Loud Air-Whooshing Sound from Engine

Today, I was driving on the highway when I noticed a loud whooshing sound from my 2017 TRD OR 4x4. It's got 120K miles on it, maintenance kept up to date.

At 4K+ RPM, the sound is quite daunting and loud. Got scared and hobbled it home off the highway.

There's like a vacuum sound that accompanies it at high RPM. See video (sound on) I took in my driveway. However, idling it sounds normal. Starts perfectly.

No check engine lights. I can't really tell if there's a loss of power -- the sound makes me to scared to try.

Anybody know what the problem might be, and if I can fix it myself? Some searches mentioned a plugged cat?

 

Sounds like the fan clutch is stuck fully engaged.

 

Take the belt off and see if it stops.

 

Thanks!

The belt looks like a pain in the ass since it’s connected to everything else. Is there an easier way to check? Such as, is the clutch disengaged when the engine is off? Because I can’t spin the fan when the engine is off.

 

If the fan clutch is stuck then with the engine off you can verify that by trying to move the fan blades by hand. If they move then it ain’t stuck, if they don’t move then replace the fan clutch.

 

I've seen lots of fan clutches stay engaged but you can spin it by hand. Take the belt off, trust me.

 

This fan should spin by hand with some resistance when engine is off. Warm or cold. Your fan clutch is almost certainly seized. Careful at higher RPMs I’m not sure if the fan blade was ever designed to run full speed/locked clutch and could perhaps fly apart causing major damage. As suggested, remove belt and try again briefly.

 

The fan should spin with the engine off, there will be a smooth resistance but it will spin.
If it won't spin it is bad.

Looks like it isn't too expensive either.

https://toyotaparts.mcgeorgetoyota....-road--3-5l-v6-gas/cooling-system--water-pump

 

Thanks all of you! It was definitely the fan clutch, but it's all fixed now!

I had to get a knock off clutch from O'Reilly's since I need my truck ASAP, but hopefully it lasts a fraction of the OEM one.