Intermittent Squeak.

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:11 pm

Coming from the front LHS of the engine I have started to develop an intermittent squeak. Its appears to be coming out of either the alternator or the air conditioning unit (note air con unit is not currently hooked up). The sound itself sounds a little like a cross between a high pitch belt squeal and a mild metal rub of some kind. All the belts appear to be fine, in tact, no slip etc and there is no signs/indication of any metal rubbing on anything obvious. Motor/drivability/performance has not been affected in any way and everything else appears to be faultless.

Is it possible that either the alternator or the air con unit or something is on the way out and making this noise? (not that I have had 1 do this before).

Would just hate have something dying, not replace it and then to go bush only to have something go Kaput.

Suggestion welcome.
Thanks.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:52 pm

Im sure u have a spare alternator. Bolt a different one on to rule that out. Could be a bearing seizing up. Replace and retest anything u think it could be might be your only option. I assume its changing note with RPM and certain it is engine related.

Dave

GTlegs · Post by **GTlegs** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 6:49 pm

Could also happen if you get water on the v-belts

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:29 pm

remove V belts. then retest.

Post by **Alex** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:35 pm

spray abit of wd40 into the alternator and aircon unit whilst the car is running and see if the squeek goes away.

heck my gen3 liberty alternator sometimes squeeks and abit of wd40 fixes it.

alex

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:59 pm

i have a very similar squeak happening atm. like you said a belt slipping/metal sound- coming from the air con compressor. matatak and i think its a loose belt because the compressor pulley stops turning when air con is switched on.- possibly try some of that belt stop slip spray. i think i need new belts any way.

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:31 pm

Thanks for the feedback. Its not there ALL the time, it just comes and goes every now and then. Given its daily driven more often then not this sound is not there.

Belts appear to be very tight.

My engines have alway like water (to an extent), and it has not been wet recentely. Well not when this noise started. This being said small water crossing yesterday (that should have wet the belts) and it did not make this noise start.

I should have added that i did/have sprayed with some Lanolin. It DID make a little difference however the sound does come and go... prob more noticable at idle then under any kinda of load though. As almost everything has some Lanolin on it i'll give it some time and then if its still there i'll look into this stop belt slip stuff/spray as well.

As i said its not effecting anything and we're RAC members so its all good

L series spares, are you serious Subarino... what make you think i have those!? Should it continue/get worse i'll start replacing items, however
it basically did not make the sound at all today (I should also add that i am a real squeek chaser though).

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:26 pm

Hopefully it isn't an idler pulley related to the timing belt...
Definitely try running the motor with no V belts on at all for a short time, see what happens. Although I understand a fair bit of trail and error might be needed here given it's one of those annoying intermittent noises.
Perhaps spray some of that anti-squeel stuff onto the belts, although this is also unlikely to help if you rekon they are very tight.

When I'm back in Perth I'll have a listen in real life if we could catch up at some point, I'm not bad at tracking down strange noises in L series.

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:14 am

Thanks Andrew, your welcome to have a listen however its not done it for a while now. I guess something was just after a bit of a lube or something... for now it's not doing it so i'll just have to continue to monitor.

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:44 pm

FYI - Squeek has not returned however yesterday the alternator died (and its totally shot). It will be interesting to see if the squeek returns now.

Post by **Alex** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:52 pm

BlackMale wrote:FYI - Squeek has not returned however yesterday the alternator died (and its totally shot). It will be interesting to see if the squeek returns now.

sounds like youve found your problem Craig!

alex