legacycentral bbs

My '91 L is making a strange moaning noise. Its been going on for a while, but until yesterday, it was very erratic. It would only do it at specific revs. Yesterday, it decided to do it continuously at idle and I can't make it stop. It only goes away as the revs climb up above 2k or so. I pulled the airbox and tube, disc. and reconnected the MAF. I even rigged the MAF straight to the throttle body and ran it for a few seconds to rule out the airtube. This car has been running without a snorkus for over a year and the moaning just started about 2 months ago. The only non-stock part of the intake system is a K&N drop in. Any ideas? Its only been one day and its getting pretty annoying already.

Describe the noise a bit more.

Does it sound like a tire rubbing on plastic?

Might be the timing belt idler gone kaput.

I really hope that's not the case. I just had the T-belt done in Oct and the shop supposedly replaced the idler. The noise sounds kind of like when you blow just right across the top of a beer bottle.

Power steering pump?

The noise got louder when the airtube was disconnected. This makes me think its coming from inside the engine somehow.

So the mystery noise has ceased. But now my idle is all over the place. Sometimes its normal - around 1000, but then at the next stop sign, its up to 2000. From what I've searched and read on here, I'm thinking its time to look at the IAC.

the hose is off of your idle air control valve, or maybe a PCV hose is off. Will make the car run like poop and make exactly that "blow over a bottle" noise.