Squeaking noise while driving

[Riflebolt]

Hi guys. From the second I start my car I have a faint chirping noise. It’s the type of noise a bad wheel bearing makes, but pretty sure that’s not the issue as I hear it even while not moving. It is a cyclic squeak and goes faster as the car’s speed increases. Engine speed and clutch engagement/disengagement seem to have no effect. After 20 minutes or so of driving, it almost always goes away. Any ideas?

[boat737]

I've been hearing the same thing on mine. Showed up with about 700 miles on the car. Same symptoms as yours. I was thinking it was the serpentine belt, but haven't gotten to check it yet. When I lifted the hood to listen, I couldn't hear it. I've noticed it on the last 2 times out. Does it while parked, engine running, more noticeable when first started, then fades after a while.

A while back, I had a chirp with one of the trim rings around the roll bar. Just a drop of tri-flow fixed it. Maybe it's back.

[Riflebolt]

Interesting. Thanks for chiming in. Looks like we are running identical setups - 427W x TKO600 here as well. The issue showed up around 5,000 miles for me, and seems to be worse if I let the car sit for longer than a couple weeks at a time. I struggled with multiple oil leaks for about a year, first valve covers, then pressure sender tube (brass!). Even still I tend to have some oil residue around the engine after long trips. It makes me wonder if I still have a small leak which is allowing oil to drip down into the clutch and eventually burns off. Nice to know I’m not alone though.

[boat737]

Yup, trying to get a minor oil seepage cured too. It first showed up as a drop or two from the bottom of the bell housing. Took me a couple weeks to eventually get it traced back to the DS valve cover, front lower corner. Finally decided to get the DS valve cover off this week, and at the moment, waiting for gaskets to show up on Monday. It was minor, but since I knew it was there, bugged me just the same. Hopefully I'll get it together and running for a Thursday night cruise in this week. And then start chasing down that squeak.

[Railroad]

Sounds like the belt. Alternator load can be heavy at start up, charging battery. To confirm, you can spray a little water or window cleaner, etc on the belt, while running. It should quit, confirming the source of the squeak.

[Walt]

I have the same chirpping noise that quits after warmup, i was thinking its a small exhaust leak, but havent had the time to look for it.
Walt

[Papa]

Sounds like it could be any bearing on the accessory drive (water pump, alternator, power steering pump, or A/C if applicable). Start with some belt dressing to eliminate the easy thing first. If it goes away with belt dressing, start looking at belt tension and alignment of your pulleys. If the chirp is still there, you'll need to figure out which component it's coming from. I don't have any idea how to easily figure that out.

[CraigS]

I am not getting these-engine speed has no effect vs I hear even when not moving. Can you clarify pls?

[boat737]

I am not getting these-engine speed has no effect vs I hear even when not moving. Can you clarify pls?

For me, I hear it while driving a slower speed (< 25mph), and it's there in gear under load, coasting with the clutch in, and after coasting (or braking) to a stop. I can't really discern much, if any, change in the chirping with engine rpm changes. That is, at idle rpm, or to about 2000+ rpm. Any more than that, and it gets too noisy to hear the chirp. The one time I lifted the hood, the engine noise even near idle drowned out the chirping.

[broku518]

I think I hear things as well! LOL spooky.

In my case I feel like it is coming from the clutch throw out bearing. I can hear it spinning, when press it stops.

Also, when I recorded video my camera picked up some noise (not just wind). I think this was from being mounted on roll bar and picked up the body frame noise. Very interesting.

[Dewey McBride]

I have a little chirp coming from the rear end on the drivers side. The tuner said the the drivers side axle has a small bend in it and it's very common. I have shorted axles so I need to have one made to change it...

[j.miller]

HA ! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOUR SIDEPIES ARE TOO QUIET !.....I towards Railroad if you get it on startup few a few seconds.....alternator load.

[Riflebolt]

I am not getting these-engine speed has no effect vs I hear even when not moving. Can you clarify pls?

All good ideas. The reason why I don’t think it’s the belt is because the chirping doesn’t not run faster if I rev the engine while parked (which it should, right?). It’s the same amount of chirping regardless of engine rpm.

Which goes into Craig’s question... so the chirping I am hearing is cyclic. While parked with engine running I hear probably 300 chirps/minute - pretty fast rate with extremely brief silence in between each chirp. It’s not a constant squeal. If I rev the engine to, say, 2000 rpm, the chirping is exactly the same as it was at idle - no effect. However, if I put the car in gear and start to accelerate, not only does the chirping continue but it gets faster. At 30 mph I probably hear 500 chirps/minute........Anybody still awake?

[Riflebolt]

Jeff, I feel like an old man but I’ve got miles to go.. which is why I stuck with the FFR pipes. That probably gives a good idea of how loud the chirping is when I can clearly hear it over the pipes.

[CraigS]

Couple of thoughts. Check noise sitting vs sitting w/ light pressure on the clutch pedal. TO bearing? Do you have a PCV system? I have heard of them causing a chirp because they are sucking air in past the front or rear crank seal.

[Riflebolt]

Yes I do have PCV. I’ll try putting just slight pressure on the clutch

[AC Bill]

Simple way to cure that issue, is to wear ear plugs.:p

It could just go away. If it's a problem, it will probably get loud enough eventually, to pin-point.

[Dewey McBride]

HA ! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOUR SIDEPIES ARE TOO QUIET !.....I towards Railroad if you get it on startup few a few seconds.....alternator load.

HAHAHA!!! Compared to other cobra's I am pretty quiet.

[SSNK4US]

Well if the noise doesn’t change with rpm’s you can definitely rule out piston return springs.
Double check your muffler bearings and if they check out break out your flashlight and start looking for Gremlins :p :cool:

[boat737]

Either I fixed the chirping, or it fixed itself. Pretty sure it was the surpentine belt. I checked all the fasteners on all the pulley's, but they all seems secure. I put a little Gascacynch on the belt, and the chirping went away imediately, but came back in short order. I put a little more on, and again it went away, but came back intermittently. Drove it a few more miles, and for the last 30 or 40 miles there has been no squeaking or chirping. So for now anyway, it's fixed.