Wierd Whining Noise?

[LexLuthor400]

Hey i am just looking for some insight on a wierd noise my 1998 LS400 (w/ 150,000 miles) has just developed. The "whine" seems to be coming from behind the engine, but in front of the firewall. It almost sounds like a supercharger whine but goes away at about 2000rpm.

Now, my aftermarket stereo has been known to sometimes wiggle loose and when it does there is a sort of interference which plays over the speakers. When the stereo does that I can readjust it and tighten the messed up mounts (not my installation job) and this usually fixes it.

However, now when I readjust the stereo I am still getting a slight whine and I am not sure whether or not it's the stereo or somoething else with the car, yet the car is running fine. The powersteering is fine.

The trans is fine.

The engine power is fine too.

Is there anything else that might cause that noise?

[VBdenny]

How I would approach finding the whine is to take an engine stethescope and check anything that turn, PS, alternator, AC, etc. and see if you can find the cause. They sell them at Sears for about $20 and the stethescope is a valuable tool to have anyway. Just be careful not to stick the probe in something that would grab it.

[LexLuthor400]

How I would approach finding the whine is to take an engine stethescope and check anything that turn, PS, alternator, AC, etc. and see if you can find the cause. They sell them at Sears for about $20 and the stethescope is a valuable tool to have anyway. Just be careful not to stick the probe in something that would grab it.

Thats a good idea thank you. However after looking at it further this morning I am beginning to think it is the stereo, because it is a 10 year old system and its starting fail at random i.e. won't play DVDs anymore and static is getting worse at times, plus the 'whine' is not really in the engine bay, just sounds that way. The stereo is a Kenwood Excelon DVD player from 2000 and the installation job was done before I bought the car. The whole system has 2 Amps, 1 for stock sub, 1 for speakers, and the DVD player. could it be that running two amps is just draining the battery to fast?

Ever since I bought the car, every now and then the stereo has had some weird glitches. A few times it drained my battery, as though it was still drawing current with the car off, but I did nothing to it and it seemed to have 'fixed' itself and hasn't done that since, no dead batteries.

Last night though when coming up my street I noticed that my battery light came on and was somewhat flickering, so I think its the stereo, but have NO clue what it could be.

I don't think its the alternator either because the car was driven over 20 miles round trip last night and it never died once, then this morning it started up fine but with a slightly slower crank to it.