I am a new member with a 100%-stock 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX wagon that has about 125k miles on it. I am trying to diagnose:
• a high-pitched whine coming from the engine compartment that starts as soon as I start the car
• always stays on as long as the engine is running.
• Its pitch varies with the rpm of the engine.
• Started in mid-December (i.e. cold weather) and lasted for only a few weeks so far (I was only vacation).
• Have never heard it before then.

Just before I was about to take it to a mechanic to be checked out, I was involved in a fender bender with a tall SUV that caved-in the hood, grille, headlights, AC, and the radiator support. Radiator might be salvageable. It looks like the insurance company will pay all of the repair costs for this (except the $1000 deductible), but I still have the other problem.

I am not sure that I want to spend $1000 on body work for a car that might also have a very expensive engine fix needed as well.

My question is:
• Any ideas on what the cause might be?
• How likely is the fixing the whine going to cost multiple thousands of dollars to fix?
• Is this something that might be caused by cold weather (stored in unheated garage during night and outside during the day) and would go away by itself?

 

My guess would be a loose alternator belt.

 

Ha I'm going thru the same thing. Taking it in next week to get it looked at. Tho my thoughts are that my accessory belts are old. 06 STI w/ 70k miles.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

At worse is the timing belt tensioner pulley. Maybe do new timing belt as well.

 

i had the same problem, was definitely an alternator belt, bugged the crap out of me so much that i forced myself to pay the $300 repair/new one and know it would stop once and for all

 

Timing belt tensioner could be a possibility, but tightening the alternator belt is cake. I would do that first. PM me if you need help.

At 125k, you should have replaced your t-belt and the other belts while they were off.

 

I beleave it did not make the noise before the fender bender!

 

Yeah, I thought about that, but I have no interest in making the accident seem like it was worse that it really was. The car that I rear-ended is faking a brain injury to get insurance money and the last thing I want is to either be caught in a lie or exaggerate the force of the collision.

 

Timing belt was replaced at around 100k, but not alternator belt. Good point, though. Thanks.

 

Maybe it is the ac idler pulley, the bearing on mine went bad and the whine was pretty loud

 

mines been doing something similar more like a chirpping that gets louder with rpms raising but i also have a cylinder 2 misfire, replaced belts and that wasn't the chirpping

 

Ive had a whining when my Alternator died and the AC idler pully died. Replace the belts it will take you 15 mins and see if it still whines and besides at that mileage they should be replaced. 38 dollars for the gates belts.