LS400CE

So I have a 1997 LS400 Coach Edition. It has run fine and well and recently gone through its 210k mile service. and now im back in college at least 1.5 hrs from the nearest known Lexus Dealership. Now, I have a slight problem. So today, I have discovered that my LS400 has a whine to it. it could perhaps be metal on metal or something like that. I have not checked anything yet, since I decided to come consult yall before doing anything to the lexus. However, it should be of note that I can feel the whine in the accelerator pedal and PRND32L shift lever. It seems to accelerate just fine and turn just fine and the noise is only buried by engine noise if i accelerate without allowing the car to shift. I am not talking about the supercharger-like whine that the engine has at higher rpms. it is calmest when i dont do anything, but the whine is there its like someone is dragging a piece or two of aluminum foil across a chalk board or smthing. so it isnt consistent and has gaps in the drone. from the outside of the car, I can't hear anything. However, i can hear it when i am inside the car. as of now, it doesnt seem to have affected driving. However, I do want to figure out what it is and if i should seek immediate help in my local area or wait till I drive back to where i am in close comfort of my preferred service tech. anyone have any idea what may be wrong and if i should seek immediate help or if it should be ok for a while?

dicer

Does turning the steering wheel change the noise? Does it do it moving or just sitting?

LS400CE

well the steering wheel doesnt appear to have any affect on the noise (yet). It makes the noise regardless of whether it is sitting or moving. so im wondering if im low on oils or is something seriously wrong with my car

Banshee365

Have you checked your power steering fluid level with the car off? It takes Dexron3 ATF not power steering fluid. Does having the AC compressor off or on make a difference? Have you moved your head around under the hood to pinpoint a general location of the noise? Put your head under the car with the driver door open and rev the pedal slightly with your right hand, does it sound like it's a strong noise from the transmission area?

LS400CE

i went and tested the noise thing. trans oil thingy is reddish brown, which i believe is normal. and engine oil is normal. you cant hear the noise at all from the outside of the car, which is strange. i threw the car in neutral, threw on the parking brake and revved it. so it seems to not make the noise at 1200-1600 rpm or something similar or maybe just this time i test it, it was consistent there, but any lower and any higher at a standstill in neutral and it makes that noise. like something is rubbing or slipping. but it did just go through its 210k mile service so Im not entirely sure why anything is going wrong. particularly since it is in fact a Lexus being serviced at a dedicated shop.

LS400CE

I have tested the noise thing as Banshee has noted. the power steering fluid appears to not be full but above the required levels. the ac seems to be a big part of the problem if not the problem. the noise is there when the ac is on but not audible from outside the interior of the car. HOWEVER, if i hit the OFF button and shut off the system entirely, the noise escalates dramatically and a loud very bad very screechy-ish (bass or tenor or alto screech if thats a thing) noise is heard from the engine bay and may be mistaken for a very bad horn. there appears to be no noise or disturbance at all to the car noises from the transmission area.

Banshee365

Reddish brown trans fluid is normal for a neglected transmission. It really is best for it to be bright red. Do the splash and dash pan drain and refill with 2 quarts every other engine oil change or so. This will freshen up some of the fluid but not shock a neglected trans with sparkly clean fluid. Do not do a complete flush and certainly do not do any sort of power flush.

The he fan bearing bracket can cause noise like that. The AC compressor being on or off and even electrical load on the alternator can change the forces on the fan bracket bearing and change its tune a bit. You can pop the belt off with a 14mm socket on a longer ratchet if you have one and try wiggling on the fan and see if there is any serious play. This isn't the best way to check it but it's easy and may reveal something.

LS400CE

Would you say this is something i can put off for like another month or should i seek immediate assistance with this fan bearing bracket?

dicer

So when you open the hood and listen do you hear the noise? Maybe the belt is slipping ? And like Banshee says it could be a bearing problem with something rotating on the front of the engine. But you will hear it with hood open. Also you could get a cheap mechanic stethoscope from harborfreight or an auto parts place and touch the probe of it near the pulleys when its running, of course not on the turning pulley but near it. It is the best way to locate the bad noisy bearing.

LS400CE

hm well when the hood is open im not hearing anything out of the ordinary unless i turn the AC to off. otherwise it sounds normal. I shall have to find a stethoscope as mentioned.

Banshee365

You will need to properly diagnose the noise first. Asking if it's okay to leave for a month is a loaded question. Who knows. The water pump is driven by the timing belt, not the drive belt like most engines. That means if the drive belt breaks you will lose your alternator, power steering, and AC only. The belt usually won't break unless something locks up and it starts squealing really bad. Then it has several seconds before it will let go. But, sometimes a bearing pulley can get so worn that is misaligned and throws the belt off it's pulleys and you will lose it that way. Most likely it would be okay but I still can't say for sure without even knowing where the noise is coming from.

jaaa

I'd what you told him to do. Take the drive belt off and rotate all the pulleys with the belt off. If the noise goes away with the belt off, it has to be one of the pulleys.

LS400CE

ok thanks i will find a local garage or something besides the parking garage to take a look. However, what is baffling to me is that the noise seems to have mysteriously disappeared this morning when I drove it to class. will definitely be taking a look at it.

LS400CE

I believe that it is the fan bearing bracket indeed. today, after class 20 mins ago, i went to turn on my car and popped the hood to see if there was a change. and there is not much if any of the noise anymore on the inside of the car, but it appears to be the fan area and as yall have said, likely the bracket. its not a horrifying sound. just a clicking/scratchy sound that shouldnt be there. it appears to have settled down and not make a racket but is easily not normal. now that we appear to have found the problem, How big of an issue is it if I cant do anything about it immediately and need to drive it to and from class every day?

LS400CE

for those wondering what noise it is. exactly like this, just not as bad (yet) also not as wobbly as this. in fact, mine barely wobbles as is right now, so I think i caught it at its beginning stages.