High pitched squeal from engine compartment

[backlash 1]

2005 f150 5.4 49,000 miles

At 1500-1900 rpm high pitched squeal, only in cold weather. Let off the gas, its gone. Used to only hear it when I first got onto the highway and then only for a minute or so, but I've been wearing my hearing aids lately and its making the noise a lot now. Put on 300 miles last weekend and it bout drove me crazy.

Talked to the service manager at the ford dealership here today and he pretty much said "live with it" they have found nothing that is a permenant fix. pretty much only on the 04s and 05s.

Tell me he's full of it....

[1968]

Could be due for a serp belt and/or possibly one of the serp pulleys. Might even just be a pebble stuck in the grooves of the belt.

Could the dealer at least identify where the noise was coming from? Not like them to say live with it vs pay me.

[Macgyver55]

This is a very common complaint on these and 2004 models. There are several theories about airflow through the intake, alternators that are noisy when cold and a few other things. There are some pretty good descriptions of the noise too. Google it and read some of the F150 forums and see what matches your closest.

[mechanico]

Have you changed the serp. belt? And if you haven't have you tried belt dressing on the serp. belt? If you can safely spray it on the grooved side of the belt while it's idling, do that and see if the sound changes. If so you found it, if not, and it's really driving you crazy try replacing the idler pulley. That's the first and cheepest thing to try if it is from the belt area. Your hearing aid may distort the sound a bit. It sounds silly, but squeeling sounds and a whistling sounds indicate different things. Also, the belt dressing can make the belt squeel too, but that will stop when it dries.

[quickfish6]

It's hard to say what it is. Is it a squeak or a whistle? Where you live I could take a look at it .

[SFC]

I have had the same problem 2005 f150 for several years. Same symptoms whistles when u are giving it gas, let up on the excelerator and it stops for a bit. When the temps are below o it will really whistle. It does sound like it is coming from the engine compartment.

[backlash 1]

Quickfish, it is a very high pitch squeal, not a squeak by any means. Your ears could be toast, like mine, and you'd still hear it.

I googled it last night and WOW there are tons of people with this problem, but there are so many variations and symptoms. Mine sounds closest to a idler pully or a bad alternator but one thing for sure, it is not speed dependant, it goes by rpm range, and now it does not only do it when the engine is cold. Never in the summer, only cold weather. Cant say I really want to spend several hundred dollars on it to experiment on a cure.

Was hoping there might be a ford tech on here with some experience with this.

Think I will experiment with some belt dressing though.

[mechanico]

Hey Backlash, WATCH YOUR FINGERS! And while you're under there, pull all that air intake stuff off and clean out any carbon build-up. It doesn't take much to mess w/the sensors...but be careful with them. The 5.4 is a great engine, but it loves it's preventative maintenance. Oil changes are CRITICAL with that little monster. When you put it back together make sure all the clamps are snugged up so there are no air leaks. Also trace the vacuume lines. The hard plastic ones sometimes get small cracks, and sometimes they just break and it looks like they got burned...doesn't make sense all the time. The goal is to keep it's little brain from compensating to get the right fuel mix and vacuume. Have fun!