Bad pully, makes noise

[Fmstrat]

How freely should each of the pulleys on the belts spin? I'm getting a really nasty squeel, so I got all the belts off and I noticed the one double pully that attaches to the alternator and power steering is sort of stiff. It won't make a full rotation when I spin it, but the tensioner on the AC spins like crazy. So is this ordinary?

 

[Irrational]

thats your water pump. Is it making a nasty squeal? if so the bearing in the pump is on its way out and it needs to be replaced. It could be as simple as your belts were not tight enough. fill us in a bit more on the situation so we can better help you.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

The idlers will spin as they are designed to freewheel. The water pump is a pump. It takes power to keep it going. It won't freewheel.

Squealing on startup, usually is the alternator. Squealing when turning wheel can be the ps belt. Squealing with ac on can be the ac belt. ETC. Just go through and tighten everything and start it up.

Good Luck

 

[LunarEclips]

if it squels when turning, its your power steering. Its either not tight enough or too tight, or even lack of fluids. By the sounds of it...you have it TOO tight... mess around with loosening the tensioner hat is connected to the Altenator bracket on the left side of the altenator, not at the A/C tentioner... stop playing with the a/c tentioner, just make sure the a/c is tight!

 

[Fmstrat]

Well, it's not the water pump I'm describing, it's the idler pully attached to the block that I'm talking about. Anyway, replaced all the belts to be safe, wasn't them. I'm actually ruling out the idler pulley at this point, too, because I realized I can get the noise to happen by kicking either of the front tires. It seems to only happen when the car is running and warm, or right after I shut it off and kick a tire. After about 30 seconds, it won't make the noise anymore. I really wish it was consistent, would be easier to locate.

My guess at this point is something underneath the car is rubbing, or there is a bolt loose somewhere allowing frame rails or exhaust/etc to rub just right to cause the squeeking. That or a timing belt tensioner. The water pump is pretty new, only 30K miles on it, replaced at 70K. Unfortunatly it was done at Mitsu before I bought the car, and it doesn't say on the service record if they replaced the timing belt or tensioners. The mechanics there think they would have, but of course can't be sure.

Above you mentioned startup, and while I don't get squeeks at startup, I do get a very quick "grind" when the car is cold in the mornings and I crank it. It goes away instantly and stays away until the next morning.

 

[DROOPY209]

Harmonic balancer

 

[Fmstrat]

Nope, also pretty new, and the rubber is nice and solid.