Anyone recognize this gurgling/burping noise?
03-05-14, 07:18 PM
#1
Anyone recognize this gurgling/burping noise?
All,
Ever since I bought my SC almost ten years ago with 40,000 miles, she's made this odd noise. It's never bothered me enough to care since she's always run beautifully, but now I'm going through the whole car, making her perfect again, and it's irritating me.
The noise sounds almost like a burping or gurgling. It's coming from somewhere on the passenger side, maybe near the firewall? Cruising on the highway it's not there. It really occurs when I adjust the throttle, or am on the throttle but allowing the car to slowly decelerate.
I tried my best to record the sound. It's somewhat tough to hear over the exhaust and road noise, but it's definitely noticeable- mostly at/after the 15 second mark of the clip.
Don't mind the metallic clanging sound. I have some cans that were rolling on the passenger flood board.
Ever since I bought my SC almost ten years ago with 40,000 miles, she's made this odd noise. It's never bothered me enough to care since she's always run beautifully, but now I'm going through the whole car, making her perfect again, and it's irritating me.
The noise sounds almost like a burping or gurgling. It's coming from somewhere on the passenger side, maybe near the firewall? Cruising on the highway it's not there. It really occurs when I adjust the throttle, or am on the throttle but allowing the car to slowly decelerate.
I tried my best to record the sound. It's somewhat tough to hear over the exhaust and road noise, but it's definitely noticeable- mostly at/after the 15 second mark of the clip.
Don't mind the metallic clanging sound. I have some cans that were rolling on the passenger flood board.
03-05-14, 08:24 PM
#4
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My first reaction based on what you wrote would be to say that you have an air pocket trapped in the heater core. This will cause a gurgling or waterfall type noise and happens in a lot of makes and models. However, video quality may be distorting things but it sounds like a vibration to me (somewhat metallic high pitched rattle).
Really light vibrations and harmonics can be very dependent on engine load or RPM. Does it only do it when accelerating, or both accel and decel?
Honestly it sounds like a heat shield or something metallic with a loose bolt from the video... There is a heat shield at the bottom of the firewall on the passenger side (at least in the 300s) or does it sound like it's coming from inside the cabin?
From my experience I would doubt that the evaporator or expansion valve are causing this. You can eliminate the heater core and evaporator by simply turning the climate control completely off. (this should close the heater valve and disable the A/C. If the noise persists, look elsewhere.
.02
Really light vibrations and harmonics can be very dependent on engine load or RPM. Does it only do it when accelerating, or both accel and decel?
Honestly it sounds like a heat shield or something metallic with a loose bolt from the video... There is a heat shield at the bottom of the firewall on the passenger side (at least in the 300s) or does it sound like it's coming from inside the cabin?
From my experience I would doubt that the evaporator or expansion valve are causing this. You can eliminate the heater core and evaporator by simply turning the climate control completely off. (this should close the heater valve and disable the A/C. If the noise persists, look elsewhere.
.02
03-05-14, 08:28 PM
#5
My first reaction based on what you wrote would be to say that you have an air pocket trapped in the heater core. This will cause a gurgling or waterfall type noise and happens in a lot of makes and models. However, video quality may be distorting things but it sounds like a vibration to me (somewhat metallic high pitched rattle).
Really light vibrations and harmonics can be very dependent on engine load or RPM. Does it only do it when accelerating, or both accel and decel?
Honestly it sounds like a heat shield or something metallic with a loose bolt from the video... There is a heat shield at the bottom of the firewall on the passenger side (at least in the 300s) or does it sound like it's coming from inside the cabin?
From my experience I would doubt that the evaporator or expansion valve are causing this. You can eliminate the heater core and evaporator by simply turning the climate control completely off. (this should close the heater valve and disable the A/C. If the noise persists, look elsewhere.
.02
Really light vibrations and harmonics can be very dependent on engine load or RPM. Does it only do it when accelerating, or both accel and decel?
Honestly it sounds like a heat shield or something metallic with a loose bolt from the video... There is a heat shield at the bottom of the firewall on the passenger side (at least in the 300s) or does it sound like it's coming from inside the cabin?
From my experience I would doubt that the evaporator or expansion valve are causing this. You can eliminate the heater core and evaporator by simply turning the climate control completely off. (this should close the heater valve and disable the A/C. If the noise persists, look elsewhere.
.02
I guess it's possible it's some sort of loose bolt, but I'd never thought of it. It didn't scream out to me "VIBRATION! LOOSE BOLT!" before. The metallic sound you heard may have been the cans of engine cleaner I had on my flood board. The sound I'm looking for is not necessarily high pitched. I'm trying to think of a recognizable comparison to help explain it better. Let me think on that for a minute...
I don't believe it happens on acceleration. Only deceleration or cruising at constant speed with light throttle adjustments. It will be vocal longer sometimes if I'm barely on the gas but still allowing the car to slow down.
Maybe I can get a better recording of it. I just happened to mention the sound to my fiancee who was in the car and decided to snap a quick video before coming home to post it up.
03-05-14, 08:44 PM
#6
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in your opinion, is it inside or outside the car?
vibrations and noises can be a nightmare to track down. My driver's door has a distinct vibration that does not happen on the passenger side. I really noticed it when I was dynamating my doors of course. The passenger door is a perfect solid thud. the driver's door has rattle. for the life of me I can not pin it down. I think it is a bent door (from use) or a split pinch weld or something. I mean I have isolated basically everything within that door to no effect.
vibrations and noises can be a nightmare to track down. My driver's door has a distinct vibration that does not happen on the passenger side. I really noticed it when I was dynamating my doors of course. The passenger door is a perfect solid thud. the driver's door has rattle. for the life of me I can not pin it down. I think it is a bent door (from use) or a split pinch weld or something. I mean I have isolated basically everything within that door to no effect.
03-05-14, 08:48 PM
#7
In my opinion, it is coming from somewhere near the dash or firewall. Obviously, I've never been able to stick my ear to the firewall while driving, but I've always thought of it being in that area.
Thinking about it now, it's slightly terrifying that it may be something in the dash. I've specifically avoided pulling the dash in the nearly ten years I've owned the car, even when I dyed it!
FWIW, the car made this noise with a perfectly functional AC system. As of now I get the blinky light and short-lived compressor cycle, plus the code 21 (IIRC). Regardless, this leads me to believe that there's hope that noise isn't related to the AC.
Thinking about it now, it's slightly terrifying that it may be something in the dash. I've specifically avoided pulling the dash in the nearly ten years I've owned the car, even when I dyed it!
FWIW, the car made this noise with a perfectly functional AC system. As of now I get the blinky light and short-lived compressor cycle, plus the code 21 (IIRC). Regardless, this leads me to believe that there's hope that noise isn't related to the AC.
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03-05-14, 09:00 PM
#8
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No kidding about the dash.
I found a good black dash in the junkyard that was already half removed. I started to go for it and realized how horrible it is to really get it out and said no ma'am.
I'll probably just dye mine in the car someday as well.
I've also heard blower fan bearings that only make noise when turning left and other weird crap. The ECMs and stuff are bolted to a tin frame that is bolted to the floorboard. Maybe rattling?
If you have anyone you trust to drive your car, you could ride shotgun and maybe actually put your head down in the foot well lol. sounds crazy, but hey. gotta start somewhere.
I found a good black dash in the junkyard that was already half removed. I started to go for it and realized how horrible it is to really get it out and said no ma'am.
I'll probably just dye mine in the car someday as well.
I've also heard blower fan bearings that only make noise when turning left and other weird crap. The ECMs and stuff are bolted to a tin frame that is bolted to the floorboard. Maybe rattling?
If you have anyone you trust to drive your car, you could ride shotgun and maybe actually put your head down in the foot well lol. sounds crazy, but hey. gotta start somewhere.
03-05-14, 09:05 PM
#9
Not a bad idea. I could let my fiancee do it. It will take a bit for her to find the 'sweet spots' to replicate the noise.
It happens all the time, but for the sake of taking a video, I'd obviously want to make it as pronounced as possible. Has to be the right conditions/throttle input/speed to get it to really 'shine'...
It happens all the time, but for the sake of taking a video, I'd obviously want to make it as pronounced as possible. Has to be the right conditions/throttle input/speed to get it to really 'shine'...
03-05-14, 09:08 PM
#10
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I listened to the video again and I can definitely tell that it's when you're feathering the throttle.
it really sings at about the 43sec mark. again, audio quality is muddled, but sounds like metal. light, like a piece of tin or exhaust, just barely loose.
that would drive me crazy
it really sings at about the 43sec mark. again, audio quality is muddled, but sounds like metal. light, like a piece of tin or exhaust, just barely loose.
that would drive me crazy
03-05-14, 09:23 PM
#11
I listened to it again as well. There is a rattle somewhere in the car that's probably making the different sounds confusing. I'll try to get some better recordings, after finding the rattle and killing it. It could very well be 20 year old door panels, so maybe I'll just have to figure out a way to get as close to the sound as possible.
Wait, where in GA are you? I just noticed your info. I'm on the south side of ATL.
Wait, where in GA are you? I just noticed your info. I'm on the south side of ATL.
03-06-14, 07:41 AM
#14
There are only 2 main boxes behind the dash, the heater core and the blower motor correcto? I couldn't hear anything in that video at all as far as gurgling and stuff, but some times I tend to
hear things driving my car that are not there
So... After 10 years driving you keep hearing things, but nothing went wrong
I just listen close again and all I heard was the health roar of a nicely maintained v8 if I'm not mistaken
hear things driving my car that are not there
So... After 10 years driving you keep hearing things, but nothing went wrong
I just listen close again and all I heard was the health roar of a nicely maintained v8 if I'm not mistaken
Last edited by LEXXIUM; 03-06-14 at 07:44 AM.
03-06-14, 10:11 AM
#15
Pole Position
I have a gurgling sound coming from somewhere in the dash or firewall of my UZZ31 as well. However it comes & goes & thankfully the only time I ever hear it is when I'm crawling at low speeds, down my court or in traffic for example. Regardless if the climate control is on or not the noise will still be apparent. My first thoughts were that it WAS something to do with the heating/cooling system as it sounds very much related to that. But who knows...
It did my head in at one stage, for now the exhaust & stereo overpowers me from hearing it again... I'll get to the bottom of it one day.
All the best tracking down what yours may be.
It did my head in at one stage, for now the exhaust & stereo overpowers me from hearing it again... I'll get to the bottom of it one day.
All the best tracking down what yours may be.
Last edited by Mike1JZ; 03-06-14 at 10:15 AM.