slight squealing during idle then stops - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

89SV21 · 02-27-2006, 07:33 PM

I've searched on the forum and haven't found the exact answer to my dilemma. So here goes, I just recently replaced my thermostat on my 89 camry with a 3sfe and that went well with the help of all of you on this forum. Now only a few days later I'm hearing a slight squealing sound coming from the timing cover area of my engine but only during idle. Once the rpms get over 1000, the sound stops completely. I just recently had the water pump, timing belt, and all the seals replaced so i'm wondering what it could be. I'm running pure distilled water as my coolant right now and i was wondering if that could affect the water pump at all. I don't think so but i'm just curious. Thanks in advance.

Nick

89SV21 · 02-27-2006, 09:16 PM

Well I just did a cooling system flush and filled it up with a 50/50 premixture of coolant and water. The problem seems to have lessened some though it still has that meniacal squeak at idle. The squeal doesn't appear until the car is completely warmed up either. I listened to the engine to try and pinpoint the exact location of the squeal and it seems to be coming from the thermostat area. Can the thermostat make noise? If the gasket wasn't properly seated could it possibly make an audible sound or something of that nature? Any help or experience with a similar problem like this would be greatly appreciated.

Nick

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-27-2006, 11:04 PM

how loud is the squeal?

and does it sound like a belt, or like metal (pully)?

89SV21 · 02-28-2006, 12:01 AM

Sounds more like a belt though all the belts were recently replaced which doesn't make much sense and it just started all of a sudden

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-28-2006, 02:16 AM

try and locate which belt it may be, and then check the tensions on the belt- may just be a simple problem

89SV21 · 02-28-2006, 07:29 PM

I checked the belt tension and everything was in spec. Now the noise if very high pitched and seems to be coming from the thermostat housing area and not the timing cover area. Is there any way that a leak in the thermostat gasket could create this high pitched shrieking sound? It's not leaking any coolant btw.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-28-2006, 08:40 PM

so does it sound like air that's leaking instead???

never heard of that before....

nodrogkam · 03-01-2006, 12:00 AM

i actually put my money on the timing/accessory belts.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 03-01-2006, 12:35 AM

^ yeah...I still think so as well....

is th4e squeal constant, or does it sort of go along with the turning of the belts?

89SV21 · 03-06-2006, 03:22 PM

well the problem was quite simple to fix, i just replaced the shitty stant thermostat with a new oem toyota thermostat and the sound went away. Just goes to show don't buy stant products because they are crap.