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Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHCan you hear a pinion bearing whine while standing still?
Reported or suspected cause
noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Identified cause
1
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
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Discussions that suspect a cause
1
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Suspected cause
My limited experience with my 2003 996 Turbo is any noise that could be taken to be alternator (or power steering pump) whine is probably a noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing.
Can you hear a pinion bearing whine while standing still?
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Leading evidence: 'noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Repair shop' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
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Suggestion · Original poster
Well I was a shop manager for a commercial construction repair shop for years before getting into sales and can fix most anything I come across...
Can you hear a pinion bearing whine while standing still?
Reported and suspected causes (1)
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Identified cause
1
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that suspect a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suspected cause
My limited experience with my 2003 996 Turbo is any noise that could be taken to be alternator (or power steering pump) whine is probably a noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing.
Can you hear a pinion bearing whine while standing still?
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Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
5 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Selling my car and the potential buyer had a ppi done. Came back pretty good except the tech said it has a pinion bearing whine... he has "heard it a thousand times". Well the only thing I can hear is what sounds like an alternator whine that alternates with the revs but it is rpm dependant, not speed dependant. Would a pinion bearing do this? I figured it would be more speed dependant.
Thanks.
-Mag
Yeah I figured. The tech was sort of a knowitall deuche... typical mechanic attitude "I know more than you because I'm a mechanic and you can't possibly know anything without being covered in grease". Well I was a shop manager for a commercial construction repair shop for years before getting into sales and can fix most anything I come across... and I love the internet. I get the same attitude from new mechanics we hire until I show them how to fix something they can't figure out on their own.
He also potty mouthed my Function First motor mounts and transmission mount... so far as to say "your transmission mount is broken... that's why somebody stuck these fillers in there." And I said "I did that, and it wasn't broken when I put them in. Can you show me where it's broken or are you just guessing?" Then he went on about well I can't really tell that it's broken followed by a lesson in how it works.... yeah man, I know how it works.
So, what's your strategy to deflect the PPI mechanic's pinion opinion? I'd start by duplicating the sound with the car parked. Then, remove the belt - sound should be gone, if you're alt bearing theory is right. Confirm by feel/ sound of bearing when rotated by hand. There was a thread no too long ago about a good quality alternator at a reasonable price at a national chain. GL with resolution!
The pinion bearing noise question has been answered. You need to find another tech.
My limited experience with my 2003 996 Turbo is any noise that could be taken to be alternator (or power steering pump) whine is probably a noisy idler/tensioner roller bearing.
My Turbo has gone through two sets of idler/tensioner roller bearings in 145K miles. (My other car, my 2002 Boxster, is on its original idler/tensioner roller bearings at 300K miles.)
You can't dismiss a water pump either.
I have to say based on my info is more water pumps fail than idler/tensioner roller bearings (my Turbo is the exception: 2 sets of idler/tensioner roller bearings, one water pump, but my Boxster has one bad water pump and no bad idler/tensioner roller bearings); and more idler/tensioner roller bearings fail than alternator bearings.
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