I have heard that every 8 has a whinning noise. What I am experiencing is, IMO, something mechanical that is not necessarily symptoms of failure, but something out of spec.

I can reproduce my particular whinning/whistling sound and I can hold it. It definitely goes away when I give it more gas though.

I was watching the RPMs today, and it occurs in 4th gear at just under 2k. In 2nd, or 3rd, it occurs closer to 4k RPMs (logical shift points).

The real issue, to me, is that in 4th gear, I am almost always hovering around 2k RPMs for city driving (60KM/h). Therefore, I hear this "annoyance" very often.

If this sound was intermittent, I would not have a problem.

I don't have plans on selling my car, and I truly love being an RX-8 owner. I just don't want to draw unnecessary attention to myself.

Similar to the brake-squeel problem; that's NOT the kind of attention us 8 drivers want!

Edblor

 

Further,

If it is the ports opening when additional power is needed, is there a way of lubricating them?

Also, if it is the opening ports, would I still be able to reproduce the sound and hold it? I would think no!

This is what leads me to believe it is a belt, or metal on metal.

Thanks for the responses though peeps,

Ed

 

Wow. cool as a cucumber. I'm impressed. Hope you figure it out.

 

its not the intake if you hear it at 2k. so maybe its idler pulley on AC? AC clutch?

 

Is that something I can just poke some WD-40 at and lube?

 

have someone rev the engine while you listen in the engine bay. engine cover off.

 

Standing still, the car does not exhibit the whinning/whistling sound.

I know this is odd, but this is something it only does at shift points, or once I get up to speed.

I will check it out standing still and have someone rev it up. Perhaps something obvious under the hood will stand out.

Thanks for everything zoom44

Ed

 

I noticed something odd that might help with diagnosis.

When in 4th gear, I can hear the whining/whistling sound at around 1700 RPM and cruising. If I need to be going faster, it also happens around 3500 RPMs (again, while cruising).

In all other gears (and speeds), it happens moments after shifting, and should I hold it in a given gear, I can reproduce the sound at various RPMs.

I don't honestly think it is additional ports opening. It's most certainly not my CAI (I can hear the sound over the CAI), but it does sound like metal on metal, or a belt on metal.

All of my belts are clear from obstructions, and the more I listen to this, the more like it sounds like it is coming from the rear-left of the engine area.

Edblor