[Boneheimer]

Hey everyone,

I have been driving my mum's jimny a little bit lately and doing some work on it for her.
When driving it, if you push the accelerator more than half way down there is a 'high pitch whistling' noise coming from the engine bay.

So, I'm thinking this is a vacuum leak?
I haven't noticed any performance issues as I don't know what the car would run like if it didn't have the leak.

My question is other than ear/propane/smoke/carby cleaner, does anyone have any other reliable methods to detect vacuum leaks?

And, the main question is should the ecu be reset as the fuel trim is biased rich? Or should I just let it relearn over time?


Additional info:
Engine model: M13A
Year model: 2005
Transmission: Manual

Cheers,
Robbie

[Boneheimer]

So I'm guessing nobody knows?

I still haven't been able to locate the leak, so might be chasing ghosts if this whistle is normal in Jim's?

[Mike57]

I have a 2009 model with the M13A and no whistle. I don't have any suggestion other than listiening for the leak and tugging at all the hoses to see if it gets any worse to track it down.

Don't know about resetting the ECU but I would think this program is fixed?

[Boneheimer]

Mike57 wrote:

I have a 2009 model with the M13A and no whistle.

Thanks Mike, this is good to know, I'll continue to check vacuum lines.

I also just found this [http://auszookers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5700] which highlights a very similar problem, but it was never resolved.

[TasRat]

Try using a piece of hose (garden) like a stethescope, hold one end to your ear the other hunting the sound,

[Boneheimer]

TasRat wrote:

Try using a piece of hose (garden) like a stethescope, hold one end to your ear the other hunting the sound,

This would be a great idea, but the problem is it only makes a noise when under load, so I have to use something that will alter the revs at idle or just take it to a shop and have it smoked.

[TasRat]

Recently I replaced my PCV valve and cleaned the hoses & rocker cover internals, all were FULL of black crap.

I don't think the PCV would have been able to move due to all the crap,
Maybe your whistle is coming from the PCV, it may be almost blocked & just opens under higher vacuum
Just a thought

My alternator has a whistle / whine from to much mud & water or something foriegn - it sounds a bit like a vacuum whistle

[neofitou]

Mine started doing the same thing a few days ago, a whistle under wot and load.
I haven't had a look at it yet, but I don't think it's a vac leak, it sounds more mechanical, maybe yours is the same...

[Boneheimer]

Cheers for the responses guys, I'll check the PCV when I get a chance.

I wouldn't think that it's the alternator as it only really makes noise when revving under load, I can rev in neutral and there is no whistle.

I'm not 100% neo, but the whistle sounds like air being drawn through a narrow passage so I just made an assumption - if it turns out to be something mechanical I'll let you know.

Will keep searching when I have the time, and post up if I manage to find out what it is.

[Boneheimer]

So in my quest to eliminate this noise I have found that sometimes it can be the transfer or transmission, although the noise appears to be coming from the engine bay I thought I would do an oil change and double check to rule this out as the problem.

I found that both the transmission and transfer oil levels were both good, but looking at the bottom plugs (which are magnetised) I found this.

(Sorry for big pics, but it shows the most detail)



On the right is the transfer drain plug (which I'm not too worried about) and the left is the transmission plug.
The transfer plug has some fine metal shavings (all silver) which I would just attribute to normal wear, but the transmission is loaded up with large silver shavings, I can't see any gold/brass shavings, also the oil looked like skanky black engine oil.
Now I know I changed the oil in either the transfer or transmission when mum bought the jimny but I can't remember which one.

So I'm wonder whether this is normal wear for a transmission (but I'm thinking this is quite excessive) and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations?
I'm going to pick up some new oil today and I'll get some GL4 or yellow safe GL5 75w-90.

Also, could it possible be the front differential whining? I know the previous owner lived in a flood prone area and would have more than likely driven through water and with no breather lines maybe it could have taken in water?

Cheers, and sorry for the bombardment

[TasRat]

When you say Transmission do you mean Auto?
I'm not familiar with Jimny's. The trans fluid in my auto cars is red??

I've changed the oil in my diffs & gearbox's and I do remember one of the drain plugs had metal sludge on the magnet similar to yours. I added a Nulon additive to all gearboxes & diffs which did quiet them down abit. The gearbox specialist in town swears by the stuff.

[Scales]

think he means manual. if that were auto oil, it wouldnt be moving.

but to answer your question dude, i had a similar sorta amount of krong on my plugs. i wouldnt worry too much about it. if it were shards and chips etc, i probably would. but shavings are fine.

[Boneheimer]

That's correct, it is a manual transmission.

It's good to know that it's not something out of the ordinary, there were a few larger shavings, but nothing major.
The thing that worries me is that the oil was changed only 15,000km's ago, and for that amount of build-up to have occurred in such a short time was what was concerning to me.
That plug had already had half of what was on there scraped off before I took the photo as well.

I chose to use a different brand of oil this time, I used a Castrol oil last time but got some Penrite for it and the transfer this time.

Regarding the whistle though I changed the front differential oil, as well as the above mentioned and the whistle still persists.
So after my trip to Townsville I'll keep looking.

[Mike57]

I have not changed my manual transmission oil yet as my car is still pretty new but when I changed the differential oils for the first time I got a similar amount of sludge from the rear differential. I would not be too concerned about it. I am not sure where this sludge comes from but I have seen it in many different vehicles.

Mike

[Boneheimer]

So after the drive to Townsville, I have decided that I will check that PCV valve as the Jimny also has a bit of a rough idle, and sometimes drops so low that it feels like it's going to stall.
Hopefully this and the whistle are related and I can kill two birds with one stone.

[Boneheimer]

So I just cleaned the PCV valve, which wasn't very dirty anyway. I seems to be functioning alright - lets a little bit of air through in reverse, this is both when the reverse air pressure is low and high (I blew into it with my mouth, and used the air compressor).
This seems to have helped with the rough idle, as the Jimny was smooth for the short drive and few stops I did, although day to day driving will tell.

The whistle is still there.

[Moag]

Boneheimer wrote:

So after the drive to Townsville, I have decided that I will check that PCV valve as the Jimny also has a bit of a rough idle, and sometimes drops so low that it feels like it's going to stall.
Hopefully this and the whistle are related and I can kill two birds with one stone.

Have you tried searching Suby Cleaner "Stuff" here (Subaru Upper Engine Cleaner)?

Steaky

[Boneheimer]

Hey Moag, cheers for that, but I'm wondering what it's used for? Is it just to clean off any carbon deposits in the upper engine?

I'll give it a try if the local Suby dealer doesn't want an arm for it.

[Moag]

No worries.

Cleans all the built up gunk out of the air/fuel side, which is a good thing.

http://www.rexnet.com.au/forum/index.php?/topic/81352-diy-gc8-upper-engine-cleaner-maintenance/

The link will give you an idea of how to do it.

The stuff has destructions on the can. I got it from auto one but needed a subaru vin number from a mate to order it in for about $20.

I removed the vacuum line to the air hubs to get it in... you will need a assistant to do the job easily.
The best time to do it is just before your next engine oil change.

Another possible... although with mine it sounded more like a twitter then a whistle, is the adjuster pulley on aircon belt.

[Boneheimer]

Damn, I just did an oil change - I also changed both the belts, but the whistle was there before that