whirring sound

[ravens123000]

I have a fairly high pitched whirring sound coming from under the hood--which increases in pitch when rpm's go up. Not with the speed going up but when the engine rpm's go up...

Any ideas?

[lemerson]

I am having the same problem with my 91 Astor. It is a whirrling clanking sound. Can I drive the van?

[player00]

i had the same problems (or sounds like it anyway) with my 89 last summer. had to drive the van anyway cause hubby's car was on the fritz, too. drove it all summer. sounds kept getting worse. power steering pump went out finally-but there had NOT been any previous trouble steering as to give a hint at the problem. clanking HOWEVER did not stop until hubby got to checking and the power steering pulley was cracked like you wouldn't believe. how it was holding on we'll never know. new pulley and sounds good as new-but was pain in the butt something terrible. hope this helps

[bduff509]

My '94 Safari is doing the same thing. I'd suspected the pump for a while now. I guess I was also right in how much of a pain it's going to be to change it. I don't like to pay anyone else to do what I can do myself for free but I think I might this time. I've never had any luck getting P.S.pulleys off without destroying them anyway.

[lemerson]

My clanking and whirrling noise is the Alternator. It is going to the shop in the morning. Said it is the bearings breaking apart or some such thing!

[pringlemr]

power steering pump.

[Marcel40]

I have a 91 astro 4wd with a whirring sound coming from under the hood. Keep in mind I've replaced the alternator twice since I've gotten this van. Whirring sound would be infrequent only occuring at certain times when I drove. The other day I was riding home from college and the whirring sound emitted from under the dash 2 minutes into my commute and my battery charge shot from a normal 14 (sometimes12 but not often) to three bars at 11. Even though the battery light was not blinking I pulled over right away and got a free AAA tow.

This is frustrating as I do not want to keep replacing alternators. Anyone have an idea what it is before I take it to the shop and get taken for a good amount of $$. I've heard alternator breaings maybe. I think my battery is fine as I tried a jump.

[lemerson]

Have they been putting in rebuilt alternators in your van? Did they put in new belt with the install? If not that could be the reason for the continued problems you are having! I just got my 91 Astro out of the shop. They wanted to install a rebuilt alternator but I insisted new and told them to change the belt. A little more money to do it all the way. Could be that your belt needs changed out and not the alternator. Hope this is of some help.

[Marcel40]

My friend who is pretty much a mechanic came over to look at it. He says that it's most likely that my alternator breaings are toast because he says you could see the pulley/shaft? moving when the whirring occurs.

I will also get a new alternator and belt so this hopefully never occurs again. Hopefullt the shop I went to will honor their one year guarantee.