# Motor boating noise **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 6, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282 "2018-10-06T18:41:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jmcarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jmcarc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmcarc)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/1 "2018-10-06T18:41:03Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/2 "2018-10-06T18:46:19Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/3 "2018-10-07T03:44:04Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/4 "2018-10-07T11:00:49Z")
A torn CV axle boot flapping around? ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/5 "2018-10-07T12:49:19Z")
I would look for an exhaust leak at the exhaust manifold or the flex pipe. [https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,2005,century,3.1l+v6,1430627,exhaust+&+emission,inner+&+outer+braid+flex+pipe,1000497](https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,2005,century,3.1l+v6,1430627,exhaust+&+emission,inner+&+outer+braid+flex+pipe,1000497) Either can make a puttering sound like a Motor boat. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![jmcarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jmcarc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmcarc)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/6 "2018-10-08T00:46:17Z")
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.” ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/7 "2018-10-08T00:49:35Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/8 "2018-10-08T02:26:45Z")
> [@jmcarc](#): > > I hate to take my car to a mechanic and just tell him “It’s making a noise.” 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. ---
**Author:** ![jmcarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jmcarc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmcarc)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-boating-noise/126282/9 "2018-10-08T22:21:07Z")
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.