mikeamondo Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Really hard to describe this noise.... First of all, it is of short duration... Couple seconds a most, often just a half second or less. Normally presents at the moment of shifting from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd during hard acceleration, and may be more prevalent if that acceleration is in a turn..... But it does not happen often enough to tell under what conditions it "always" occurs..... We drove about 30 minutes and it happened a few times.... Most I did not hear with my old man ears, but my son would say "there it is!".... Finally it gave a longer one that I did hear. It is not, obviously, super loud, but it is high pitched and can be heard over the engine and radio. I called it a chirple in the title.... if you'd like to try and make the noise and you are reading this in an area where no one will hear you and think you're a mental case...... then do this: purse your lips an blow out so your lips flutter and you make a sort of fart noise (with your lips... not your farter) .... you've got to keep your lips really loose...... now, if you whistle at the same time you do that.... you would get a chirple sound. That's not exactly like the sound, but close. I would try and record it, but honestly, when I tried to make it happen, I couldn't make it replicate. Any ideas on this? The car has 145,000 miles, 2.2L, auto, AWD. It's going to be doing some long distance runs soon.... 1,000 to 1,2000 miles.... as our son heads for grad school in New Hampshire. I'd like to know that there are no major problems. Thanks! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Kinda sounds like the Subaru muffler whistle. This is usually most noticeable at higher RPMs under load. Put the pedal on the floor and let the engine wind up all the way to redline before it shifts. The muffler whistle will be very noticeable if that is the cause. This is a fairly unorthodox way to replictate it, but it works if the sound is coming from the muffler. Unplug one of the fuel injectors. Doesn't really matter which, but the easiest to get to is number 1. Start it and drive it up the road and see if that makes it make the sound. It should do it pretty much non-stop. If it doesn't change anything, plug the injector back in and clear the CEL by unhooking the battery - for a few minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeamondo Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 Wouldn't that continue for the duration of the higher rpms? This is certainly a singular event.... The sound occurs, for a second and then stops.... Even as you continue to accelerate. That's why its so hard to corrolate to any particular driving mode or event. The next time you acceleerate the exact same way... Nothing. I might be able to do the injector test in a day or so.... This is my sons car.... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 hey mike! has the engine or trans ever been out or any major work done? very odd that it's only while shifting, that's interesting. air pressure changes due to shifting pushing out somewhere sounds plausible...the muffler like he said, not sure if it could happen at the intake, vacuum lines, or not too? fluid levels are good I assume? A Subaru auto trans low on ATF will make chirping noises so i'd assume one partially low could chirp only under load/acceleration? there's a plate underneath the transmission bellhousing. when they are loose or bent...or both...the torque converter will graze the plate only at high RPM's/acceleration. i wouldn't anticipate it only happening on a shift though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeamondo Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 Hi Gary! As far as I know, the tranny has never been out. I assume my son has been checking the fluid... but I'll double check.... didn't realize it would make a chirp noise. What ever happened with our wrecked "Chuck"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 chuck went to a WVU student who now lives in colorado. any inclination on it being:front/center/back of vehicle?right/left? low/high? does it sound like it could be the starter being cranked while the engine is running? but maybe the starter is a little loose, sloppy, not retracting fully or moving under acceleration..then gets forced back after contact? that's a random guess. starts fine with no noise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeamondo Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Sounds like it comes from the front, but couldn't pin it to wheels or engine. Not quite like a starter grinding.... Not really metal on metal.... Its "softer" ..... I am going to get the from him next week sometime to drive it a bit more. He said today it is becoming more frequent.... Glad to hear Chuck found a good home.... Hope you made out ok on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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