2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Disconcerting sound

[KRStone]

My truck (1996) started whistling this morning on my drive to work.

12 miles, 50 mph.

More noticeable at higher speeds.

Sounds louder in my right ear.

Shut off motor on safe stretch of road, no change other than i could hear it better.

Not any louder with windows down.

Sounds like a kid on a toy recorder randomly blowing the real high notes, constant sound.

What could that be?

KRS

 

[kcv67]

Boost leak?

 

[KRStone]

I did shut off the engine and coast, sound remained.

 

[cerberusiam]

It is just whistling while it works.

As a guess, unit hub bearings dry.

 

[KRStone]

I just did the drivers unit bearing and ujoint in july.
the other side decided to surrender or what)

 

[KRStone]

I drove the truck last night, this morn, and just now and it wasn't making the noise.

The other morning was a freezing fog.... maybe some moisture froze making a whistle between body panels or something?

 

[JR]

Did you jack up the front end and try to duplicate the noise by spinning each wheel one at a time? A failing wheel bearing or universal should be evident with a little prying/spinning/shaking of said components.

 

[GReed]

Do you have a CB radio? Antennas will make a high pitch whistle. Especially in the cold.

 

[MLee]

Low brake pad warning tang singing you a note?

 

[MLee]

I have heard a flow through tail gate will sing. Mine does when I have my 5er on. Why? no one can explain it to me.

 

[GReed]

On my 2002, I've never noticed if the stock radio antenna whistles in the cold weather, but on police car radios, a piece of vinyl tubing over the shaft will kill the whistle.

 

[KRStone]

Brakes are good. I am a HAM so there is a 5/8 wave mag mount on the roof. Never heard it whistle, but i just moved to Idaho a year ago....

 

[GReed]

I have a 3' Firestick, fiberglass CB antenna, on a left side fender mount. I do notice a howl coming from the antenna. If yours is a thin steel whip, you might try putting some tubing over the whip. I haven't figured out a way to quiet my Firestick.

 

[Crowhurst]

My truck recently started whistling at 55 mph and over. I couldn't decide if it was engine or bodywork related, as I didn't choose to switch off the engine at 60 mph and lose my brakes and steering. I spent too many hours removing, dismantling and checking the entire air intake system from air filter to turbo. The turbo showed no wear in the bearing, side to side or end-float. I removed the kayak rack above the truck bed, and the whistle continued.
I Gorilla-taped all the bodywork joints below the front fender, and the whistle stopped. Under the passenger side below the front fender there is a steel strut about a foot long which attaches the corner portion of the wrap-round colored part below the black fender to the frame. At the outboard end this attaches by a large nut (about 7/8ths, IIRC), and this nut had shaken loose by several turns, allowing a gap between the panels through which the wind was whistling. The nut can be tightened by holding the emerging stud with vice-grips, and using a standard wrench to tighten the nut, after leaving it overnight dosed with PB blaster.
It might be worth checking these nuts.
Nick.