High Pitch Whining..

[Galliano]

Really starting to piss me off now. Heres a big rant and list of possibilities.

Situation: The last 2/3 days I have really noticed a very high pitched whistle from my car. I located it at the front near side wheel area. But everyone jumps at fan belt.

Possibility 1: Fan belt, could well have a bit of grease on it from when I used megs quick detailer on my engine bay (where the ABS would sit on an Si model, I have a gap with a metal 'bench' sort of thing - I wiped it down with megs detailer and an MF cloth so could just be grease? How long would this take to bugger off?

Possibilty 2: Both me and my girlfriend can hear it on the near side front wheel area. My hearing isn't amazing and I am hearing it all the time but she doesn't - it is now ringing through my ears. When I took her home tonight it screamed out of my cul-de-sac in first gear at around 2.5k revs. When cold, it does it while stationary and while reversing - it didn't at first.

Possibilty 3: Sticky Caliper? I drove up to Weston yesterday (60-70 mile round trip) and when I left at around 10am it didn't whistle, when leaving the breakers it didn't whistle, I came home to pick up my mate and then drove into town, turned out of my road and onto a hill and it felt like the steering was pulling to the left (towards near side) which makes me think it could be something to do with that wheel. If I nudge the steering to the right in a straight line it corrects abbruptly, if I nudge to the left, it doesn't correct well. Thing is, if it is a sticky caliper, it would slow me down quicker and i'd feel driving against the brakes all the time, and it still rolls when I have the clutch in but no brakes on.

Its starting to really piss me off now, anyone had similar problems which have been located and sorted?

Sam

[lukEp]

Could be wheel bearing or shield behind disk rubbing on disk but sound abit more scraping than whining

[ste91]

Possibly the alternator belt (there is no fan belt on these cars), my first Starlet squeeled like fuck until I changed it. You may aswell just get a new belt, they're cheap enough.

Just to test it out - switch every electrical thing on and see if it squeels when driving (more likely to squeel at low revs) then do the same with the electrical stuff off (less load on the alternator) and see if it does it then.

If it's the brakes it's most likely a very small stone or something like that stuck between the pad and disk, I had this problem too, was very annoying but that was more of a screech, very high pitched.

[Galliano]

I had noticed a bit worse at night (lights and heated rear screen).. Will give it a test tomorrow.

[rob_bower]

alternator bearing??

[natalie_fuller]

you sure its not your gearbox

as my partners gearbox was whining at him for a few days before we realised it was the gearbox

[Galliano]

No definately alternator - I just took it for a spin to the bottom of my road and it didn't whistle but when I put the lights on and went for another spin, it whistled like hell. Then, while moving I turned them off, and it stopped immediately. Its to do with the alternator. Il tighten the belt slightly as I fear it was me spraying megs detailer on the metal work that made it greasy, hence slipping slightly while having more going through it.

[Galliano]

Ok.. tried the chalk method, worked for all of 4 hours. Now come back worse than ever, now 3rd gear is effected and turning corners is attrocious hot or cold. Gonna get a new alternator belt from Toyota tomorrow - is it a hard job to fit the alternator belt?