Engine sounds like an Airplane is taking off

[hsharpag91]

I have a 2003 Chevy Duramax that has been awesome and reliable since I got it. It is making some really strange sounds now once I get up to any kind of speed. It sounds as though an airplane (or one of those pesky imports with a big exhaust) has taken up residence in my engine compartment. This has been going on for about 5 days that I have noticed. It could have been longer, but I have a tendency to play the radio loud. It also sounds as though the engine may be over-revving, but the tach is good.

Just yesterday, I noticed that if I am going any speed and turn to the right, the noise goes away until I straighten up. Could all this noise be due to a power steering pump going out? The positive here is I feel pretty good that the engine is not going to blow up now, but don't know where to go from here.

If it is the power steering (still to be determined), should I just wait for failure?

Thanks for all your help in advance

[cowboywildbill]

Check your front wheel bearings. Jack up the front end and let the wheel hang, check for any play and rough fell when you rotate the front wheels. Also you may or may not have some vibration when driving. Also check the wheel well liners, one may have come loose and is rubbing the tire.

[hsharpag91]

I have 17"'s on my truck that rub when I have to park in a tight area so that might just be the ticket...that will be the first thing I check.

I really hadn't noticed any steering/handling issues to date so I thought it would be odd if the steering pump was the problem.

Would the bearings have the same intermittent sound or would that be constant?

Thanks for the suggestion BTW...I have a tendency to think something really bad is wrong rather than look at the more obvious culprits.

[Dakster]

Mine intermittantly sounds like a bi-plane is taking off when I first start out. It sounds the same way you are describing your noise and it is the fluid in the fan clutch puddling causing the fan to fully engage. Once the clutch fluids escapes and the clutch releases the fan barely spins and the noise is gone. This is completely NORMAL. Are you now in a hot climate? I notice mine is more pronounced when I let the truck sit a couple of days and it has been extremely hot out.

Hope this helps... Maybe yours could be the fan clutch getting ready to go... Durmaster your opinion?

[hsharpag91]

I checked the wheel well and everything is in the right place. I am starting to get the feeling that it is the bearings in the front end or somthing else related to the spinning of the wheels. The faster I go, the more prominent the sound becomes.

Funny thing is, it does not seem to have any affect on my steering and I'm not experiencing any type of grinding, popping, or otherwise disturbing sounds.

[Mark Rinker]

How about a u-joint?

[cowboywildbill]

Sometimes a tire that is failing can make a roaring sound. Is it making the noise after it is warmed up? Let us know what you find.

[Tacky]

If this goes up and down with engine speed and is therre all the time, probably the fan clutch is seized up, driving the fan all thetime, instesd of only when the engine gets hot.