High-pitched whirring sound on acceleration

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Old Apr 25, 2012 | 04:02 PM
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Question High-pitched whirring sound on acceleration

Hi guys,

Car is a 2004 Acura TL 5AT. Hopefully you can tell me what this noise is upon acceleration. The sound is a high-pitched whirring sound upon acceleration. When you let off the gas, the noise goes away. Transmission shifts smoothly but I'm wondering if that's the issue. I've also read here and other sites that it could be the heat-sheild or differential, torque convertor or other things. Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Piran
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Old Apr 25, 2012 | 04:21 PM
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Mine has this too. Almost like a slight whistle right?
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Old Apr 25, 2012 | 04:24 PM
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Kinda... It almost sounds like a cartoon UFO. Lol not sure if you can hear that!
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Old Apr 25, 2012 | 04:53 PM
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Not sure if it the best way to describe it was whirring or whining. I'm sure someone has this squared away.
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 07:04 AM
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I have the same thing...always had it. I'm at 145k miles now and haven't had any issues..
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by lazytik
I have the same thing...always had it. I'm at 145k miles now and haven't had any issues..
same here.. im @ 75xxx
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 11:08 AM
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I was told by an Acura tech that his best guess was the differential. I'm wondering whether that means eventually the transmission will have to be replaced....
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 11:54 AM
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seems like the norm for the auto. My mother's Odyssey does it too especially in the lower gears. Its transmission had to be rebuilt or replaced every 60k though
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 04:46 PM
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My 6 spd makes a whirring sound in first and second too. Don't know if it is related at all . It can not be heard once i am in third and doesn't really bother me.
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 04:57 PM
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mine does it too, i have an 04 5AT. I think its normal for all honda transmissions for this generation. It does it in first when taking off and in second, maybe just the gears??
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Old Apr 26, 2012 | 10:09 PM
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Almost every tl makes this sound im told by everyone at acura its normal
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Old Apr 27, 2012 | 01:58 PM
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are you hearing it with strong acceleration, normal acceleration, or minimal? i tend to hear it on mine with a slightly stronger push but not so much with minimal or very strong
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Old May 27, 2012 | 01:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Silva95teg
My 6 spd makes a whirring sound in first and second too. Don't know if it is related at all . It can not be heard once i am in third and doesn't really bother me.
My 6pd has the sound too for the first or second gear. After that no problem. And it is always when I accelerate hard. Have you figured out what the problem is?
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Old May 27, 2012 | 01:59 AM
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Originally Posted by smily_sleepyeyes
are you hearing it with strong acceleration, normal acceleration, or minimal? i tend to hear it on mine with a slightly stronger push but not so much with minimal or very strong
I think I am experiencing the same
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Old May 27, 2012 | 02:00 AM
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Originally Posted by shawn_vs
Almost every tl makes this sound im told by everyone at acura its normal
Glad to know that, but do you know what exactly is making this sound?
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Old May 27, 2012 | 11:50 AM
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A couple of weeks ago I completed the Type S FSB instal and swapped out my LCA bushings. Ever since then Ive noticed this high pitch whirling sound whenever I'm around 50mph at 1500 rpm. It only happens if I'm lightly on the throttle just maintaining speed. Trans was replaced about 17k ago.
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Old May 27, 2012 | 11:18 PM
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I have the same, and its very noticeable in 1st and 2nd (auto). Hard acceleration amplifies this sound in the said gears. Anyone think this is the culprit?

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/diy-105-power-steering-whine-fix-754586/
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Old May 27, 2012 | 11:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Piran21
Hi guys,

Car is a 2004 Acura TL 5AT. Hopefully you can tell me what this noise is upon acceleration. The sound is a high-pitched whirring sound upon acceleration. When you let off the gas, the noise goes away. Transmission shifts smoothly but I'm wondering if that's the issue. I've also read here and other sites that it could be the heat-sheild or differential, torque convertor or other things. Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Piran
Originally Posted by Piran21
Kinda... It almost sounds like a cartoon UFO. Lol not sure if you can hear that!

Mine just started. Just like this. I think of as sounding like crickets. Started after immediatly my Power Steering Hose Recall.

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Old May 27, 2012 | 11:29 PM
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From: N35°03'16.75", W 080°51'0.9"
Originally Posted by shawn_vs
Almost every tl makes this sound im told by everyone at acura its normal
I don't buy that. I never heard this until Saturday afternoon; I've owned the car for 5-years.
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Old May 28, 2012 | 06:13 PM
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Mine sounds like a supercharger wine. I actually like it.
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Old May 28, 2012 | 11:08 PM
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mine does the same thing with very light acceleration in 1st and 2nd also. Bearcat, I think you hit the nail on the head, crickets is def. what it sounds like. mine is an 04/AT
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Old May 29, 2012 | 01:13 PM
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Mine does the same under very light throttle on the freeway to maintain speed. If I let off the gas it goes away..
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Old May 29, 2012 | 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by ATLS_666
Mine sounds like a supercharger wine. I actually like it.
That might be the infamous 'transmission whine' and, I think, it's different than what I heard.

Which, btw, wasn't present yesterday (Monday). Maybe ( ) it's gone for good.


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Old May 29, 2012 | 02:44 PM
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how often do you guys change your tranny fluid ??? and what fluid are you guys running ?
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Old May 29, 2012 | 03:02 PM
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Has anyone checked the drive belt tensioner? That was the cause of my sound issue.
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Old May 29, 2012 | 08:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Piran21
Kinda... It almost sounds like a cartoon UFO. Lol not sure if you can hear that!
I've got the same kind of sound! I've always described it like a pod racer from Star Wars, lol
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Old May 30, 2012 | 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by TLDude876
Has anyone checked the drive belt tensioner? That was the cause of my sound issue.

That's what I was thinking...
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Old May 30, 2012 | 10:00 AM
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^^^ but they have mentioned they get that sound only in couple gears
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Old May 30, 2012 | 10:54 AM
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^^ maybe they dont know the tensioner can cause that so they automatically think it is the drivetrain/tranny
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Old May 30, 2012 | 11:01 AM
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^^^ ohh i agree...

i was just saying they experience the noise in couple gears and hence they think its the tranny....the tensioner is more likely the culprit as at higher speeds you cant hear that noise so you feel its only in 1st and 2nd....
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Old Jun 22, 2012 | 09:18 PM
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I have it, too. 55,XXX miles and it just became apparent the past couple of weeks.

I agree, it sounds like a supercharger whine and I can really notice it in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear upon acceleration. I took the TL to my local Honda dealer a few weeks ago and they couldn't hear/solve the whine since it's an on/off thing for me. I'm scheduling another appointment later this week to go in for a needed repair anyways so I will have them take a look at the whine again.

Hopefully it's nothing major and won't nick my savings, but if it's a harmless noise, I kind of like it... sounds like I have a supercharger stuffed under the hood
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Old Jun 23, 2012 | 02:01 PM
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I've been chasing a very similar sound. This week i plan on replacing the belt tensioner, drive belt and starting a 3X3 fluid swap. I'll post if i have any results, but when i was able to replicate this sound while on a lift it sounded like it was coming from the front of the trans, did the ol screwdriver stethescope (sp?)
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Old Jun 23, 2012 | 02:01 PM
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I have the same noise as well, only notice it light throttle on all gears.

I don't believe this is "normal" as my auto TL-S did not make the same noise.
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Old Jun 23, 2012 | 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by motoboat
I've been chasing a very similar sound. This week i plan on replacing the belt tensioner, drive belt and starting a 3X3 fluid swap. I'll post if i have any results, but when i was able to replicate this sound while on a lift it sounded like it was coming from the front of the trans, did the ol screwdriver stethescope (sp?)
Keep us posted very interested if it goes away with a new belt tensioner
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Old Jun 24, 2012 | 12:20 PM
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So I replaced the tensioner and drive belt and it had no effect on the sound.
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Old Jun 25, 2012 | 07:48 PM
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my car makes a crackling kind of sound, like some pebbles in a tin can when I hit approx. 3000 rpms and the gears change. Not sure if this is the same sound you are all describing. I had the heat sheild fixed, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I hope it isn't the transmission.
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 05:35 PM
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Have anyone ever resolved this problem? Mine does that too, and it sounds like supercharged. It is more noticeable after 2000 rpm.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 09:34 PM
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I've got the same whirring sound on my 2005 TL with the 5-speed AT. I tried doing a 1x3 ATF change and also replacing the 3rd and 4th gear pressure switches. The shifting action improved slightly (it was okay to begin with), but the whirring sound was unaffected.

Rick F.
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Old May 2, 2013 | 11:40 PM
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Im having kind of the same sound with my 07 TL-S auto. Only started hearing it around last week, i'm at 100 000km (60k miles). I don't hear it when i'm in park or drive, only when i'm on the move. Doesn't matter if accelerating or just cruising foot off the gas, I still hear it. Even when I shift to neutral, whistling sound is still there..

I did not check the heat shield yet.. could this be the culprit?
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Old May 10, 2013 | 10:57 AM
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Short Time lurker, first time poster here.... Also proud new owner of a CBP 2007 Type-S. Had this exact same issue with my car (whirring noise between 1500-1700 RPMs, would be worse under low acceleration/maintaining speed). After finding no help here I took it to local Acura and Honda dealerships, they did not help and suggested wildly different things(from water pump to transmission) I brought it to my local mechanic and he fixed the problem in under an hour. I will call to ask him specifically what it was but he said there was a weld missing on a piece attached to the heat shielding that is very thin (almost paper thin) causing it to rub under certain acceleration conditions. Sure enough, this was the fix and the problem has not returned. Cost me 90 bucks.
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