2007 Ford Escape whine/vibration

My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas. This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I can feel it in the steering wheel. I recently flushed the fluid and replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely.. I have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler pulley.

I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.

I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this did not change anything related to the whine.

Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.

It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said I replaced the power steering pump.

I appreciate the help!

wrote:
> My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight
> whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems
> to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas.
> This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I
> can feel it in the steering wheel. I recently flushed the fluid and
> replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have
> crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the
> end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often
> wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely. I
> have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler
> pulley.
>
> I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will
> dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this
> is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.
>
> I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an
> unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this
> did not change anything related to the whine.
>
> Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in
> the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This
> is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.
>
> It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said
> I replaced the power steering pump.
>
> I appreciate the help!


Well if you pull the belt off and run the engine is the noise still there??



--
Steve W.

On Tuesday, October 14, 2014 2:44:44 PM UTC-5, Steve W. wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight
>
> > whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems
>
> > to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas.
>
> > This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I
>
> > can feel it in the steering wheel. I recently flushed the fluid and
>
> > replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have
>
> > crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the
>
> > end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often
>
> > wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely. I
>
> > have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler
>
> > pulley.
>
> >
>
> > I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will
>
> > dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this
>
> > is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.
>
> >
>
> > I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an
>
> > unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this
>
> > did not change anything related to the whine.
>
> >
>
> > Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in
>
> > the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This
>
> > is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.
>
> >
>
> > It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said
>
> > I replaced the power steering pump.
>
> >
>
> > I appreciate the help!
>
>
>
>
>
> Well if you pull the belt off and run the engine is the noise still there??
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Steve W.

No. The noise is not there with the belt off.

wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 14, 2014 2:44:44 PM UTC-5, Steve W. wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>>> My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight
>>> whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems
>>> to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas.
>>> This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I
>>> can feel it in the steering wheel. I recently flushed the fluid and
>>> replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have
>>> crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the
>>> end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often
>>> wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely. I
>>> have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler
>>> pulley.
>>> I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will
>>> dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this
>>> is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.
>>> I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an
>>> unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this
>>> did not change anything related to the whine.
>>> Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in
>>> the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This
>>> is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.
>>> It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said
>>> I replaced the power steering pump.
>>> I appreciate the help!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Well if you pull the belt off and run the engine is the noise still there??

>> --
>>
>> Steve W.
>
> No. The noise is not there with the belt off.

Does it have A/C and does the sound change if the A/C pump is engaged?

Just because the alternator charges doesn't mean it couldn't have a bad
bearing. Lot's of bad bearings in alternators.

--
Steve W.

> wrote:
>>
>> Well if you pull the belt off and run the engine is the noise still there??
>
>No. The noise is not there with the belt off.

So you know it is SOME accessory device driven by the belt, and you have
ruled out the water pump. What do you have left? Alternator, power steering
pump, AC compressor?

Get a length of fuel hose, have someone bring the engine up to speed
and hold one end of the hose to your ear while waving the other around
until you can locate the source of the sound. But you only have maybe
three choices at this point.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote:

> It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said
> I replaced the power steering pump.
>
> I appreciate the help!

To add to the other comments,
The alternator may increase bearing whine under load.
Put all windows up or down at the same time and hold
all the switches for a few seconds.

On Tuesday, October 14, 2014 9:09:47 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas. This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I can feel it in the steering wheel.. I recently flushed the fluid and replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely. I have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler pulley.
>
>
>
> I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.
>
>
>
> I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this did not change anything related to the whine.
>
>
>
> Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.
>
>
>
> It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said I replaced the power steering pump.
>
>
>
> I appreciate the help!



OE or aftermarket belt??

On Wednesday, October 15, 2014 3:04:30 PM UTC-5, m6onz5a wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 14, 2014 9:09:47 AM UTC-4, wrote:
>
> > My wife's 2007 4 cylinder automatic escape has had a slight whine/vibration almost the whole time we have had it. It only seems to do it a idle and is worst at a "sweet spot" when giving it gas. This sweet spot is just barely pressing the gas. Along with a whine I can feel it in the steering wheel. I recently flushed the fluid and replaced the power steering pump but the noise is still there. I have crawled under it with the engine running and tried to listen with the end of a screwdriver but cant pinpoint anything. I have often wondered if it was the alternator but the alternator spins freely. I have also replaces the belt and tensioner and I believe the idler pulley.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I have noticed for some reason with the interior lights on, they will dim every minute or so then go back to normal. I am not sure if this is related or not. I will say the battery seems to be charging okay.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I have also cleaned the throttle body blades in the opening for an unrelated problem (Throttle would stick on cold mornings). But this did not change anything related to the whine.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Any suggestions on how to diagnose this? Since I am feeling this in the steering wheel I wonder if it could be the rack and pinion? This is the only thing attached to the steering wheel.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > It really reminds me of a pump whine for some reason but like I said I replaced the power steering pump.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I appreciate the help!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> OE or aftermarket belt??

It is a gates