strange noise

Yesterday the KJ started making an odd noise at intermittent times. It is very hard to describe and it comes and goes. It sounds like either a pot of water boiling... or a metal coffee can full of sand being turned over and over... that is the best I can describe it.

When does it happen? Intermittent. Has happened after being driven for 20 minutes and then this morning it happened before I even pulled out of the parking spot, but not as soon as I started it. I have only heard it while in gear but taking it out of gear does not make it go away. The sound will start loud and then gradually diminish till it is gone. The faster I rev the engine, the sound increases with the rev but I cant say it gets louder with the rev if that makes any sense.

I was initially thinking some kind of air leak, vacuum or a whole in the cat or exhaust?? Any ideas??

Check the coolant level in your overflow canister.

boiling coolant? yikes!

found it.

I went to drop off jr at his math class. almost there and the battery light comes on and I lose power steering all at the same time. after limping the last mile to the school I start to smell coolant so I shut er down. the serpentine belt had come off but fortunately for me, it was still in the engine compartment. put it backon and it came right back off. then I noticed the idler pully was at an odd angle. took it off and the bearing had gone kablooey, yes I said kablooy. a short trip to autozone and all was well.

But, if you ever need one, the part number they had in the computer was wrong. you need a 76mm flat pulley with no flange. I had to look through a bunch of boxes till I found it.