Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

Hello everyone, in february I purchased my 2001 gs430. About a month after I got the car, it was making a bird like chirping sound when it was running. Louder at start up and progressively getting quieter but still remaining as the vehicle warmed up. The sound is especially noticeable when next to walls or driving past other objects. The sound can not be heard when the windows are up in the vehicle but can be heard when not next to objects with the windows down going down the road at low rpms. At higher rpms (2500+), the noises drowns out and can't be heard. Slightly having the radio on 1/4 volume will drain out the noise if the windows are down. A friend of mine who used to work at Honda and knows alot about cars in general, listened to it and said it's coming from the passenger side portion of the motor but was unsure if it was a belt or a pulley making the noise. The sound is really annoying and embrassing considering we drives Lexi' not a geo metro. Someone I worked with drove past me and their Ford taurus was making the same sound.

When I took the car in for the 90K service (also had all fluids flushed and changed, never know with a used vehicle), the sound wasn't there when I got the car back. Now, I have put 2000 miles on the vehicle and the last 200-400 or so, the sound has been back. I will record a video showcasing the sound tomorrow. I have searched several threads describing simular sounds but the results have been inconclusive since it has been a different part for each person.

Please help and thank you!

phillygs3

iTrader: (5)

i have this problem sometimes when its cold and wet it was my belt but i had it checked and everything was fine. it only happens when my car has been sitting for a few days. but it goes away once everything warms up. the dealer probably put some belt dressing on it to quiet it up but now it wore off just change your belt if that dont work it's prob one of your pulleys

Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

Would it be possible that the dealership hit it up with some belt dressing or tightened the belt when it was there and didn't mention anything? My car has moisture in the driver's headlight when I brung it there and a scratch on the top part of the housing on the fender side. I picked the vehicle up, the scratch wasn't there, the moisture was gone and the chirping was gone. Now the chirping is back. Neither of these things were mentioned to me and nothing in my billing states that either.

rl9010

damn how dare they remove a scratch and headlight moisture without telling you! O well I think they call it service...that's what they do when you have a lexus.

kit cat

iTrader: (6)

i have this issue also...i think mines the heat shield by the intake that's rusting. I tried to fix it but it's back again... did you say you had your serpentine belt and/or pretensioner changed?

GWELEX

As you have found out by searching, this is tough to diagnois. Have you had someone start the car when it was cold while you try and locate the source of the sound? This could be a pulley, alternator, power steering or the belt itself. Will be looking for your video post hopefully it will provide a clue.

rra640

if the sound is going away after the car warms up, it's probably the belt. Replace it... takes all of 5 minutes.

If it happens when hot or cold, it might be a pully.

tarnut77

iTrader: (2)

I had this chirp and I changed the serpentine belt and it stopped.

dave11428

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like the bearing on one of the pullys is gone.

UncleRay

iTrader: (2)

Had the same issue! removed the serpentine belt, tightened the bolts, and greased them up. Now the noise is VERY minimal. You'd have to have pure DEAD silence to hear it now. Hope that helps =]

Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

It's much more pronounced when it's cold. When it is warmed up (like all parts warmed up drove 10-15 miles warmed up), it's significantly lower but still present. When I start my car up for going back to work for lunch break, I will record the video and post it when I get out in a couple of hours.

rra640

How old is your belt and how many miles on it?

If it has more than 20k miles, just replace it and see if that solves it. You probably need one anyway. They are less than $40 and it takes about 5 min to change it out.

Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

I don't know how old the belt is. I will probably just replace it for starts regardless, because I personally have already driven the car 5K miles since February. I'm uploading the video now.

I ended up just using Youtube so there is a processing time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17btXk1jNao

That is a link to all videos under my username. So when it appears you will know as it will be labeled GS430 Chirp.

Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

bump for the video in the last post.

kit cat

iTrader: (6)

hmm....that does not sound like the sound I'm having... try changing the serpentine belt. it's a 10minute job.