I've got a "whining" sound coming from the front of the engine, and also a light "tick" that can only be heard from inside the car. The two started at the same time. The ticking goes away when you rev the engine above 800rpm. More then likely a bad pump huh. Stock 92 L98 motor with 61,000 miles.

Thanks
Phyte

EDIT: Just noticed I put smog pump in the title.. opps! Meant power steering.

 

Power steering pumps will whine when they are low on fluid. Hard to say what the ticking sound is. Could be a lot of things. You could try starting eng with power steering belt removed.

 

Ok the whine was a bad idler pulley. I think the tick is either an exhaust leak or spark knock. It wasn't knocking on saturday when I bought it, and the only thing I did was put some gas in it.. 87 octance(habit). I'll put a little 91 in it and see if it goes away.

Phyte

 

today I noticed a rattle near the top end of the engine, sounded like a rocker was loose or a spring broke and made the valvetrain rattle.

Pulled teh valve cover and everything looked good, started up the car and valvetrain was moving properly, but that noise was still there.

Put my hand over the opening on the back of the smog pump and the noise quieted down.

tomorrow i'll yank the pump and get a shorter belt.