978Jeep

Truck: 1997 Cherokee Sport 4.0L 5 speed

Yesterday:
AC compressor grenades internally, red dust everywhere and the pulley froze causing my belt to break off at work in the AM... I go buy an AC compressor and a new belt, install them and things seem good again. I start the car and I can hear a faint squeal and I'm lacking in volts (maybe 10-12 volts). I tighten up the bolt perpendicular to the bolt holding the idler pulley/tensioner on and everything seems normal again... no belt noise, 14 volts etc. drive home everything is awesome and i'm excited to have my Jeep sounding good again.

Next day:
This morning driving to work (30-35 highway miles) I start hearing a steady whistle/winding/whirring noise (whirrrrrrrrrrr constant and fluctuating depending on RPM - kind of like a supercharger - in a hennessey viper maybe HAHA lol). So i take it easy on the car and drive at a speed (60-65) where the noise is less audible... getting off the highway and while starting to accelerate on a side street, the noise is horrendous and my truck literally sounds like an airplane with a very noticeable noise with the slightest engine RPM in every gear.... its a reaaally loud whirring noise that sounds JUST like a supercharger from hell....

Now what could this be now? Everything was gravy prior to the compressor exploding and freezing... now thats fixed and other problems surface? I'm stumped... and not feeling very safe or comfortable 40 miles from home right now

Any ideas?

Hommersimpson

i usally take some wd 40 or blaster or what ever penetrating oil i got.. and start spraying things one at a time... see if noise changes.. you can use a long screwdriver or wooden dowl to listen to things to... hope you make it home safe...

978Jeep

Hey thanks - I hope I make it home too~!

I'm going to spray some pulleys individually with some WD40 and see if I can narrow/track that god awefull noise down.

If I make it home I'll remove the belt and check all the pulley's - retorque the belt down.

Is a Jeep idler pulley something your local "autozone" (as much as I dislike their products/knowledge or lack of) carries in stock? Maybe NAPA or a VIP?

Hommersimpson

yep.. most places carry jeep stuf...

halmotors

WD-40 really isn't a lubricant, and shouldn't be used as such. Most times all it does is gum stuff up and attract dirt.

I'd recommend maybe some Magical Mystery Oil for it.

978Jeep

I'll try and grab some bearing lubrication at the auto parts store on my lunch... i'm trying to narrow where this noise is coming from...

Its a very loud & aggressive whining that is inline with acceleration/rpm (gets louder as rpm's rise). It almost sounds like it could be the transmission or transfer case... its so crazy and odd... and very scary sounding.

ceejkay

alternators are known to whine when they start to go bad. also check you fan. i had this problem in my wifes land rover and it ended up being the bearing on the water pump. had to change the water pump.
also check your new belt thoroughly. when your a/c comp froze up you could have tweaked one of the other components and then new belt is getting chewed up, completely unrelated to your whine noise but just a good check.

978Jeep

So I started the jeep up on my break and noticed that when the clutch peddle is pushed in the engine doesn't make any noises!!!... NOW I'm thinking its my transmission noticed lots of fluids around the transmission subframe/cat along with smoke over the last couple days coming from under the truck... no noises though, thought it was the motor oil my jeep has leaked and wreaked of since I bought it 3 months ago.

New link regarding a possible transmission failure... kill me

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/tra...-clutch-44588/

halmotors

Could it possibly be a failing clutch?

Also, welcome to the forum from Sutton, NH. You're not too far away from me.

978Jeep

Thanks! I've been in NH for about 10 months now... pretty nice place!