car makes whining sound when driving

[blu-GA]

i have a 93 GA SE auto 3300 v6 and when i drive the car it makes a whining sound. it sounds like a toy car one of those push and roll cars the ones that the more you push it the the faster it goes. that is the closes thing i can think of that is sounds like. is this normal if it is what can i do to make it stop i have heard other ga's and gp's do it but not all of them. can any one tell me what it is.

[cjperotti]

Worn timing chain makes that type of noise.

[rixGAphx]

The sound is not 'normal', even for a 15-yr old car.
So find it and eliminate it.

Does the sound change with the speed of the engine, or with the speed of the car?

If it changes with engine speed, then get a mechanic's stethoscope (or 24" piece of garden hose as a substitute) and listen all around the engine, especially at the passenger end (where the timing chain is, as CJ suggests).
CAREFUL!!!
That spinning belt and the pulleys are just waiting to grab shirt sleeves, necklaces, ear lobes, etc. :eek:
Might be the timing chain, could be waterpump,idler pulley, alternator, etc.

If it changes with vehicle speed, then look from the tranny output (axles) outward: CV joints, and wheel bearings are best candidates, do a 'search' in this forum for those items. Relative to them, your V6 will be similar to all other GA's (except IIRC you don't have ABS, but that's not an issue here anyway).

Have you changed to snow tires recently?
A front tire with a separating belt makes a similar noise, shortly before it EXPLODES all over the highway.
Tires that are stored for 6 months, then installed underinflated, will soon destroy their belts; check the pressure in particular.
You can also rotate the tires side-to-side, and see if the noise seems to migrate respectively.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[bdlitzne]

Wife in passenger seat makes that kind of noise...at least in my Grand Am
Bern

[Deggy Fresh]

Its Supercharged!

[blu-GA]

i don't think its supercharged its a SE and its not tires ,belts it only does it when i am in gear and driving it wines more the faster i go. i was playing nfs carbon and it makes the same sound that the Lamborghini murcielago.

[Deggy Fresh]

i was kidding, i just saw the title that said whining noise and had to say it.

[blu-GA]

oh thats kool i just done know what it could be i know the fwd are not to muck diff than a rwd but if it is not a v6-8 Chevy engine i really have no clue

[rixGAphx]

Since it varies with vehicle speed, it's not engine-related.

I *assume* you know that "it only does it in gear" because you've shifted from 'D' to 'N' at highway speeds, and the 'whine' disappeared.

That would suggest the differential gears in the transaxle; similar to the whine that a rwd with worn differential makes when you apply power, vs letting-off the gas.

Nothing you can do for this.
The diff gears are lubed by tranny fluid, and step 1 in any repair is to drop the tranny and open the wallet.
I guess I would go to a tranny specialist and get a free estimate, just to make sure 1) It's a tranny issue, and 2) That it's not in immediate danger of self-destruction.

If you want to keep the car, consider just swapping-in a 'guaranteed' used tranny from a salvage yard.
Most will give you a 30-day warranty, just so you can see if it's a pile of noisy bolts after it's installed.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[cjperotti]

Based on the new information I agree. Worn differential gears. Not sure if tranny needs to be dropped to be replaced.