Tacoma went through deep puddle...now engine makes ringing sound ?? Help !

Hello all,

2005 Tacoma TRD off-road V6 6 Speed.

Went through a large puddle the other month after leaving a local bar when the beach flooded. As i drove through the puddle water was just able to splash up into the grill and a little on the hood (the water was not up to the hood, but did "splash" up to it, just to clarify the image). I would say water was roughly 30 inches deep. Nothing wrong that night. The next morning I go to start up truck and now there is a ringing sound, or whiring, coming from what sounds like an accessory item.

It was suggested to me that maybe an accessory bearing got drenched and was now not lubricated...

Anyone else have this issue? If so which accessory item is it? if not any ideas as to what it might be. Quite positive its external though. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

Check the idlers. I hear the bearings are the first to go on when they get soaked.

 

My first guess is alternator. Especially the "whirring" part.

 

This is it I would bet.

Take off the tension on the belt and spin them by hand. If they don't spin freely replace them.

There is a pic in my photo album showing the part numbers and torque for them.

Why would an alternator whir? I have never heard of a second gen's alternator bearings going bad.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, ill start digging tonight

 

Yea check them pulleys. RecklessTaco and I both ran into this noise after many miles and many water crossings and eventually had to replace a pulley after a good pressure wash lol.

 

Yep, I bet it's the idler pulleys. That whirring, ringing sound is metal on metal now that the grease is gone.

 

Because its about the only thing that WILL whir, when its effed.

 

Gotta disagree with this 100%

Have you spent much time in the mud?

 

I know its fun and all but man splashing is rough on trucks not designed for it.

 

i think thats what is wrong on my 4runner too. only seems to happen on certain rpms. usually in the lower rpms when it gets up high its hard to hear over the exhaust

 

I didn't actually splash into the puddle, the parking lot flooded ! To give you guys an idea of the depth there was a honda civic next to me, the water up to the shifter...almost sh*t my pants i laughed so hard. Then I climbed into my dry truck. I will say I did drive probably more aggressively through the water than was necessary...but we all act stupid at times idler bearings it is. Time to replace !

 

Turned out to the be the serpentine tensioner pulley ! all better.

 

Nice! You replace just the pulley or the whole assembly?

Wish we had known...could of recommended some real good sealed pulleys so it won't happen again.

 

Replace the whole assembly, you know of sealed pulleys ??
please send pm about these

 

You can get them from Rock Auto. Brand is Gates. Also next time there is no need to replace the whole tensioner. The pulley itself can be replaced on the tension arm saving you about $100 in parts and a TON in labor should someone else do the repairs.



Pics of mine