Hi -- having driven the beast (84 Westy) around a bit I have a much
better description of the noise which is driving me crazy (with
perplexity and apprehension).  It sounds almost exactly like a
squealing belt, maybe not so high pitched.  It comes and goes, usually
appears when I rev to maybe 2000 rpm.  It *does NOT* !!! change pitch
with engine rpm, but tends to get drowned out as the revs go up.  When
idling down, the noise stays about the same until idle or nearly there
-- then the pitch goes *up* slightly and either stays that way or
disappears.  It is not alternator or water pump related, because it
persists with the belt off.  It persists if I shut off the ignition
(until the motor slows down through idle speed).  It doesn't care
about motor load, accel-decel. It sounds dangerous.  I dasn't drive it
much.

What on earth could it possibly be?  Is there a new law of physics?
Is there any faint chance that I've created a whistle?  The Y-pipe to
the cat has a hole in the fork of the "Y" which I've temporarily fixed
by brazing a couple of strips of metal diaper-fashion around the
"crotch," but because of limited access I'm pretty sure there are some
bits left unbrazed.  But it doesn't *sound* like a whistle, it sounds
like a squealing belt.

They're coming to take me away haha, they're coming to take me away
hoho, to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time and I'll
be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white
coats...Help...

david

David Beierl <dbeierl@ibm.net>
401 274-5827 voice, -6349 fax
OS/2 V4, FP7, JVM 1.1.6, JSM 98.6.3