I have had this squealing sound for a while, but can't figure it out for the life of me. The sound only happens on start-up.

I have a brand new Fidanza flywheel and Auto Zone starter.
All belts are brand new and tensioned properly (including timing belt). I even disconnected both accessory belts to make sure it was not them and it still squealed.
I tried 3 starters (2 aftermarket Auto Zone and 1 OEM) and it made no difference.
I tried two different harmonic dampeners and that didn't change anything.
The starter plate is the correct for my bell housing, brand new, and powdercoated, but I wouldn't think the powder would be thick enough to cause any issues.

I am at a loss, especially with everything being new and adjusted/tensioned correctly.

I have a video, but YouTube is being stupid and keeps failing so I'll add it when it uploads.

Here's the video.
YouTube - MVI 8534

Most likely an alternator belt, especially if it quits after a few seconds/minutes.

I had the same problem, new belts tightened correctly and would squeal when first started.
I found that my strut tower braces was touching - sometimes - the positive terminal and would discharge the battery just enough to make the alternator work harder when first started.
Look for something that maybe draining the battery.

Well, it's a used alternator that tested out fine, so that should be good. The belt is brand new and tensioned fine. If anything you mentioned would be it, it might be the battery, since the brand I have seems to suck. But I can't imagine that causing an issue since it tests fine.

He said he took the accessory belts off and it still squealed. My ideas would be: How old are your timing idle and tensioner pulleys? or can a throwout bearing squeal? Just a couple quick ideas but other than that its quite a mysterious squeal.

Everything's brand new. I had the engine out to do a clutch job and put all new stuff in it (tob and clip, fork, fulcrum, master, slave). While it was out, I tore down the whole exterior and replaced all gaskets and did a BSE. When I put it back together, I used all new parts, including timing belt components.

A bearing in the engine, before it get oil? Check the pulley's themselfs are tight on the crank, alt, and power steering?

The pulleys are all torqued down and/or tight (depending if I could use a torque wrench or not).

My guess is there's no real test to see if it might be a bearing (main probably?)? I can't say I've ever heard/read of bearings squealing though.

it does not sound like a belt issue...but you never know...look at your belts and check for outside wear

People, please read his first post. It is definitely NOT a belt issue (or pulley issue). The car was started without any accessory belts on it and it still squealed. I doubt it's a bearing issue (never heard of this causing a squeal) just for the fact that it does it on EVERY startup, no matter cold, hot, just started, etc.

To be honest, I don't hear a squealing noise. I hear a whirring noise but nothing that sounds too unusual.

Are you sure the timing belt isn't too tight?

Bearings can squeal similar to belt squeal (I recently went through this with my power steering pump). But that would only start squealing after things had warmed up.


Edit: I've listened to it several times. Are you talking about the sound while you are actually cranking?

The squeal is heard just before it starts, not the sound during cranking. It is tough to hear but I can pick it out in the video. The timing belt is properly tensioned, and actually has been retensioned a few times and the squeal always remains.

I'd say at 0:13 in the video is a good clip of it?

Is it the brief screech-like sound on the trailing end of the last crank before it starts?

Not to go off topic, but is that an early 1G 7 bolt with the straight cut oil pump gears? The idle whine sounds a lot like mine (6 bolt).

BTW, polish those damn headlights!

Yes, the brief screech. Yes, it is a 1g 7 bolt, but I don't believe they ever came with straight gears, just the early 6 bolts did. I can't remember for sure but I'm pretty sure his weren't straight cut. I just dissembled 2 spare headlights last night for Brian to polish up!

there are bearings in the alternator...

But it still squeals without the alternator belt on!!

could be the oil pump. could be any bearing surface in the motor. tranny?

find out through re&re, or wait until it seizes.

I may have the same issue with mine, it started after I replaced the alternator. It seems to be more noticeable on damp mornings or chilly weather. I thought it was the alternator with mine, but didn't remove the belt to test it as you have.

Cesar said:

find out through re&re, or wait until it seizes.

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re&re? Not sure what you mean by this.

If it's a bearing surface, then I probably will find out when it seizes considering I'm not tearing down the engine to find it, especially when I'm not positive that's it.

Brian, are you concerned that it could lead to a problem if not addressed or is it just an annoyance?

Are you confident that it is coming from the front (t-belt) side of the motor?

Did you first notice it after changing anything in particular on the motor? BSE? The first time you swapped starters?

Maybe have Eric or someone under the car with their hand on the starter to see if there is a corresponding vibration when the noise happens.

You and Eric are so rational and thorough in your approach that it's hard to offer advice that you haven't already considered.

It sounds like some type of gear lash to me (the whirring that Romeen mentioned), and the only thing I can think of that would fall along those lines is the oil pump until it gets fully saturated in oil.

Definitely doesn't sound like an alternator bearing (would be more "tinny" sounding...and is pretty unlikely considering the belt is off ). A T-belt component/pulley would be more of a high-pitched squeal and would probably last longer or be intermittent and happen almost any time. Maybe a dry start at the turbo, but I think that would sound quite different.

Strange, but I just think it sounds like some type of dry gear mesh issue.

Brian, can you put a stethoscope on it while someone cranks it to try and better isolate where it's coming from? If it is something around the oil pump area, I would think it would be really noticable if you put the scope tip on the bottom lip of the front cover close to the pump.

romeen said:

Brian, are you concerned that it could lead to a problem if not addressed or is it just an annoyance?

Are you confident that it is coming from the front (t-belt) side of the motor?

Did you first notice it after changing anything in particular on the motor? BSE? The first time you swapped starters?

Maybe have Eric or someone under the car with their hand on the starter to see if there is a corresponding vibration when the noise happens.

You and Eric are so rational and thorough in your approach that it's hard to offer advice that you haven't already considered.

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It's just more of an annoyance. I'm not too worried about something going wrong (it would suck, but it would give me a reason to build an engine).

No, I don't think it's coming from the timing belt area at all. I want to say it's coming from the starter area, but it's been a while since I really poked my head around.

It's actually been doing it for a while. I'll have to check the video of I have when I test drove it and see if I notice it in there. I believe it stopped for a short while, but this was after I cut out the section of the starter plate between the two starter bolt holes. This was because the idiot before me used a 1g starter plate and it was all bent to hell.

We could try feeling around to see if we notice a vibration that goes with the sound.

We try to be rational and thorough so that when I actually do have to start a new thread I can get solid answers/possibilities from people who are willing to give it some thought. You see how that works out sometimes.....

calan said:

It sounds like some type of gear lash to me (the whirring that Romeen mentioned), and the only thing I can think of that would fall along those lines is the oil pump until it gets fully saturated in oil.

Definitely doesn't sound like an alternator bearing (would be more "tinny" sounding...and is pretty unlikely considering the belt is off ). A T-belt component/pulley would be more of a high-pitched squeal and would probably last longer or be intermittent and happen almost any time. Maybe a dry start at the turbo, but I think that would sound quite different.

Strange, but I just think it sounds like some type of dry gear mesh issue.

Brian, can you put a stethoscope on it while someone cranks it to try and better isolate where it's coming from?

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As Eric said, I don't remember the oil pump having straight cut gears. But it could be going bad. Who knows what condition any of the engine is in.

I always forget we have a stethoscope. We could try that too.

Thanks for the ideas guys. We'll have to investigate some more.

If anyone has any other ideas/suggestions, please let me know!

I know this might help some people out but did this start before or after flywheel/starter replacement? Maybe a bracket is loose or something and is just somehow making a higher pitched squealing noise.

This squeal just started happening after the replacements. What bracket might you suggest be loose that only squeals at start up?

snowborder714 said:

I want to say it's coming from the starter area, but it's been a while since I really poked my head around.

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This may be reaching a bit, but...

Any chance that the starter solenoid could be sticking and not disengaging fast enough? Maybe you are hearing the starter being spun by the flywheel until the solenoid kicks it out?