engine noise after cleaning

[Darklight]

Okay, so i have had my 08 4Runner for almost 2 years now. I do some moderate trail riding and off roading. This past weekend we went out to Uwharrie for some offroading and it was wet! I got allot of mud in my engine bay so i rinsed my engine down with the shower setting on the hose. (I have done this 2 other times) this time i used Simple Green let it soak a few minutes and hosed down gently again. Everything came out okay but now when i start up and drive around i am getting this whinning noise like a small airplane is in my engine. Does anybody know what i might of did?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Did you get all of the mud off of the front of the fan hub? Was it just the first start after wash or is it doing it all of the time? I'd focus on the front of the fan hub first...

 

[Darklight]

The noise is still there on the way to work today everytime i start up now since i cleaned it.I am pretty sure i got it all out.I even sprayed down the radiator for a little while to get the yuck out from some water crossings that where small but up to above my front license plate.

 

[Darklight]

What do you mean by fan hub, the fan behind the radiator the big white one? I am sure i hosed that down pretty good too. I will give it a peak tonight to make sure of it but as far as i can tell i washed the mud off. This Carolina red clay is a mess.

 

[Nuke]

I'm wondering if you washed away any of the coating on the pulleys that naturally deposit from the belts. As much as I hate using the stuff, try a drop of belt dressing and see if the sound changes or disappears.

 

[JeremyH]

I would agree with the route that CJ is going down. Your fan is probably making the noise. Either a blad is not positioned properly and the fan is wobbling or the bearing is going out...

 

[paraordnance]

I been washing my engine bay on all my cars/trucks with high pressure washer @ car wash and I NEVER had any problems or noises for that matter.

 

[Darklight]

I will check the fan tonight. I have cleaned the same areas b-4 and this never happened. Aside from the noise i have not noticed anything wrong while driving. I am getting close to needing an oil change but i do not think that has anything to do with it. I have about 24,400 miles on this vehicle and it is an awesome machine. Now it sounds like a cat crying instead of a lion roaring, not really funny though...

 

[Darklight]

Let me start by saying thank you guys for your input on this so far. Last night i checked out my engine, bay,fan,belts,air filter and anything else i could see under the hood. There was still a little mud stains on some belts that are underneathe the front part of the engine or just above the front skid plate. I started up my engine and the noise seems to be coming from the belt system or fan? I turned it off and got the hose out sprayed down the fan and belts really good but it was allready pretty clean. Started it back up and the noise is still there. I didn't try anything else but i did some searching on the web and found a link to what seems to be the same problem i am having http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4047. I am not sure if my link will work but it mentions the tensioner and idle pulley. I am going to bring it in to the local dealership after work. I am sure they can fix it and hopefully under warranty. I will let ya know what they find

 

[PolkManiac]

Do you get the noise in all gears, or only in park or neutral?

My money is on the idler pulley. There are actually 4 of them on there, and it could be any one of them. 3 of them, including the tensioner, are the same size, the one at the very bottom is a little bigger and a different part #.

I've ordered new ones from Napa, but haven't put them on yet.

 

[colombo]

I been washing my engine bay on all my cars/trucks with high pressure washer @ car wash and I NEVER had any problems or noises for that matter.

I agree. High pressure washer is better because it uses much-much less water. I always was thinking that hose down enging (instead of power washing) is not a good idea. Too much water.

It will not help in your problem, but it will teach others not to use hose in engine compartment. IMHO.

 

[Darklight]

I went to the service department last night and as soon as i pulled it in they had me pop the hood. I popped the hood and they said you have been through some mud. I didn't give any specifics i just said "i have been in some mud and some water". he said "it must of been pretty high to get this far up inside the engine" then he said they would get it fixed for me. I could tell he wanted to know about what i have been driving through and honestly i think he was kind of excited about it. I didn't want to tell him to much info though but when he saw my engine and my running boards off i am sure he knew i have been off roading. Nothing wrong with that!:thumb3: Anyway, i waited for about 30 minutes and they came and told me that it was indeed the Tension iddle pulley and that they would fix it. I felt relived! I waited another 45 minutes and they came out with my keys, they said "i have some good news and some bad news" i thought what!? Then they said" we had to order a part because we did not have all of them" they replaced the bearings in the pulley. Now i have to wait until monday to get it fixed. I am just glad that they know what it is and it is getting fixed under warranty. I asked if they knew what happened and they said that the part went bad and it was not a big deal except for the noise it makes (like a small airplane in my engine)


Colombo,I agree to much water in the engine area is not a good thing.When i clean that area i am always very careful and try to use minimal water flow, just a spray here, a spray there. This last time i used the simple green method and i also sprayed a little more water then normal to make sure i got it all off.

PolkManiak, i get the noise in all gears as well as in park or sitting still neutral included.
Thank you guys for your input and be very careful if you are spraying out the mud in your engine bay although i am not really sure that this was the cause of it.

 

[colombo]

I am glad that you find out the problem and it is getting fixed. And it is very good that you share your experience. Thanks.

 

[toyota123]

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Im not too understand about toyota cars :lol: