EJ205 2005 Whining noise - Power Steering? Please advise
 

Hi guys,

My EJ205 is making a whining noise. It is always clearly heard after the cold start. When the engine is hot, it's hard to hear the noise.
Please review the video I recorded this morning, just started the cold engine and began recording the video:
The belts' tension is normal - around .9mm and I can twist them at 90 degrees.

It sounds to me that the noise comes from the power steering pump. I used a stethoscope to hear the loudest noise I hear from the power steering pump.
What I did: 1. Replaced the O-ring (bought from the Subaru local dealer) 2. Installed 2nd worm type clamps on the returning hose. 3. Changed the fluid. As a result - Nothing changed.


PS: when I turn the steering wheel when the car is parked - the whining nose is not changing. It just exists and it raises the pitch according to the RPMs. Again, when the engine is hot, this noise seems to be gone or it is so quiet.
There are no leaks, fluid level is constant. I don't feel anything wrong with the steering, it's nice and smooth. Just the noise is concerning to me.

Please advise if this noise is from the power steering pump? Is it acceptable? What can I do to eliminate the noise?

Thank you!

Its early morning here and the combination of youtube plus speakers my personal opinion is that it isn't the PAS pump. To me sounds like alternator or AC compressor. Probably wrong on that. I'm sure others will be on soon to give a better answer

Have you tried running the engine with the belt cover removed??

@Don Clark @NOSSY_89

I removed the belt cover and started recording this morning right after the engine started:
Interesting that there was not so loud whining as it was yesterday. Also, I put the cover back in place on the running engine and did not hear any difference. By the way, there was some ticking\chirking hear to me, from the alternator may be.
When the engine was almost warmed up, I played with the accelerator pedal and recorded the engine sound as well. Please review it here:

What do you guys think?

I think that you've got a case of the Impreza engine noise jitters. It's a common ailment that most of us have suffered from at some point.

Does sound like there was a change in tone/note. Looking at the last lot of clips I think @hedgecutter may be right. If you have a multimeter laying around test the alternator it might show if its on its way out.

@NOSSY_89 @hedgecutter Just checked the alternator with my multimeter: 14.5v when idling without any load and 14.4v if I turn on the headlights, stereo, seat heaters and a cabin fan.
Maybe the alternator bearing is slowly on the way out? If not sure If it's possible to replace it.

"Impreza engine noise jitters" - could you please explain where the noise comes from in this case? Is there anything I can do or should do?

Its the paranoia that often comes with owning a scooby. Rock hits the underside of car.........................oh no is that the sound of my engine knocking? In the last two clips it sounds fine, that noise no longer seems apparent. Alternator looks good too.

Sounds OK without the cover.
I believe you recently changed /re-tensioned the auxiliary belts so must have removed the belt cover to do it.
Check the inside of the cover to see if anything was rubbing against it as the original noise sounded as if contact was being made.

You are right, I've replaced the accessory belts recently and I got a new belt cover - the reason is that... my car was stolen recently and found in a week after, found with some stuff stolen from the car: subwoofer, tools, parts, dash cam... and the engine original 'large' plastic cover which was sitting in the cargo area.
I cannot find such a plastic cover in North America, but wanted a belt cover anyway, so bought this 'cheap' one from AliExpress, which is 100% like Perrin, and comes with all the hardware. So I installed it. I might place some rubber washers to dampen the vibration and the noise.

Just some examples to give you the part number - same for 2.0L (JDM) and 2.5L (US;UK)
https://parts.subaru.com/p/Subaru__/...4025AA260.html
https://www.subarupartsdeal.com/part...4025aa260.html

Thank you so much for the info with the part number.

Have you tried removing the belt and running the engine? Had squeaky PAS belts on both Bugeye and Hawkeye never had an issue on classics with it.

Thanks. Have not tried it yet.
I think now that the alternator produces some noise and vibration (which might be normal), but silly me... I just realized that the existing cover is sitting on the alternator's bolt and there was a rubber o-ring before, but it fell apart and was thrown away, so now there is no damper for vibration and noises and the cover is bolted 'metal-to-metal' to the alternator. I guess now this may be the reason why the vibration\noise transfer over the pulley metal cover and kind of boosted, loud transferring the noise from the alt. So some rubber washers needed to be added.

So true to true :lol1:

As my Dad always says, turn your stereo up :lol1:

Or for Subaru owners buy a louder exhaust.

I should of listened to the videos first, as soon as I heard videos without the cover I was going say it sounds like the pulley is catching the cover. Close enough :thumb:

@jaygsi @Don Clark @NOSSY_89 Thank you for your thoughts! I removed and already sold my aftermarket pulley cover :) Considering to order the OEM one from Amayama or a used one from eBay UK - already texted a couple of sellers in the UK asking if they can ship to Canada. If not, going to buy one from Amayama. Or maybe leave it as is, with no cover :) less noisy parts lol

If you wear a tie for any reason can a cover on it :thumb:

With it running, spray a bit of WD40 or similar on different pulleys and tensioners etc until the noise quietens down. If the noise quietens down the thing you sprayed it on to make it go away is the thing making the noise.

This won't help if it's PAS pump internals or something like that but then typically noises like that are under load.

Thanks for the idea!

Is that the bearing going? Someone told me you can tell by spinning in backwards.

Update. Seems like that noise is gone, don't hear it now. It might be because of the pulley cover was installed with no rubber washer and resonated from the alternator.

Glad to hear, thanks for the update. My belts started squeaking now it's catching :lol1: