RotaryPWR

please help!! i'm about to give up and take it to a mechanic (i really don't want to..haven't been to one in years!!)

my 98 civic si makes a weird sound right around 3500 rpm on the driver's side somewhere around the alternator.

i spent all night spraying carb cleaner around where i hear the sound..the engine idle does not change at all so i dont think it's a vacuum leak.

i got under the car and the sound is definitely somewhere around the alternator area. i was thinking driving belt or maybe alternator as there was a sound coming from the alternator when the fan turned on (this may be normal). the belts look like they are in decent shape though..

last few things to note..when the car runs, there is a spraying or leak sound coming from around the alternator. the sound is steady (maybe gets a bit louder) until 3500 rpm which is when it gets really loud all of a sudden, then fades back to normal at higher rpm. the other day when i was playing with the throttle, i felt something spray me (not sure if it was liquid or air) when the sound kicked in loudly.

now when i turn the car off, there is a bubbling liquid sound (may be air, but it sounds very liquidy) which then fades off into a fizzing sound (definitely air). this is why i'm thinking it could have to do with brake fluid or maybe even coolant..

please please please give some thoughts and/or ideas!! thanks!

rick10

Just take it to the mechanic , any small shop should be able to tell you what it is for free.... Just say you want an estimate .. no big deal

MPR

How many km's on the car/motor?

It would have nothing to do with your brake fluid, cause that is a whole seperate system, and generally not affected by the engine at all.

Sounds to me like it could be the water pump is on it's way out. The sound would come from the general belt/alternator side of the engine. Is there anything leaking on the ground under the car? Can you see anything leaking on the engine on the timing belt side? What's your coolant level at?

RotaryPWR

chassis has 290 000km. motor has 120 000ish.

i was just thinking that maybe there was a leak that had to do with the engine vacuum attached to the brake booster that is then linked to the master cylinder..but unlikely i know..

no i haven't noticed anything leaking on the ground at all. i will check the weep holes though.

the coolant reservoir is completely empty and the coolant is a tad bit low at the fill hole. i am pretty sure there is a slow leak somewhere (have noticed low coolant for a long time, but no overheating and it never drains much more than the empty reservoir), so i am hoping that it IS the water pump and that i can solve a bunch of problems all in one shot.

MPR

All the brake booster does is assist in creating the necessary force required to apply the brakes using the vacuum of the engine. It's not really possible for the brake fluid to travel through the brake booster vacuum line.

Back to the original problem, it is hard to diagnose unless I'm there to actually see it.

Why don't you come out to the meet tonight, meet the gang, and we'll take a look at your car and help you figure out the problem?

Buddah

Try looking around the lower rad hose area...sounds like you may have a leak down there or maybe a leak by the water heater valve (it's a junction what opens up to feed coolant into your heater core to distribute hot air into the car) located on the firewall near and around the alternator. It could either be a coupling or the actual water valve itself that is leaking. If you prefer, I can take a look at it - try coming out to the meet.

RotaryPWR

what meet is this? i will definitely come out for that!! (not just to get a diagnosis, but to see what these meets are all about!!)

where can i find the info? i will look around the forums i guess..