I have a 99 corolla, the cheapest model, no
power windows etc. The car started about 6 months ago making a noise every now and then like a bearing chatter under the hood. It was very intermittent.
The noise suddenly got worse in the summertime one day when it was very hot, but it stopped at the end of the day. I managed to get the dealer to hear it and they said it was the tensioner pulley, which they replaced. A couple of days later I heard the same noise again, but then it stopped for about 6 months.
With the cold weather, the noise came back tenfold. It sounds like a whine like the power steering pump and an intermittent rattle like a really bad valve tap, and it is much worse when the car is hot. It happens while the car is sitting still and idlling. If I put slight tension on the steering wheel the noise stops completely.
I had the car back to the dealer again for diagnosis and they said this time it was the power steering pump. So, I had a good friend who has done major work on all kinds of cars help me out changing out the pump. That was yesterday. Today the noise is exactly the same as before we changed out the pump.
I am certain it is coming from the area near the power steering pump and idler pulley, and I had also changed out the alternator last year but the noise is definitely lower and farther back anyway, definitely not near the alternator.
Any ideas? I work with a bunch of guys who all work on cars a lot and one of them thought maybe a valve sticking in the steering assembly? Any hints are welcome!
11-16-2009, 08:23 PM
