Weird noise from dashboard

[Leo090]

Hi,Im drivin a 3.1L 97 Lumina Sedan just recently had my rack and pinion replaced and afterwards. I always hear a hissing/hight pitched wine coming from my dash when I would accelerate and it would increase as i accelerated. Its not too loud and my performance isnt difference at all. What could it be?

 

Sorta gets louder when I turn my Ac on.

[urbex]

A/C compressor? Does the sound change with speed, or the engine?

[Leo090]

If I press the gas pedal, the noise gets faster and more high pitched. Might sound like air hissing or bearings spinning. Not sure

[WhatTheFehl]

My Grand Prix does this too, though I only notice it when the windows are closed, the A/C and the radio are all off. For me it matches engine speed. Been like this as long as I've had it, never had too much concern.

[Twenty]

Did it at all sound like a supercharger whine? Mine did this temporarily a year or two back after some service but it went away quickly. I'll admit, I enjoyed it.

[94 olds vert]

Power steering pump? I know I've had some that whine pretty loud. Since you just had a rack put in. Did you bleed it really good?

[Leo090]

No i dont have a super charger lol, and it doesnt sound like a whistle. It sounds like marbles rolling on the floor. Or a sssss sound .

[Leo090]

I think they bled it well not sure. I was fear a new pump. I have rattle from my serpentine area, i think maybe new tensioner, but i hope its not a p/s . What are symptoms of a bad one? When im driving slowly my wheel turns and i feel a sensation in the wheel sorta like resistance every 1/4 of an inch turn, but if i gas it and turn it goes fine, so far i feel i have full control of the vehicle.

[94 olds vert]

If the pump is bad. You will have zero power asist. Making it very hard to steer at low speeds. A hiss sound or marbles rattling around sound wouldnt be a power steering problem. That would be more of a supercharger whine that changes with the RPM of the engines.

[AL]

May be a heater core too

[urbex]

You know, I think I know what you're describing. At first I thought maybe it was a vacuum leak, but I couldn't find one. Mine has done it since I bought it...

[jman093]

I think the HVAC controls are still vacuum operated on Gen 1.5's. You probably have a leak somewhere.

[Leo090]

I was wondering if this could be it. Before they changed my rack and pinion, they tried looking at a "u joint" in order to see if it was sticking and causing my problem rather than the rack and pinion. They had to laser cut a metal shaft encasing this "ujoint". Is it possible i just hear sound that would have otherwise been muffled by that encasing ? or is that a dumb idea.

 

Keep in mind the vehicle drives fine, after they "replaced" the rack and pinion, it steers well and accelerates well.

[Leo090]

Reading some threads and googling online gives me the creeps because they speak about leaky heater cores. Saying that they cause your windows to fog up when starting and they emit a sweet smell.

 

 

Sometimes i do smell slight odors of antifreeze, and sometimes the windows will fog when I start my vehicle without the heater being set to defrost.

 

 

How much do these usually cost to fix with labor?

[Crazy K]

Heater core: do it yourself, it really is not that hard on our cars... ask for help if you need it. remove console, if equipped, remove accelerator pedal, remove all the bolts holding the drip pan under the dash. Sometimes trimming 1/8 inch (2-3mm) of the rear most plastic tabs that catch on the dash so the pan can drop freely really help, and make sure you don;t force the pan and break it. (hint: if you can pull one from a junkyard car for practice, you can see how to pull without breaking it) Vola! You are at the heater core. next you either salvaged a used core and can hook them up at the factory's quick connect fittings, or you must go under the hood and unhook the hoses there.

 

I am going to guess that the noise you are hearing is the duct boot over the base of the column, cause it was cut or not returned to it's position.

[Leo090]

Thanks for the help. I think I will wait till I have a wet floorboard before I take out the heater core. I am not losing coolant just yet.