Yeah, the check engine light has been on for a long time. I checked it with one of those diagnostic devises, and it came back as something with the catalytic converter or something? If i remember correctly. Either way, I talked to my father about it and he said it wasn't anything that needed to be looked at. Just simply an "idiot" light more or less. As far as miles on the car, just over 80,000. 80,500 something in fact.
As far as the whining, I have never heard any whining at all.