rpm matched constant whining/groaning..ive replaced so many things already..help

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Omeagher

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Hi I have a 2002 Lincoln LS V8, when I bought it it already had this noise, it sounds like a power steering pump type whine like a bearing or pulley or something but matches rpms and doesn't change when I steer, heres what ive replaced in hopes on fixing it with no effect, power steering pump..swapped to electric fan to eliminate hydraulic fan pump..water pump..checked out both idler pulleys and replaced one just for the hell of it..its really hard to tell where it is coming from listening under the hood and underneath the car, my best guess is more towards the driver side and lower but really its hard to tell..2 shops have been wrong on there guesses because I replaced what they said they thought it was with no difference in it whatsoever..does not seem to effect performance ive managed to tune it up to running very healthy since I got it but this sound is pissing me off..does anyone have any info for me please id appreciate it..and sorry if this has been gone over in a thread but Ive searched long and hard on here and on the internet in general with nothing I haven't tried being to blame..the only 2 things that I know of that it could possibly be is the ac compressor pulley or clutch, or the steering rack maybe? any info helps..would really like to try a shorter belt just to eliminate the ac compressor to see but I would need a belt that wouldn't include the hydraulic fan pump or the compressor..can I even do that?
 
for sure sounds like it comes from the front of the vehicle, and does it when im sitting still in park or any gear so that doesn't make sense to me..could you explain?
 
Take the belt off, start it up, and see if you hear the noise. If you still hear the noise then it's nothing the belt is driving. If you don't then it's an accessory.

Also, don't run for very long with no belt. I'd say less then a minute if the car sat overnight to begin with. Mine has a very slight whine that reminds me of gear whine coming from the front when I coast down from a higher RPM but it's never really bothered me.
 
Omeagher said:
for sure sounds like it comes from the front of the vehicle, and does it when im sitting still in park or any gear so that doesn't make sense to me..could you explain?
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I misunderstood. I thought it was a moving noise. Do you hear it through the speakers?
 
oh man your so hilarious ls4...thanks kumba its the ac compressor pulley..now the problem is finding a bypass pulley does anyone know who if anyone makes one for the 1st gen ls v8? cant seem to find one
 
Omeagher said:
oh man your so hilarious ls4...thanks kumba its the ac compressor pulley..now the problem is finding a bypass pulley does anyone know who if anyone makes one for the 1st gen ls v8? cant seem to find one
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It's not the pulley its the bearing; unless the pulley is loose and in that case you would see it wobble. Sounds like new compressor time. I just did the one on my wife's '06 and a compete Motorcraft compressor from RockAuto was ~$360.
 
yea I cant afford a new compressor so id really like to find a bypass pulley and bracket if there is one made
 
Omeagher said:
oh man your so hilarious ls4...thanks kumba its the ac compressor pulley..now the problem is finding a bypass pulley does anyone know who if anyone makes one for the 1st gen ls v8? cant seem to find one
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Actually, his question was valid. An alternator issue or a ground fault can cause an RPM-dependent whine to be heard through the speakers.

The cost for a bypass pulley isn't going to save you much over just getting a compressor, plus later when you decide to put AC in the bypass will just be that much more spent. Rock Auto sells just a compressor for 210-460 bucks, or they have a kit that includes the compressor, dryer and EV for 260 bucks. Change the seals (your parts store will have a selection of them for 10 bucks) in the system, get it recharged and it'll be done.
 
Couldn't you just bypass the compressor with a shorter belt? I've seen this done on other vehicles before. Not sure where all of this talk about a bypass pulley and bracket is coming from? Is that how it's done on the LS (if you can't afford to fix it)?
 
ive heard that whine through the radio on old grain trucks and stuff, just figured my description was enough to rule that out, the only way i can see that you could route a shorter belt past the compressor would reduce the contact surface of the belt on the crank pulley so idk if that would make it slip or not, plus it would have to be short enough to bypass the hydraulic fan pump that i took out and the compressor, just not sure you can do that on an ls with the location of the pulleys and tensioner, i would much rather have an idler pulley there because i never ever use the a/c i just don't need it im ok with sweating it out a little some days and i love having my windows down plus it just sucks the power out of the car i cant stand it, so if i absolutely have to ill save up for a new compressor but id like to see what my options are first
 
Omeagher said:
ive heard that whine through the radio on old grain trucks and stuff, just figured my description was enough to rule that out, the only way i can see that you could route a shorter belt past the compressor would reduce the contact surface of the belt on the crank pulley so idk if that would make it slip or not, plus it would have to be short enough to bypass the hydraulic fan pump that i took out and the compressor, just not sure you can do that on an ls with the location of the pulleys and tensioner, i would much rather have an idler pulley there because i never ever use the a/c i just don't need it im ok with sweating it out a little some days and i love having my windows down plus it just sucks the power out of the car i cant stand it, so if i absolutely have to ill save up for a new compressor but id like to see what my options are first
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There's the reason the compressor failed. Compressors like to be run to keep the parts lubricated.

That's one loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong sentence!

Thanks Telco. That was EXACTLY where I was going but just let it die as he didn't understand.
 
The noise bothers you so much you are doing all of this....upgrade your radio....turn it up....get louder exhaust....haha
 
its not like all the stuff I replaced was a waste..new pulleys are always good..my electric fan setup is way better than that hydraulic bs..and the inside of the water pump looked like it was on its way out lol.. steering is fresh and smooth feeling..and yes it does bother me I like to have my car as close to flawless as possible and its pretty damn loud I do have the mufflers cut out and piped back already and it drowns the exhaust out pretty good inside and outside the car..i do plan on replacing the stock resonators with something eventually and im not just going to ignore it and turn up the radio I want to be able to hear my cars exhaust clearly
 
and like I said the compressor made the sound just as bad as it is now when I bought the car so its not my fault not running it..
 
man, for all of the money in parts that you have thrown at it, i would invest in a stethoscope and actually find out where the noise is coming from.

i mean it would suck to spend all of the money on the AC compressor just to find out your block has a bad bearing...
 
that's ruled out now, earlier today I took off the serpentine belt and the sound went completely away, and on top of that I spun it with my hand and the bearing is for sure dry as hell in there. So thank you guys for your help and sorry ls4 for thinking you were trolling me. it seems like ill just have to deal with it until I can save for a compressor, the good news is at higher rpms it kinda sorta sounds like a supercharger on very low boost haha maybe someday jag 4.2 supercharged swap? :eek:
 
If you just want an idler pulley then replace the compressor clutch with a new one and disconnect the power for the clutch. It will never spool the compressor and your whining/grinding should go away. Plus if you spun the pulley with your hand with the car turned off then it is just the clutch. Unless you spun the inner hub of the clutch to make the noise you weren't spinning the compressor.

If you did have to spin the inside hub of the clutch to make the noise then your compressor is bad. In which case just disconnecting the power from it may give you the idle pulley you want.

My money is on tour AC compressor being fine and you just need a new clutch. I bet you could put a new clutch on for less then $100 if you are doing your own labor.
 
smoothLSV8 said:
Or watch a youtube on how to replace the A/C clutch bearing and do it for $50
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Yup. Do whatever you are comfortable with. If you go the bearing route make sure you check the rest of the clutch to make sure it didn't grenade itself from the bearing. That's the only concern I would have.
 
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