Started getting an engine noise a week or so ago. Thought it sounded like power steering pump, replaced fluid but it is still there. A friend said he thought it sounded like an idler pulley, but that didnt sound right either. Last time I replaced an idler pulley it was a high pitched whine. This sounds exactly like a power steering issue but doesnt change sounds when turing the wheels. The whine moves in volume with engine revs. It was not very pronounced but was there; however, today it seems to be louder. If you ever got low on power steering fluid, that is the sound it is making but it doesnt matter if your moving the wheels or not, its just constant and moves with engine rev. Any ideas?

 

Take the belt off and spin everything with your hand. You should be able to "feel" anything out of the ordinary.

 

could just be you need a belt..

 

how many miles..i would try what these guys have said before i replace the pump

 

115,000 miles on it. Looks like this weekend I can tell the wife I have to work on the truck. Maybe this will be one of those things where it looks like it would take all day but only takes an hour. Gotta be more fun than my honey do list.

 

I was getting a noise like that a few months back. Was the alternator in my case. Don't know if its really helpful for you since you have a different year truck, but it made that noise for a week before the rear alternator bearing finally grenaded and my alternator quit on me on the highway. The rear bearing completely exploded and the alternator shaft was just rattling in the hole. I would check to see if yours is on its way out, maybe spray the bearings with lube and see if it helps.

- Erik

 

Be careful... this can cause a very different kind of whining that no one here will be able to help you with

 

OR I could tell her that the alternative is get the honey do list done and just get a new truck! Hey, this whine thing is sounding better and better!

 

Im actually having the exact same problem you have been having for probably about 3 weeks now and also getting sick of it haha. What i was told is the alternator as well. Once my funds are better here in a few days, il be getting a new one. Hoping that fixes the problem, but if you get it fixed before i replace it, let me know please, hopefully can avoid a 150$ expense if i dont need.

 

I am going to yank the belt and check every thing over this weekend. I have the original belt on it, so the easy fix would be jethat's idea, followed by a check on the alternator (this would be my second if its bad) and lastly the PS pump (original). Just curious, if the alternator is going, would it not throw any codes. Last time it went out and at that time didnt have the evo, you would have thought the world was coming to an end inside the truck - if it could go haywire, it went. Got 5 more inches of snow last night and the windchill is -15, so I will also be looking into a heater for the garage, or I could just lay a 1/4 inch of water, let it freeze and make it easy to get under the truck, Nah, scratch that.

 

I can make my alternator whine like a little B, - if I pull the fuse while it's running, I have a vid of that somewhere around here lol.

My Power Steering was noisy at one time, -until I flushed it out and refilled with Royal Purple 100% synthetic. A complete flush where you pull the line. I flushed with a little Amsoil I had on the shelf, then used the Royal Purple, - ran a little of that thru her then reconnected and topped it off. Don't let air fly thru it or you'll be sorry, it can be a PITA to purge.

 

I have tried the flush deal, except I am a big fan of Lucas products, but that is a whole new thread. That didnt seem to do anything, so maybe I should try some of the Royal Purple stuff. I am still chasing the whine, but like I said in the other post, the process of elimination will take affect this weekend hopefully. BTW when I did the flush, I subsequently had to buy my wife a new turkey baster! lol She then started yelling about knives as screwdrivers and her kitchen scissors as wire strippers! Go figure!

 

What lol, sounds like you need some tools .. - Or not lol. Say NO to Lucas products as a fix for sure. Snake oil never resolves the problem, -adds to it, if not imediatly, in the near future.

I recall using the dishwasher for some tools and such. That didn't go over well. So I tried it again, - while she was shopping. I still ended up getting busted, can't remember how lol.

Oh well.

 

Over the last couple of years, I have been accumulating a nice set of tools; however, when my son moved out, I being the great dad of the year that I am, let him take a good majority of them to his new place for him to work on his mustangs with, uh, or did I give them to him so he would move out,,,,either way, I am working on a new set of tools now. But to the bigger question, is that the concensus on Lucas products being compared to snake oil? I know its just an opinion, but I always thought that was some good stuff. I have just really started jacking around with the truck and instead of having a good book beside the bed, there sits the shop manual.

 

Yeah, along with you im really hoping its the belt. Alternators for the F-150 definately arn't cheap, especially if you don't have much money due to between paychecks hah.