Alternator Bearing

[jongreenway]

Alright heres the symptoms
- Whining noise coming from drivers side under the hood
- Calms down when turn lights off, louder when the lights are on
- Goes away if I drive the car for a long distance, louder at first start up

Note: IT IS NOT THE HARMONIC PULLEY - I got that checked out and the mechanic said it's fine and it's not loose at all.

I think it's the alternator bearing, what do you guys think?

Mechanic said it's no use trying to fix the bearing because the cost to get in there and fix it is pretty much the same as getting a new alternator (roughly $200 canadian?)

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dream On]

This is for a 1g, but it may help...

http://vfaq.com/mods/wayback/BradBauer/electrical/alt.html

 

[syclone]

odd situation,
with it going away after a long distance, I want to rule out a bad bearings.
Bearings usually get worse as time goes on
worse with the lights on, this is because more of a load is being put on the alternator. so the question,,, is it the bearings or a belt not tightend poperly.
more of a load on the alternator makes it harder to turn, more belt slippage. i would retighten belt or replace. or at least put some belt ease on there and see what it sounds like.
i know a lot of alternators bearings are stupid easy to re-grease, i've done this before but not on a DSM. but the price he quoted is way to much.

 

[jongreenway]

Well the price is to replace the alternator completely.

Anyone know how to grease the bearings?

Well.. sometimes the noise will go away, sometimes not. So I don't know, depends if the lights are on or not which is a huge factor as to whether the noise comes on or not. But not always the only factor.

Which belt would it be? I just had the timing belt replaced and the other belts checked out.

 

[Defiant]

Alternator items are non-serviceable.
Find a rev where it's making the noise, and use a long screwdriver between your ear and the alternator to confirm the source.

 

[silvawolfe]

why not just take off the belt to the alternator, start it up and verify it's the alternator. It may also be the t-belt tensioner has gone bad causing too much slack in the belt. If this happens the tensioner bracket will flop around and rattle on the tip of the tensioner.

 

[tearintalon1]

if its a whining not a squeeling you should replace the alternator if its a squeeling then check the belt and tensioner. tensioner might need bearing or belt maybe old and glazed or just loose so under load or when battery is low it slips on alternator pully causing a funny squeel or whining noise
good luck let me know what happened

 

[Defiant]

why not just take off the belt to the alternator, start it up and verify it's the alternator.

Because if it isn't the alternator, and the load from the alternator is enough to make the harmonic balancer hub slip, you'd be mis-directed. Using a screwdriver or a mechanic's stethescope to listen to it before taking things apart will save both time and labor.
Despite your mechanic pronouncing your HB healthy, don't depend on it. Mine looked perfect while it was shitting the bed, too. They often do.

 

[jongreenway]

Well it's not the alternator. I replaced it, although I'm convinced it needed to be replaced soon anyway, since the metal rod technique gave lots of weird sounds/vibrations.

He tested the HB by prying at it with a rod, and he said it's fine because it's not loose.

When I repalced alternator I checked tension of the alternator belt, etc. Timing belt job was just done.

Any ideas???????

 

[Merkles]

It could be the water pump

 

[wicketdreams]

Ok guys, i did the same as Jon and it wasnt the altenator, but the water pump is brand new, and the the HB is still lined up perfectly, so I'm at a loss. I did notice that while it squeals, there seem s to be a moment when the belt "catches" and the squeal is imediately gone..any ideas?

 

[jongreenway]

Maybe your belt is slipping? Tight enough? Oil/greese on it?

 

[freshlane]

I just installed my alt last night with my homeboi and it was good. Once i pulled into the garage it started squeaking. I had WD-40 on the belt & it was loose. So.... make sure it's clean and tight enough