I'm hearing a slight squeal noise from the engine, but only under load at low rpm. I cannot get it to squeal by just revving the engine. I only hear it when I first take off from a stop. Not at speed.

Is this the beginning of a faulty pulley and/or tensionor?

 

I would think not.

Do you have a 6 speed, or automatic ?

 

I have a 6-speed manual.
Could it possibly be coming from the clutch?

 

That is what I would suspect.
The clutch or throw-out bearing.

 

That would seem odd, though. It only has 50,000 miles, and mostly long-distance freeway miles.

 

If it were the throwout bearing, would it continue to squeal after the clutch was disengaged?

 

it could be the brakes, the worn out marker may be touching when you take off.
it is is a errk--errk errk type squeal it coukd be the u joint on the drive shaft.,,,, seen that
it could be a pulley bearing squealing only under load.,,,, seen that too
you may have a loose belt,, in fact that is what i think it is. put some belt lube on your belts and c if it still does it. jim

 

I wouldn't say throw-out bearing if it is only under load. A friend in town has a bad throw-out bearing making serious noise at idle that goes away as soon as the clutch is depressed. My guess is a pulley/bearing issue since you only hear it under load. Try the old "stethoscope" method with a long screwdriver or piece of wood. My money is on an idler pulley or the water pump. Best of luck with it.

 

I had the same noise few thousand miles ago. Just found I have bad idler pulley

 

Alternator, AC compressor?

 

Be very careful with the old 'stethoscope' method of finding a bad bearing. If you drop something into that area not only would it get very expensive, it might launch parts out at anyone looking in. try some kind of belt dressing to eliminate the belt slipping and if that didn't solve it, then start looking at bearings on the easily accessed items (you could release the belt from the tensioner and spin then, if noisy/grinding then replacement was needed anyway. The alternator can be spun then, should not be binding or growling. I had a belt squeal that sounded like a bearing once that drove me nuts (the noise was very low at idle but got real bad when driving). I had already bought/replaced two idler pulleys and it didn't go away. When I used an old windex bottle with simple water in it, the low squeal was gone. A quick belt change confirmed it and no more squeal. Do the inexpensive troubleshooting first and be careful doing anything in that area when the engine is running. ANYTHING moving can grab a shirt or bump a tool into something else moving. After that, it is a matter of luck if no one is hurt. Good luck!


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