High Pitch Whine at Start Up

[smark]

Originally Posted by Padawan

"Muffler bearing" is just an old Internet joke on car forums, guys. Just like "blinker fluid".

Chrome muffler bearings, go back to the 60's. Maybe even the 50's!!! With factory air in the tires.

[blackstack]

I think it's the Hamster winding up.
Mine does it every morning. I wait till it stops, then go.

[andywert]

Originally Posted by WhiteNBlack08

Some people can be such smarta$$'s, of course he's kidding, jwright is correct, it's the air pump that helps fire off the catalytic converter when the car is cold, that's why you don't hear it on a warm car. Should run for about 20 seconds then it shuts off.

I just got my car back from the dealer who did the 1-year service. Car is running great but with a bit of slightly unusual behavior.

I usually park in a garage at home and drive the car to the train station, retrieving it at the end of the workday. Up until the recent service what was "normal" was that the air-pump fan would run for the first start of the day, but would only run for the trip home if the ambient temp was cool/cold. Needless to say it has been bitter cold for DC (high of 20F) and I haven't heard the fan in the evening, only in the morning. Wonder what changed?

[bondissmart]

my car does the same thing when i turn it on, it sounds like it "reves" high then it stop, for about 30 seconds. but it does not do it in cold weather. i had a mustang and at start up it used to rev to 900 rpm for about 20 seconds and then go down, i think the smart is doing the same thing. not sure. but my mustang used to do it in cold also. yes. my first car was a v8 mustang, then a 4 cylinder honda civic, to a 3 cylinder smart.

[fortow]

24 posts and only jwight provided the correct information with a reference to another thread that explained it further - and his was the third post which everyone else ignored.

[donnyonee]

speaking of air in the tires.
originaly they were filed in france, if you close your eyes and blow it in your face, you can be there.
no really now, have you done the tire air change to let out the unknown foreign air and put in fresh ambient air?

[intake172]

It is the catilayic converter fan. since the engine is in the rear there is not enough air circulation in the back on the cat. so they put a fan to help cool it down. In the morning on the first start up of the day they cars computer system does a self check on all important functions including the cat fan. it should do a self check with all 3 speeds ( low, med, high) then you should hear a relay click under the dash and the fan will shut off. All is normal operation. You just wont ever notice this fan when you are driving down the road because of other noises.

[jetfuel]

Originally Posted by fortow

24 posts and only jwight provided the correct information with a reference to another thread that explained it further - and his was the third post which everyone else ignored.

...sorry fortwo...it was not ignored...the question was answered and then we just kick it into fun gear....
...intake172 ...very nice...

jetfuel...join SCOA...you'll be glad you did

[jwight]

Originally Posted by fortow

24 posts and only jwight provided the correct information with a reference to another thread that explained it further - and his was the third post which everyone else ignored.

Fortow - thanks! This is a very unruly bunch and they bear close watching at all times!

[SubSlr88]

Originally Posted by jwight

Fortow - thanks! This is a very unruly bunch and they bear close watching at all times!

Speaking of bare - - - oh, never mind, I forgot, family-friendly site.