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Okay, well two weeks ago my mx3 started making a much louder than usual 'air' sound when i press the gas pedal. I noticed a small loss of torque/power in the car but it could be just me being worrysome. This sound is still there but it does not bother me that much. Now just yesterday when I started the car in the morning and started driving it when it was not fully warmed up, there was another weird sound coming from the engine whenever i pressed the gas pedal, it was a high pitched whining, along with the 'air' sound i mentioned before. This goes away when the engine is fully warmed up but the 'air' sound still stays there.

Please help me out with this, I read some things about this problem online and a lot of the results/answers are worrying me. Could someone please tell me what is wrong with the car and what I should do to get this noise to stop?

It sounds like you have a vacuum leak. If you have the OEM intake, it's likely.
Try spraying carb, or brake cleaner around your intake, and see if it idles differently. If so, keep spraying in that area to pinpoint the air leak.

First problem is a vacuum or intake leak for sure. 2nd problem is probably on of the accessories, likely the alternator or power steering pump. My power steering pump makes all kinds of crazy noises if its cold, especially if the fluid's a bit low. It could also be simply an accessory belt slipping, try tightening down both belts a bit.

Ditto to both of the above answers. Check those hoses out. Especially if you can hear air lol. I can hear vacuum sucking noises if I put my head right on the air box. You shouldn't hear it from inside your car.

Does it idle rough?

I'm no expert but I have had alternators go out on all kinds of cars and it is usually preceded by the high pitched whining sound. If it is only just starting to go the sound might go away after you drive for a bit and charge up the electrical system, but the whine means impending alternator death. The good news is it doesn't mean the death of the car and is a relatively inexpensive fix.

Damn, I DID just get a new soundsystem.... that's probably the high pitch problem then.

How long do I have to drive at a time to recharge it or is it done for?

IF it's the alternator, the longest I've ever had one last after hearing the whine is about a week. Any decent mechanic should be able to tell you right away. See if someone will look at it for you because although my family owns a shop, I'm no mechanic, just a guy who has had some lemons and just bought an MX-3. )

jroc251 wrote:IF it's the alternator, the longest I've ever had one last after hearing the whine is about a week. Any decent mechanic should be able to tell you right away. See if someone will look at it for you because although my family owns a shop, I'm no mechanic, just a guy who has had some lemons and just bought an MX-3. )

Actually alternators can whine for a while before they go bad, the one on my parent's escape has been quietly whining at idle and loudly whining past around 4500 rpm for a few years now. But I would still replace yours just to be safe.