Whining / Whiring noise when revving and driving

aclockwrk · #1 07-08-2014, 07:25 PM

I have an 08 X5 4.8i (129k miles) and for the past week or so I noticed a Whine /Whirring sound when revving the engine as well as driving. When driving you can hear it at lower speeds up to 40 or so, it still make the noise going faster its just harder to hear with wind and tire noise. sI took a video of it while it was in park while I revved it.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...08%20whine.mp4

It looks to like its coming from the passenger side front. I ordered a water pump thinking it was that but when I took off the serpentine belt and turnd the pump it was silent and it felt normal. I spun the idler pulleys too, seemed ok.

I thought about it some more and looked at the Vacuum pump also known as the air pump. I pulled the top hose off and noticed oil inside it. That general area seems to be loudest and possibly where the sound is coming from.

I know the pump is used for vacuum assist on the brakes and already had the brake booster cable recall done (precent oil from entering brake booster). They didn't touch the vacuum pump. I don't really see fresh oil near the pump but do see where it probably seemed from the hose. Possiby there is an internal seal leak on it.

Has anyone ever heard of this noise and have any more info, before I order a vacuum pump?
Thanks.

aclockwrk · #2 07-09-2014, 08:59 PM

No comments after 71 views?

I took apart the vacuum pump, looks fine.

I back to thinking its the waterpump.
It's a pain in the ass, because one bolt is hidden behind the harmonic balancer pulley. it has at least 8 bolts that you cant see, so will have to do it by feel. Will attempt tomorrow.

muddycharles · #3 07-09-2014, 09:29 PM

A/C = turn off the AC and see if it goes away (the snowflake) - I have this problem on a 2006 X3

RougeTrooper · #4 07-13-2014, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muddycharles

A/C = turn off the AC and see if it goes away (the snowflake) - I have this problem on a 2006 X3

This happend to my X5 as well, sound happens once every 2 weeks and finally nailed it to the AC blower, switch it off and sound cuts off.

Does the sound occur whenever you are in motion or you hear it at standstill?

aclockwrk · #5 07-13-2014, 06:53 PM

It occurred while driving, in neutral revving, park revving, with and without AC on. The AC pulley has a mini serpentine belt so it always turns regardless if ac is on or not.

For some reason as of yesterday it stopped whinning. I would have said it was because I changed the waterpump, but right after changing it still made the noise. Maybe the bearing on the AC pulley went dry and now somehow is fine? It doesn't make sense. Since it's fine now, I'm not complaining.

RougeTrooper · #6 07-14-2014, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aclockwrk

It occurred while driving, in neutral revving, park revving, with and without AC on. The AC pulley has a mini serpentine belt so it always turns regardless if ac is on or not.

For some reason as of yesterday it stopped whinning. I would have said it was because I changed the waterpump, but right after changing it still made the noise. Maybe the bearing on the AC pulley went dry and now somehow is fine? It doesn't make sense. Since it's fine now, I'm not complaining.

Mine is the a/c blower, you needed to turn off the fan till the light goes off and my sound goes away. It's intermittent, occurs once every 2-3 weeks..for now.