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Chirping from Engine Bay

K

krwalkman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Thornton, CO
Hello everyone, this is my first post here even though I have had a Cherokee for some years. I have mostly just lurked and never even created a user until today when I couldn't find the issue that I am having

The issue that I am having is a significant chirping noise coming from the engine bay. I have read a few posts that say check wheel bearings/hubs and things of that nature, but I just replaced (Less than a month ago) all of that, did all of the brakes all the way around, new water pump, new serpentine belt, 2 front wheel hubs, new transmission cooling lines, D30 inner and outer axle seals, etc.

The chirping noise sounds as if it is right behind the dash, centered, if you are driving. It only chirps when under acceleration and won't when idling, even at speed. Seems the frequency changes with RPMS but again only when accelerating, won't do it in neutral.

I can get a video if I need to and hopefully clarify what I am talking about.

I have one other issue and that is a vibration that comes from beneath me when I let off the throttle and only for a few seconds. I have read up on this a bit and it sounds like maybe it is a u-joint and seems pretty typical. I will start there, but any suggestions help.

Thanks Everyone!
 
Behind the dash would mean the speedo cable.
From the engine bay, you have a multitude of possible culprits:
AC clutch bearing
Fan Clutch Bearing
Idler Bearings (common)
Alternator Bearings
Power Steering Bearings
Water Pump Bearings.

Loose/worn Serpentine belt
 
For me the chirping went away simply by greasing the u joints, cardan joint, splines. Mine was the cardon joint. Been silent ever since. If it has not run dry for long, getting grease in there may save it. That's what I would do first, grease it, I did one location at a time, then test drove so I would know which joint was the problem.

This chirping noise is also called "Angry Bird" noise.

good luck
 
Check your harmonic balancer that was the cause of my chirping noise.
 
old_man said:
Behind the dash would mean the speedo cable.
From the engine bay, you have a multitude of possible culprits:
AC clutch bearing
Fan Clutch Bearing
Idler Bearings (common)
Alternator Bearings
Power Steering Bearings
Water Pump Bearings.

Loose/worn Serpentine belt
Click to expand...

That is a lot of options, but probably things that I could do and attribute it to being preventative in nature anyways. I know this thing has been beat to hell and run all over so I don't mind doing these things.
 
Black1990jeep said:
For me the chirping went away simply by greasing the u joints, cardan joint, splines. Mine was the cardon joint. Been silent ever since. If it has not run dry for long, getting grease in there may save it. That's what I would do first, grease it, I did one location at a time, then test drove so I would know which joint was the problem.

This chirping noise is also called "Angry Bird" noise.

good luck
Click to expand...

I am certainly doing this as well. I didn't do a transfer case drop with the lift because i only did 4" which is supposedly the limit, but I know these U-joints don't like the new angles and such. Hopefully, since it is relativiely new I catch it time and don't have to replace them. When I did the wheel hubs and the axle seals I took out the axles (obviously) and wanted to replace the U joints but couldn't get them apart. I could not loosen the clips to get them off. So hopefully these ones would be in better shape.

Also as a funny side note, the guy that had the jeep before me replaced the drivers side U joint with a CV joint. He only swapped the drivers side of the front end , which I found dumb and ends up being a pain when buying parts...
 
jeep ride said:
Check your harmonic balancer that was the cause of my chirping noise.
Click to expand...

I will also look into this. I need someone to just ride under the jeep while I drive and point at the location of each noise. We do this on the interior for rattles when they come up.

That's what girlfriends/fiances/wives are for right?
 
Apparently I need to get better at quoting in this forum, on Audizine it is very similar, just need to adjust and be able to quote all of you in one response.

Thanks everyone for the help though! If you have any more thoughts, keep them coming. Starting to feel like maybe I just replace everything at once and call it good. In the nature of the jeep though, that would not be the case.
 
krwalkman said:
Apparently I need to get better at quoting in this forum, on Audizine it is very similar, just need to adjust and be able to quote all of you in one response.

Thanks everyone for the help though! If you have any more thoughts, keep them coming. Starting to feel like maybe I just replace everything at once and call it good. In the nature of the jeep though, that would not be the case.
Click to expand...

Can't do that....they don't make real cherokees anymore...............
 
I got a serp belt that chirps once per revolution. As it turns out, they coat the surface where the label is printed. It chirps each time it goes around. I plan to take some sand paper and rough it up.
 
cwyman6 said:
Distributor possibly
Click to expand...

I had this problem on my '98. At first it was just occasional chirping, couldn't track it down. After a while it became constant when cold, it was definitely the distributor. I tried changing the cap/rotor but had no effect. It was very slowly getting worse but I never fixed it in 10,000+ miles until I wrecked it. :smsoap:

Seemed to get a lot better when I used 10w40 oil vs 5w30.
 
Number21 said:
I had this problem on my '98. At first it was just occasional chirping, couldn't track it down. After a while it became constant when cold, it was definitely the distributor. I tried changing the cap/rotor but had no effect. It was very slowly getting worse but I never fixed it in 10,000+ miles until I wrecked it. :smsoap:

Seemed to get a lot better when I used 10w40 oil vs 5w30.
Click to expand...


Should be using 10w30 or 10w40 it hot weather
 
cwyman6 said:
Should be using 10w30 or 10w40 it hot weather
Click to expand...

Or whatever you have a big pile of already. :dunno: 5w30 is definitely one of the grades specified in the manual, though I agree they like 10w40.

Last oil change I used Delo synthetic 5w40, and the engine sounded quite nice with lots of hot weather driving.
 
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