I have a 2000 Chevy Caviler with 160,000 miles. During the last week or so the engine has started making a whining sound that is very noticeable when it gets above 1500 RPM. It sounds a lot like the whine you hear when you drive a manual car very quickly in reverse. It is definitely tied to the engine RPM because it gets louder as the RPM increases. I can hear it both when the vehicle is in gear and when it is in neutral. Any ideas what might be causing this, how much it would be to fix, and is the car still safe to drive?
Take off the accessory drive belt(s) and see if the sound is still there when you run the engine, for a short time only. If the sound is gone turn each of the accessories and see if one is rough or noisy. If the sound is still there, you will have to narrow down the noise with a mechanic’s stethescope or a hose held to the ear and probe around.
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