so by a process of elimination I have narrowed down a whine/growl to the transmission oil pump.

I have been through all the tensioners pulleys etc and all OK

it's not in the gearbox itself because it's there in all positions of the auto box selector - and I think that rules out the torque convertor as well

which leaves the tranny oil pump

symptoms are, perfectly silent till the engine reaches operating temperature then a low pitched growl/whine increasing with engine speed very discernable betwen 1500 and 2300 rpm then it disappears into the general engine noise, but if you listen very carefully it's there at a high pitch

it has a nee-naw noise characteristic of a bearing noise, but I say again it's there when dead stationary

anybody heard this? or just narrowed it don to a tranny issue and stopped there?
and the really intersting question ... would this be likely to go away with a transmission flush? I thinking the old oil (65k miles) gets thin and allows the parts of the oil pump to come in metallic contact ..... or maybe that's a vain hope

 

only one way to fnid out, seems an inexpensive try as well.