Cold whistle at 2300

[Dean Hedin]

I have a 2003 4wd,auto.



This winter I noticed that during the first 10 minutes of driving (engine still cold) I can hear a distict whistle from the engine bay while at approx 2300 rpm. Does'nt happen at any other rpm.



It goes away as the engine warms up. Anyone else observe this?

 

[Chase Straw]

you dont happen to have any type of intake? do you? mine started after i put my k&n fipk on.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Dean, I have a whistle when it's cold from my alternator when it is below freezing. It started last year and would go away when the engine warmed but this year it pretty much is there whenever it is around 32 or below outside and doesn't really go away. There is a TSB about it on all years of ST but my Dealership told me that my Warrenty wouldn't probably cover it since it is more of an annoyance and not really a mechanical problem. It doesn't do it when it's warm out.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

I had the same thing...only for the first few minutes of driving and only when really, really cold out (well below freezing, and I garage keep my ST). The dealer was never able to reproduce and won't do a TSB on a customer whim.

 

[Dean Hedin]

Thanks. I don't have an intake mod. I didn't it was anything serious, just wondering if others have experienced it.



I dont know if it's the alternator, It is realy specific to a narrow rpm range.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

It's the alternator Dean. Based on your description, others like stone and I have the same thing. It isn't hurting anything, just an annoyance. Let the ST warm for 5 to 10 minutes on really cold days before driving.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Dean, mine does only start around 1500 to around 2000rpm (anywhere in between). It doesn't get higher in pitch as a belt would, it just gets louder. When I take my foot off the gas it goes away until the RPM's get to a steady level and then it starts again. Is that the way yours goes? If so it's the same thing. If not it could be something different. It's the temp. thing that makes me think you have the same problem.

 

[Chris Taylor]

I had the same noise when it got below 15 degrees. Did not really vary in pitch with rpms, but it did start at about 2000 or so and stopped about 2500. Stopped when it warmed up too. Had the alternator replaced under warrenty and no further problems. However, I believe it might be more than just an inconvenience, especially if the alt dies on you on a nice cold night... The TSB does not say anything about it "just being an inconvenience". It's just "inconvenient" for Ford to replace it!

 

[Dean Hedin]

Does anybody know what the full description of TSB 17280 states?

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Sorry for posting now but I'll give you a rundaown of what it does say. Basically it says that there is a "Ambient Whistle" from the Alternator during cold temps. They recommend replacing the alt. with one out of a 4-door Explorer which I guess has a higher amp rating than the one used in the ST and Sport models. Thats the basic description.

 

[Stephane Bolduc]

Mine does it too, on cold morning and only for a few minutes. Just annoyance!

 

[Chris Pesola]

Thanks everyone - I've been bothered my this for miles. I should have known to look here first. I'm going to try to cash in on that TSB for a new alt. My '02 4x4 does the same and everything sounds just like these descriptions.