Help nail down my squealing problem.

[tylerk]

Ok, here's the problem as it stands right now. I've had what I believed was "normal" DSM belt squeal for a while now. The other night, I had to pull off the road and give up because my alternator and water pump stopped working. I pulled off the belt and it was completely chewed up. I replaced the belt, and it is still screaming like a banshee.
-The noise seems to come and go intermittently.
-I've experimented with belt tension, but that seems to make no difference.
-The harmonic balancer was recently replaced.

I would lean toward thinking this might be a bad alternator bearing, but if that was the case, would the noise come and go (usually several times in one trip)?

 

[tylerk]

Also...I've read a few people saying "even if you think the belt is tight enough, it isn't." I really think it's quite tight enough at this point, but is there a quick and dirty way to check that?

 

[rowlex]

If you''ve replaced the water pump, or anything that requires removing the pulley's check to make sure they were put back on correctly. I put the outer pulley on wrong once, same symptoms as you except I lost the belt getting on the highway. It was not fun changing an alt. belt on the side of I-5 at 12:30 am.

 

[tylerk]

If you''ve replaced the water pump, or anything that requires removing the pulley's check to make sure they were put back on correctly. I put the outer pulley on wrong once, same symptoms as you except I lost the belt getting on the highway. It was not fun changing an alt. belt on the side of I-5 at 12:30 am.

I checked it out and the pulleys look to be in line just eyeballing it. Would it be noticeable? The timing belt got replaced shortly before I bought the car, so I assume the water pump was done as well, so that *could* be it.

 

[rowlex]

I didn't notice on mine until i thought about it.

For some reason it's quite hard for me to explain but the pulley has an "inner" and "outer" side, the inner side which is the side that should be bolted to the waterpump should be like this w] w is the waterpump ] is the pulley. Not backwards like this w[ Hope that helped

 

[oldman]

You can try running one belt at a time to see who is making the noise.

 

[luv2rallye]

You can try running one belt at a time to see who is making the noise.

Yes excellent idea - if you just can't figure out if the noise is a belt, bearing, alt., ps, or water pump start removing belts one at a time and run engine for a minute.

 

[tylerk]

I'm almost 100% sure the problem is with the water pump, alternator, or the belt that drives both of them. Just now I tightened the belt even more than it already was, and it seems to have stopped for now. It's abnormally warm out today though, so that may also be helping.

 

[oldman]

I know you said you've changed the harmonic balancer already but this is exactly what happen to me months before my harmonic balancer became completely seperated. Maybe you put in an used one that's about to go, keep an eye on it.

 

[tylerk]

Kept eating alternator belts, so I brought it in for a second opinion...turns out the belt needs to be even TIGHTER than I had it. Like "holy shit, that's really tight" tight.

 

[Sharkcus]

Also...I've read a few people saying "even if you think the belt is tight enough, it isn't." I really think it's quite tight enough at this point, but is there a quick and dirty way to check that?

I didn't want to open a new thread, but I just had my timing belt done at the mitsu dealership. (and waterpump). Now when I turn on too many things (blower, radio, headlights) I get squeel. I suspect mine isn't tight enough either, but I dont want to put extra stress on the pulleys. Is there a way (as asked above) for me to check the tension?

 

[Slack_r]

This was happening with my old 90 gst, I checked and the belt was rubbing against the spark wires coming out of the valve cover .. Good thing it didn't shave the wires too bad . I don't know if you fixed it but check all the surrounding wires, if anything is rubbing against or looks ground down from the belt rubbing.

-- I just read the reply above mine, nevermind.