Now that the lower pulley has been installed a couple of days, my friend and I have noticed a couple of new engine noises that we don't remember hearing before. Of course, maybe we're just paranoid.

The first engine noise sounds like a light whistling or squealing coming from the blower snout. It's not very loud, but you can definitely hear it. Has anybody else had such a sound on their blower snout after installing a pulley (or any other time)? Could the pulley have damaged the blower and/or the snout somehow? Again, this was a LOWER pulley that we installed.

The second engine noise comes from deeper in the engine (around the crank/pulley area) and can be heard from inside the cab as well as outside when the hood is up. It's hard to describe but it sounds sort of like...well, a sort of low roaring or maybe a grinding sound. It's hard to tell. The sound is most audible when the truck is in Drive, and is less audible when in Park. Again, I'm hoping we haven't damaged the crank or bearings or something. I DID notice that the aluminum pulley was very resonant before installing it (i.e. it made tinging aluminum sounds any time you bumped it against anything), so could it just be that the aluminum pulley is transmitting the engine and drivetrain sounds (the stock pulley was incredibly dense and heavy in comparison and probably muted these sounds).

Thanks in advance for the help,

Martyr

 

I installed one and I felt it made a blower snout "noise" also. I've had it on for over 3000 miles. No problems at all!! Live with it, I have. No big deal.

 

Great, that is just the type of response I WANT to hear, seriously! I hope others have these same sounds and everything is just fine with the L. Of course, if these descriptions DO sound like they might be damage, please speak up.

Man, this board just rocks. The help and input I get from you guys is priceless. I'd be a nervous wreck if I didn't have you guys to bounce questions off of.

 

Martyr
The 2nd or grinding noise, does it go away if you just slightly touch the gas? I have heard that some trucks make this noise, and that if you have your tunner reburn the chip, and slightly raise the idle, the noise may go away.

 

Yes, the grinding/roaring sound DOES seem to go away when it is given gas (of course, maybe I just can't hear it anymore because of the increased throttle). I'll listen for it again next time to make sure.

The chip is being sent back to JL to eliminate detonation and soften the shifts, so maybe we'll just have him raise the idle speed as well if it solves this problem. Thanks for the input Don!

 

I've installed two lower pulleys but haven't noticed any added or unusual noises. An earlier thread caused comments on blower 'cavitation' that can be reduced or eliminated by raising the idle rpm slightly as Don posted.

Btw, outstanding composition and detail in your post--makes it easier for others to understand and, therefore, to help.

Dan

 

Was it the kind of pulley that eliminated the stock cage ?? Because i have heard that the stock cage was put there to actully cut down the blower whine for production and that sound could have been there from the factory and you never heard it until you removed the cage. Just a thought.
Vin

 

Git yo tongue outa yo cheeck!

LOL--Dan

 

Yes, it is a cageless pulley. I hope you are right and it is just transmitting engine noises normally that I just could not hear before with the heavy stock pulley and cage.

Have any of the tuners dealt with these particular issues before? Any additional ideas or suggestions?

Thanks again guys for the help.

 

Martyr, to clarrify what i said earlier, in drive, stopped at a light with the brake on, it is the loudest. Put the truck in neutral and its a little less noticable, start to drive and it goes away.

 

The cage makes NO difference with regards to the noise. I have had the caged type and the non-caged type - the noise is the same with either. BTW - I have a caged pulley for sale at a very good price ($100) if anyone is interested

 

Totaled, Please e-mail me with more info on the caged pulley,I'am interested. jlo@tdi.net

 

Actually the only noise I hear is what sounds like a set of marbles being spun in a coffee can ... I know someone else posted hearing the same sounds a little while back. It goes away mostly when the engine speed is up, even though it only raises about 200 rpm from drive to park/neutral.

I'm living with it. It means 12 sec 1/4 mile runs. Grin and bear it

 

All Lightning's make that noise when the blower spins at a certain RPM, you just didn't have it spinning at that RPM at idle before. Mine went away when I put the smaller upper and the larger lower. Now it spins the blower a tad quicker and sounds quiet.

 

Yep I got the same noise when I installed my PSP lower pulley. But all seems good. I only here the noise at idle and if I bump the revs up just a bit it goes away. I love this mod, more power across the board. Boy this thing is fast even on pump gas. Truck runs great now I need some better brakes!