Over the past several weeks my truck has developed a noise that has progressively got worse. It is a high pitched, mechanical whirring sound that follows engine RPM.

At first I thought it was my Gatorback blower belt. I changed it out and put on my old NAPA and the noise is still present. I don't think it's my idler pullies since I maintain them regularly (at least the 2 for the blower belt).

The sound seems to be coming from my blower. Has anyone heard of people having problems with blower bearings? The sound is always present, at idle or when driving.

My truck has 33,300 miles, so I think I am going to reinstall my factory pully, hope the noise is still there, and take it in for one last warranty visit.

What do you guys think?

 

I would pop the plug in front and check the oil level.

Next I would start it and take a long screwdriver or mechanics stethascope and listen at different points that are suspect.

If it is indeed a bearing you should be able to hear it.

Although a bad bearing grinds and clicks more than Whirrrs.

Under normal use I thought the SC was good for 100k miles with very little attention on stock oil.

Might even be the Alternator going bad. If you have a lot of stereo extras they work a lot harder.

 

It kindof sounds like an alternator; I thougt I had a SC bearing going out, and actually put a different eaton on the truck thinking I would fix the noise. Well; it ended up being the alternator. $30 later for someone to put some new bearings it it everything is back to normal.

Try taking your blower belt off and driving the truck; if the sound goes away it is not the SC.

 

I sure hope it's the alternator. I don't have any extra load on it (factory stereo). I will do like Casey suggested and run it without the blower belt. Can the alternator be removed without removing the supercharger? I haven't looked real close, but I know it's under the blower.

 

My Truck does the exact same thing, at 36,000 miles. I have not looked into it much as I just got the truck a couple of months ago, but will take the blower belt off to see if it's the blower/idler's. I am hoping the problem lies elsewhere but I am very certain that the noise comes from the upper front part of the engine bay, where the blower sits!

Can anyone tell me how to check the oil in the blower?

 

You will have to remove bar that the idlers and the tensioner sit on, then it is just the nuts and bolts to get it off; you might have to take the rubber intake tube off. Can't remember on that. You might also have to take the water pump pulley off; I had to on mine, but it has underdrive pulleys which make it worse(that one is larger).

To check the SC oil; remove the black plug on the front of the blower, and you want it filled it till oil runs out the plug hole.

 

Anyone, what oil are we supposed to use in the supercharger anyway?

 

It's a special oil made by Eaton; it can be purchased at any Ford or GM dealer(Pontiac) I beleive the Pontiac dealers are cheaper; this stuff is a little expensive.

 

I'd rather have a bad alternator than a bad supercharger.

just my .02

the alternator is relatively easy to replace, you don't need to remove the supercharger.

good luck.

later,
chris

 

The super charger oil is cheapest at GM. Part # 12345982 this is a 4 ounce bottle. $6 ea. If supercharger is empty you will need two. Takes about 6 ounces total. To check it just park truck on level surface and pull allen plug in the front. oil should be present at the bottom of the hole. Fill as needed.

 

Quick update...

I ran the truck with the SC belt off, and the noise was still there. Sounds like it is in fact coming from the alternator.

I am going to schedule an appt. to have it replaced, and I am going to leave my 4# pulley on. There is no way they can say that the pulley caused an alternator brg to go out, RIGHT??

 

they can say anything they want, but since the alternator runs off of a completely different belt, there is no way that the pulley caused the damage.

good luck.

later,
chris

 

Amen ...

 

Wow I think this might be the problem I'm having on my truck.....

 

Check your bearings on the 3 main belt pulleys with the s/c belt off.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=232385

Mine is starting to make some noise again after 2 weeks. EEEERRRRR!