98 Celica GT 5SFE engine whine whenever motor is on Options

[jjbenzo]

Hello everyone. I am trying to figure out what the cause of an engine whine I am hearing may be from. I have a 98 with 152k and a 99 with 27k. The 99 is quiet and sounds perfect whereas my 98 has a muffled, nasally whine to it at all times. More noticeable from engine itself (not accessories) when increasing throttle from the engine. Noise happens both in and out of gear, moving or stationary. When listening to the motor with the hood propped, it sounds like it’s coming from the engine itself. Using the throttle cable to rev the motor a bit only emphasizes the noise as it increases as engine rpm’s increase. Essentially, the noise is the full time noise of the motor whenever it is running. The car had a massive rear main leak when I bought it. I’m sure the engine was ran with low oil as they had to constantly top it off before driving. All leaks have been repaired and all fluids have been replaced. Any ideas? Thank you.

This post has been edited by jjbenzo: Jan 7, 2023 - 6:35 PM

[navseal345]

Possibly a vacuum leak or a crack in an air intake, or a bad bearing in an accessory drive pulley.

[jjbenzo]

Possibly a vacuum leak or a crack in an air intake, or a bad bearing in an accessory drive pulley.

Those are great suggestions. The car is at the dealer now…to be looked at tomorrow. I’ll suggest the vacuum/intake leak possibility.

Thank you!

[jjbenzo]

Found out from the dealer today that the “nasally” engine whine was simply that the timing belt was too tight from when it was replaced. A possibility I never thought to consider.

This post has been edited by jjbenzo: Jan 14, 2023 - 2:27 PM