My 2005 Buick Century (3.1L v6) makes a loud propeller or motor boating noise when I get it up to 25 mph or more. The noise is rhythmic. It’s frequency increases when the speed increases. The engine is fairly quiet when idling or when I rev it in park.
I checked the transmission fluid, it was full and still had a red color and didn’t smell burnt.
I had the PS pump replaced last July, it has no leaks.
The engine is long overdue for an oil change, but the oil still has a nice brown color and I added some fresh oil whenever it needed it.
Could it be a worn internal engine part?
Could it be a transmission problem?
Could it be a worn engine mount that’s causing the engine to rub against the steering rack or some other part?
The car has about 148,000 miles, and I average about 26 mpg highway.
Any information will be appreciated.
Tire or wheel bearing
A competent mechanic can figure it out by hooking up chassis ears and going for a test drive
And he’ll also put it on the hoist to check for the obvious
but the oil still has a nice brown color - No such thing, a nice brown color is not something I want to see in the crankcase of anything I own.
A torn CV axle boot flapping around?
I would look for an exhaust leak at the exhaust manifold or the flex pipe.
Either can make a puttering sound like a Motor boat.
Yosemite
db4690, you were correct. I had my car serviced and it was the right front wheel bearing. Thanks a lot for your diagnosis. I hate to take my car to a mechanic and just tell him “It’s making a noise.”
You’re welcome
And I’m glad to hear the car’s fixed
How did the mechanic determine it was the right front?
Was it super obvious when he had it on the hoist . . . rough or sloppy . . . or did he wind up using that chassis ears kit?
Did they use quality parts?
AC delco, timken, skf, or something else high quality?
Why, that is what you are paying for ? Sure , you can say where you think it is coming from and try to describe it but most mechanics are used to that sort of thing.
Thanks to you and a You Tube video, I diagnosed the problem for him. All he had to do was to confirm. I don’t know what brand of part he used. Maybe I should call and ask or take a better look at the receipt. I know Firestone is not the best place to have repairs, but it was the only nearby mechanic that’s open on a Sunday and I needed the car repaired soon. That bad wheel bearing was a hazard.