Greeting to you all.
Looking for some help. I have a 98 civic that emits a faint harmonica sound from the engine or the transmission. I mostly hear it during acceleration but at times while cruising at speed as well. I know it not the wheels because once in a blue moon it will make the sound while at stop sign and in neutral. Not really sure but it sounds to be coming from the right side of the engine compartment. The sound will start as extremely faint and sometimes stays that way and then goes away. At other times, again it starts extremely faint then get louder but not crazy loud and then also goes away. Any ideas?
Probably a bearing getting noisy in a serpentine belt tensioner, or in one of the things driven by the belt. If this car has an air pump it could also be that. Either you or your mechanic will need to isolate the sound by using a stethescope or piece of tubing to your ear, but if you are doing it, be careful. There are things spinning around with great force under that hood.
open your hood and look for one of these:
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Have someone inspect the air filter box/intake duct/intake resonator for leaks/looseness.
Tester
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Who needs a radio when you’ve got a polka band in the trunk!!!
Yosemite
A harmonica sound? Could be a mechanical problem with something rotating, but if I’m imagining the sound, ---- sort of like pressing multiple adjacent keys at the same time on an organ right? – most likely something vibrating due to air being forced or sucked through a tiny aperture in a rubber part. Check the condition of the engine air filter. A clogged filter could cause extra suction effect in the air intake system. When this happens at idle, or even when you are just driving along, does it change at all if you quickly increase the engine rpm?
Also test if its the heater/AC system doing it, by monkeying around with the hvac controls when it happens.