking or air leak noise, according to her, but doesn't sound like rushing air to me, when under the hood. I even notice it while driving low speeds, and it is kind of annoying. I have put about 100 miles on it since it started, and it is still doing it, and unchanged.
The only thing I can think of, was the week before, we had some minor flooding on the streets, and I drove through some water, that was probably 10 inches deep, several times, fairly slowly, on purpose, to wash off the road salt and grime from the undercarriage, that it was exposed to, this winter. It then sat for 3-4 days, before I drove it next, and noticed this noise. I begin to wonder, if something got wet, but I would imagine if that was the case, it would have dried out by now, so many miles later.
Listening with the hood up, it sounds like the noise might be coming from somewhere in the accessory drive belt or one of the pulleys/bearings. Its hard to determine for sure.
Anyone know where I should start to look, to remedy this noise?
A couple days ago, I started my truck in the garage, and noticed it making more noise than normal, and pulled out of the garage. The sound kind of sounded like the extra buzzy whirring noises, that our Ford's make for the first few minutes on startup, on a very cold morning (0-20 deg). But, it was fairly warm, at near 50 degrees. Wierd.
Pulling out on the driveway, the noise continued, and I put it in neutral, and revved it lightly. The noise is definitely at, and varies with, engine speed, and is most noticeable from idle to 2500 rpm. It is best described as a whooshing, or whirring sound, kind of like a cooling fan working overtime, but maybe more buzz like, than that. Its almost like the sound an aftermarket supercharger would make, lol. My wife, while riding in it, said it sounded more "air like", I suppose like a sucking or air leak noise, according to her, but doesn't sound like rushing air to me, when under the hood. I even notice it while driving low speeds, and it is kind of annoying. I have put about 100 miles on it since it started, and it is still doing it, and unchanged.
The only thing I can think of, was the week before, we had some minor flooding on the streets, and I drove through some water, that was probably 10 inches deep, several times, fairly slowly, on purpose, to wash off the road salt and grime from the undercarriage, that it was exposed to, this winter. It then sat for 3-4 days, before I drove it next, and noticed this noise. I begin to wonder, if something got wet, but I would imagine if that was the case, it would have dried out by now, so many miles later.
Listening with the hood up, it sounds like the noise might be coming from somewhere in the accessory drive belt or one of the pulleys/bearings. Its hard to determine for sure.
Anyone know where I should start to look, to remedy this noise?
Last edited by Jimbo45; 03-07-2011 at 07:15 PM.
#2
03-07-2011, 07:14 PM
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#3
03-07-2011, 09:56 PM
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It could be a couple of things, alternator bearing, idler/tensioner pullies, another thing to keep in mind are the cam phasers. The 5.4's are noted to do this when you first start them up. Almost sounds like a chain has some slack in it. You can find various threads on this problem, some say they change the phasers out only to have the sound come back. Others have said that it completly chewed up the cam phaser/gear. Dont worry to much about it though. Mine does this and I only got 48k.