What the heck is that squealing noise?

[Boleador]

HELP!!!!

My brother and I were driving down a country road at ~65mph. We slowed down to look at some houses and, while we were stopped, this squealing noise appeared out of nowhere. The pitch of the squeal didn't seem to vary with engine rpm.

In the first video I'm rolling down the road in neutral, revving the motor and you can hear the squeal in the background. Then I stop and just rev the motor a few times:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nTsiivDy9uydHvFi9

When I put the car in gear and started from a stop, the squeal went away, so I started filming again. I put the clutch in and after a few seconds, the squeal came back. Pushing the clutch in and out didn't seem to change the sound by itself, but loading up the clutch/transmission/motor by pulling the clutch out while in gear made the noise go away. Likewise coasting, or semi-coasting while in gear would result in the noise being present:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3c31gFXULNgh4V1x9

Also, the AC was turned on/off a few times, and the whole climate control was turned on/off a few times with no impact.

Thoughts? This isn't dreaded IMS Bearing is it?

[flmont]

Could be the TOB being that the noise did not increase with the Rev's ,

[Boleador]

I thought the TOB would only make noise when the clutch pedal was pressed?

[elgyqc]

I'm no expert but I'd pull off the front engine cover (behind the seats, remove the upholstery/insulation piece with 4 plastic nuts on top, then the cover itself about 10 10mm nuts and bolts) and see if it is an idler bearing, an accessory bearing or the belt.
Good luck.

[Boleador]

Thank you AOS...

I guess that squealing noise was the vacuum air sound? Very surprising!

I fumigated half of Merced...