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Thread: Minivan Howling Noise

  1. #1
    Hybrid booster
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Joliet,IL
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    318

    Minivan Howling Noise

    Ahhhhhh, the weirdness never stops...

    Both my Minivans make a howling/dry bearing noise when they're cold...as in cold out...not operating temp.

    I've owned one van for 10+ years, and for years, when the temps go into the 20's or lower it would howl occasionally...
    Over time it got to be a regular thing...but only when it's seriously cold out.
    NEVER heard it in any kind of warm weather.
    Now, with this incredibly cold weather we're having around here, I've heard it the same noise in my other minivan!

    Here's the situation in Van #1...

    Not an engine related noise. I've shut the Van off while it was moving and howling...noise continued until the speed dropped.

    You have to be moving.

    At least 20 mph or faster. It will continue to around 50 mph, then it stops.

    It's quite loud, and definitely sounds like a dry bearing somewhere. It has that variable pitch warbling noise like a dry bearing.

    In Van #1 it is speed related. Both noise level and pitch change with speed, but it will stop around 50 mph.

    Van #2 it only seems to occur at lower temps (10 and below), lower speed (10-15 mph), it isn't as loud, and seems to go away or get much quieter as speed increases over 25 mph or so.

    I have wondered if the cooling fan might be the culprit...freewheeling from the airflow through the radiator...although both fans do not seem to have excessive play in them.


    Feel free to throw out any ideas that might occur to you...but it's definitely not tiny little wolves in the engine compartment...I checked.

    Thanks in advance...
    CG

  2. #2
    turbo addict
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Richmond, VA
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    1,523

    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    Does the noise change when accelerating and decelerating? It sounds like the diff bearings may be the culprit

  3. #3
    boostaholic
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Houston
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    1,265

    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    could you unplug the fan, zip tie a blade to the shroud and take it for a spin? Keep an eye on temps and keep the drive short. In rediculous weather like that I bet it would take a while to get to operating temp.

  4. #4
    Mitsu booster
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    NW Iowa
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    14

    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    Cooling fan will do that. I have the same problem. I just oiled the fan bearings. It does com back when below -10F.

  5. #5
    turbo addict TopDollar69's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Ozark, Mo
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    2,644

    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    Did you ever find the source of this noise? I'm having the same issue with my 89 Caravan.
    84 Laser XE TII A555 89 Caravan SE TIV A568

  6. #6
    Hybrid booster
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Joliet,IL
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    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    Howdy,

    Yes I did.
    I eventually pulled the hood and watched the cooling fans in cold weather (when I encountered the noise).
    It turned out to be the cold fan bearings howling while wind coming thru the grill turned the fans.
    CG

  7. #7
    turbo addict
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Toronto Canada
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    1,772

    Re: Minivan Howling Noise

    go pro need to invent an engine compartment mount - with a nice bright lamp
    save us all some wondering ...

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