So after all my nonsense about the whine being no big deal, I’ve talked myself into believing that my specific noise may be an actual problem. Possibly a bad input shaft bearing in the trans. Figures.
First, mine seems unusually loud compared to every video I can find. The whine really comes through above other noises at any legal speed. I coded off ASD the other day just to see and it’s very much a real sound. The video I posted above is decently representative.
I don’t think it’s related to the accessories or timing chain because it doesn’t do it unless the car is in gear. (Although the pitch does follow engine RPM perfectly.) To test this I got up to a speed where the whine is most pronounced, shifted to neutral, and brought the engine back up to the same speed. The whine almost disappears in that scenario. (I have to go back and compare neutral to clutched in.)
I don’t think it’s the wastegate thing either because it whines while engine braking as well as accelerating, and while crawling around at parking lot speeds. Nothing exhaust related should make that much noise at low engine loads.
Finally, it sounds to me like gear whine. And I
have noticed difficult 3rd and 4th gear engagement on occasion. If a bad bearing has thrown a shaft out of alignment it may actually be gear noise that I’m hearing.
Opinions? Have I just fallen victim to forum hypochondria?
