Okay so the car is a 99 GSR. Motor is stock. Drove fine on the commute home today until I got off the freeway. Stopped at a light. Started to accelerate and the car died before I reached the next light. I quickly turned it on and it started making a whirring noise. I checked and notice the sound is coming from the right side(Driver side) of the motor. Sounds kinda like the timing belt is rubbing on the cover. (The sound is coming from the area where all the belts are). I manage to get home. And about 15 minutes later I tried to start the car so my brother can listen over the phone and it kinda choked before turning on. It is still making the whirring whining noise. My brother said the timing belt could have jumped a tooth? Idle might be a little low but the car was not on long enough for me to pay attention to it before my brother yelled at me to shut the car off. Maybe something came loose? Couldn't find any youtube videos that matches the sounds and I'm to scared to start the car if it would even start anymore.

 

What servicing, maintenance, or repair work immediately preceded the whirring noise?

 

Nothing. Changed the starter 3 weeks ago and that was it. Noticed that the car is leaking a bit of oil. Very minor. That's it.

 

OK, but go back a few months. Anything done back then? Earlier?

When was the last time the engine was worked on, and what was done?

 

EDIT: Before the starter we replaced the crank shaft sensor but that was way back in April 2011 and the car was running fine until today.

 

A whirring noise from the front of the engine is normally a too-tight timing belt, or something interfering with the timing belt's free-movement. Just because work was done last April doesn't mean it can't have long-term effects.

You need to pull the covers off and investigate. Check for scuffing on the belt and on the covers, seizing parts, loose parts, etc.

 

A timing belt or other belts would no cause the car to die. It must be something in the alternator.

 

Can you explain what a "whirring" sound is? lol sorry.

 

You are correct. Looks like the timing belt split in half and the piece that was loose was being kicked around by the the rest of the timing belt that was still in place causing the rubbing sound. One last question. The belt splitting must have threw the timing off therefore I experienced the car shutting off?

 

Hopefully, it did not skip more then one or two teeth, any more and valves will be damaged.

New timing belt, maybe tensioner and water pump while your at it, reset valve timing, do a compression test and if compression is good hopefully when it starts there will be no indication of valve damage, [bent/broken valves], good luck. 94

 

Is there a way to check if any valves are messed up without doing the compression test? After taking out the loose timing belt pieces we started the car up. We are planning on doing the timing beltand I assumes that it would be wise to do the water pump as well but I didn't think about doing the tensioner.

 

so you started it up with half the belt shredded off? if so, please don't do that again.
however, it is a great sign that it ran. it's likely that you didn't incur damage.
new belt
tensioner
water pump
valve cover gasket/grommets
if they appear to be leaking; cam seals and crank seal
install as per procedure. check and adjust ignition timing. run a compression test

 

Aftermarket belt, right?

It's conceivable. You need to check the timing anyway, so find out.

After the new belt's on, check the valve clearances. If any are WAY big, like .04 or so, that valve is probably bent.

 

Haha yeah. Won't be starting it up no more. Thanks for the specifics. I'll check everything.

Yeah it was a aftermarket belt. A Greddy one