Car Noise Identification

Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 BUICK REGAL
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 135,000 MILES
I have a 1999 Buick Regal LS. It is not supercharged and has the series II 3800 motor. I am experiencing a howling sort of noise at around 2500- 3000rpm. It only occurs once the car is warmed up. It doesn't occur when in neutral. It occurs in reverse also. I took a video of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVGnWj0Hspo
I took the car to the Buick dealership and they could not identify what was causing it.

What is this noise??
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 3:12 AM

13 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
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I say torque convertor the stator bearing
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 4:22 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
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Someone else suggested the torque converter over at automotive forums. I asked my mechanic about that, and he said it wouldn't happen at low speeds and especially in reverse. I hope that's true, cause a new torque converter would be very expensive.
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
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Stator is a torque multiplyer it spins between 1800 and 3000RPMs then it locks due to oil comming off turbine is fast enough to move impeller.
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 6:04 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
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Do you have a ball park idea of how much to get this fixed? I'm assuming that transmission work is not something I could do on my own, right? I have limited experience, but I did replace the LIM gasket this weekend.

Thanks
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 6:08 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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Transmission needs to be removed so that's @7 hrs and convertor @$400
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Monday, December 13th, 2010 AT 6:23 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
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  • 7 POSTS
I took the car to a transmission shop. The gentleman said that he didn't think it was the torque converter. He pressed the brake and accelerator when we were going about 50mph and the noise persisted. He also dropped from D to 3 and the noise continued. He said that there is no bearing on the stator; that it's connected to the torque converter. He also said that a bearing noise would show all the time, not just the very special circumstances that this noise does.

He thought it sounded more like air being pulled through a hole, like the air cleaner box. I'm gonna have to investigate that more.

I took the serpentine belt off or a minute and it still made the noise, so it's not any of the accessories.
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Friday, December 17th, 2010 AT 11:16 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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Well road test does eliminate convertor and the trans. Do you have cold air intake? K&N filter needs to be warm to happen that is the clue but what? Have searched all TSB's and find no report. But no noise in neutral if air noise would happen in neutral. Which brings back to trans. You investigate and I'll pick brain of GM tech I know.
Merry Christmas
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Saturday, December 18th, 2010 AT 5:09 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
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I'm not exactly sure what you mean by cold air intake. I have the stock air intake. It is inside the stock air cleaner box which draws air from outside the engine compartment.

I think I have a special noise here. Everyone I show it to looks puzzled... Lucky me.
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Saturday, December 18th, 2010 AT 10:34 PM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
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O.K. Found that car has a side mirror issue that causes a whine type air noise. I know sounds farfetched but maybe
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Saturday, December 18th, 2010 AT 10:44 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
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I just got back from the dealership. They said that it definitely was the exhaust, probably the resonator. I find that hard to believe, but they seemed pretty confident. I just need to find a cheap back end to replace it with to see if this is in fact the issue.
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Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 AT 11:55 PM
Tiny
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Thanks for letting me know been out of town have you resolved yet?So looking for like a CAT back exhaust replacement?
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Friday, December 24th, 2010 AT 6:27 PM
Tiny
RICKPATBROWN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I think that I'm just gonna take off the exhaust behind the CAT and see if that takes the noise away for a test ride. I'm not to concerned if it is just the exhaust. My buddy at the dealership said he'd give me one if they get a wrecked Regal. I just want to confirm that it is in fact the exhaust.

Are there any problems with test driving my car with no exhaust from the CAT back? Other than the horrendous noise it's going to make, of course!
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Saturday, December 25th, 2010 AT 12:22 AM
Tiny
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Limit drive time as cold air entering CAT after engine off may cause damage
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Sunday, December 26th, 2010 AT 7:50 PM

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