Strange new sound.

[Mike Arman]

Here's one for the books . . .

86 5KS, 5 speed.

After visiting my friend in the nursing home, I got back into my car and
noticed a high pitched whistling sound. Very faint, but definitely there.
Not a scraping noise or hissing coolant leak, but more like a signal
generator sine wave. Engine not running (in fact, the key wasn't even in
yet), what could THIS be? Not door chime or key buzzer, maybe the autocheck
(Hal) has gone nuts (again)? Can't be rear engine seal because this car
isn't a turbo, and isn't even running!

Started engine, sound went away, then came back. Seemed to come and go with
application of clutch or brake (????) but at random. Cannot start or stop
sound with any manipulation of any controls except clutch or brake, and
then not reliably repeatable. 

Got to next stop, sound was gone. Unsolved mystery department.

Left from next stop to go home, sound is back. Same symptoms - comes and
goes at random, clutch or brake application sometimes changes it, but it is
definitely NOT dependent on engine revs - the note doesn't change with any
engine revs or in any gear.

Get home, park car, it is still there.

Shut off radio, remove faceplate, remove key, it's still there. Start
bending down to get a better idea of where it is coming from, sounds like
the left-most dash air outlet. Step out of car, it has moved again, now it
almost sounds like it is coming from under the hood. WTF??? Open hood and
look, of course the sound is gone.

Fine, it is dark, I'm hungry, I'll deal with this tomorrow. Walk away from
car, sound comes back!!!

You'll NEVER guess . . . . . and I mean NEVER!


Never.

		 Ever.

				 Period.




(wait for it!)





When I went to the nursing home, I picked up a hearing aid that didn't fit
my friend, and put it in my fanny pack - which I was wearing because my
next stop was aerobics class. Turned out the hearing aid was turned all the
way up, and was oscillating (feedback) depending on how *I* moved! When I
pressed the clutch or brake, I moved just enough to shift the hearing aid
in the fanny pack to stop the whistling. When I released the clutch or
brake, it moved back - sometimes! I didn't hear the whistling during
excercise class because the instructor plays the music quite loudly. Once
out and on the way back home, I could *sometimes* hear it over the Vivaldi
CD, and sometimes not. As I wiggled around trying to find the noise, it
shifted again. Finally, I realized the noise went with ME, and was coming
from the fanny pack!!! SOB! Bingo! Removed battery (no on-off switch),
problem solved.

Does this get the award for Most Obscure Non-Serious Problem this week?

Best Regards,

Mike Arman