Question - 'chirping' noise on idle - '02 WRX

[BD]

Hi, all.

I'm not so much looking for a solution to this, but looking to see if
it's common.

I have an 02 WRX wagon. Standard.

If I sit down in neutral, and tap the gas pedal to bring the revs up
just slightly and for a moment, as the revs slow down to idle again
(right around the 1000 mark), I can hear a 'chirp' noise which sounds
like a small belt that might not be quite tight enough. Very quiet,
very brief - but audible, and kind of weird.

I had this in to a dealer some time ago during a service, and the
mechanic could definitely hear it. I'd have to go digging through my
invoice to see if I could find what he said it _was_. He indicated to
me that he'd dealt with it, and for all indications, he had. Apparently
it was a bit of a pain for him to get just the right tension on the
belt.

But now, about a year later, the same symptom occurs. I'm wondering if
this (whatever it is) is endemic to the model or the year.

I can go digging to see if I can see what belt it was that he adjusted,
but I'm hoping that other Impreza owners will go 'yep, been there done
that', and can give me some insight...

Thanks!!

 

[Jim Stewart]

Hi, all.

I'm not so much looking for a solution to this, but looking to see if
it's common.

I have an 02 WRX wagon. Standard.

If I sit down in neutral, and tap the gas pedal to bring the revs up
just slightly and for a moment, as the revs slow down to idle again
(right around the 1000 mark), I can hear a 'chirp' noise which sounds
like a small belt that might not be quite tight enough. Very quiet,
very brief - but audible, and kind of weird.

I had this in to a dealer some time ago during a service, and the
mechanic could definitely hear it. I'd have to go digging through my
invoice to see if I could find what he said it _was_. He indicated to
me that he'd dealt with it, and for all indications, he had. Apparently
it was a bit of a pain for him to get just the right tension on the
belt.

But now, about a year later, the same symptom occurs. I'm wondering if
this (whatever it is) is endemic to the model or the year.

I can go digging to see if I can see what belt it was that he adjusted,
but I'm hoping that other Impreza owners will go 'yep, been there done
that', and can give me some insight...

Most likely a loose exhaust pipe cover.
Really a pita to find which one. Easier
just to live with it if you can.

 

[BD]

Easier just to live with it if you can.

Yeah, I can live with it - just want to be sure it's not a sign of
something more ominous.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Yeah, I can live with it - just want to be sure it's not a sign of
something more ominous.

You could try spraying 'belt dressing' on the belts. If the noise
changes - likely its the belts. If not, maybe a vacuum leak or bad
bushing/motor mount or exhaust leak or ???

How many miles on the belts? maybe time for new ones?

Carl

 

[Edward Hayes]

Spray the belt to confirm the problem. If the problem is the belt,
get out your owners manual and check belt tightness. If the belt
tension is correct and it's still noisy then get a new oem belt.

 

[BD]

How many miles on the belts? maybe time for new ones?

The car only has 40,000 km on it. And the problem first cropped up
before there were even 20,000...

 

[Larry Van Wormer]

Spray the belt to confirm the problem. If the problem is the belt,
get out your owners manual and check belt tightness. If the belt
tension is correct and it's still noisy then get a new oem belt.

An even cheaper test, if you can have someone blip the throttle while
you are watching the belts: spray a bit of water onto the inside belt
surface (the surface that touches the pulleys). If the belt is the cause
of the chirp, the noise will stop, or at least reduce, for a few
seconds. Of course, unlike the belt dressing, the water will have no
other useful effect.

Larry Van Wormer

 

[BD]

Of course, unlike the belt dressing, the water will have no other useful effect.

Aside from being a 'cost-free' test.