Just changed my alternator and alternator-belt. I have periodic squeal noise. what can be the problem?
Just changed my alternator and alternator-belt. I have periodic squeal noise over and over again. what can be the problem?
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi There,
You may want to check the tension on the belt to be sure it is not loose after changing the belt. You can do this by adjusting the tensioner pulley to put more or less pressure on the belt. The squeal may also be related to the tensioer pulley itself if it is beginning to wear out or has a faulty bearing inside. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to assist with this if needed.
You may want to check the tension on the belt to be sure it is not loose after changing the belt. You can do this by adjusting the tensioner pulley to put more or less pressure on the belt. The squeal may also be related to the tensioer pulley itself if it is beginning to wear out or has a faulty bearing inside. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to assist with this if needed.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Damaged Belt
If you hear a screeching noise after changing your alternator belt, it`s most likely because the replacement belt is too tight, too loose, or one of the other problems stated.
If you`ve just got a new serpentine belt installed and yet you hear the squealing noise, chances are your mechanic didn`t do a good enough job. Let your mechanic check the belt and determine if there`s a misaligned pulley or belt tensioner.
Failing Water Pump Pulley: The most common cause of squealing or squeaking from the timing belt cover is the water pump pulley. If the bearings in the pulley are beginning to fail, they will make noise. Eventually, they`ll seize and the water pump will no longer operate, causing your engine to overheat.
Over time, and alternator can wear down. If it`s the bearings in the alternator that have worn out, it may make a high-pitched squealing noise. This means that it`s time to have the alternator replaced.
Your engine belts make a screech or squeal noise usually because the rubber belt is slipping on the metal pulley and just like your tires spinning on the road, this causes noise. The belt may be slipping due to improper tension or because it simply has gotten old and the surface has become glazed, cracked or brittle.
Using WD-40 to repel water from spark plugs, distributors, alternators, and batteries is a good way to prevent corrosion and keep moisture away. You can also use it to ease the removal of spark plugs, especially if there is any rust or corrosion.
Put the metal end of the screwdriver on the part you think may have a bad pulley bearing. Be sure to touch only an area that`s not moving. Put your ear to the other end of the screwdriver and then listen. If you hear a chirping or squealing noise, you`ve found the part with the bad bearing.
As brake pads wear down, the metal behind the pads comes in contact with your rotor, often resulting in a high-pitched squeal when you brake. Take that squeak as your queue to check your brake assembly. The fix may be as simple as getting new, genuine brake pads for your Nissan.
One of the most common causes of a squeaky noise when accelerating is a worn-out belt. The belt connects the engine to various components such as the alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor. Over time, the belt can wear out, become loose, or even break, resulting in a squeaky noise.
The alternator has several bearings which allow the alternator`s rotor to spin freely. If these bearings begin to fail, you will notice a loud whining noise, which will increase when you accelerate or the car is under heavier load.
It is recommended to have a dedicated grease gun for alternator bearing re-lubrication only. Never mix lubricant types. As per the Installation, Service & Maintenance manuals, it is vital that the grease, grease gun, grease nozzle and relubrication nipple are free from abrasive materials and other contaminants.
Krytox™ lubricants are commonly used to extend service life of chassis components and power train components including: Anti-lock brakes. Alternators.
Belt Squealing Noise , easy to fix it with silicone Lubricant.
The WD-40 Anti-Slip Belt Dressing is the ultimate go-to product for extending life of old and used vehicle belts. Specially formulated to penetrate chord fibres to restore flexibility and pliability to your car`s belts, the WD-40 drive belt conditioner is versatile and improves functionality.
Since the serpentine belt helps provide power to cool the engine, a faulty belt can cause the car engine to overheat as the water pump will not turn. As soon as the engine begins to overheat, have it inspected by a mechanic as it can cause a breakdown and cause engine damage if left overheated.
Typically a damaged belt tensioner will not impact vehicle performance. It would cause the serpentine or drive belt to wear prematurely or to squeak – but not cause the acceleration issue.
You can continue to drive safely for up to 2 weeks with a squeaky belt. However, it`s best to not delay too long and replace it as early as possible.
Common signs include grinding or squeaking noises coming from the belt, unusual belt wear, and belt-driven accessories like the alternator failing.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Just changed my alternator and alternator-belt. I have periodic squeal noise. what can be the problem?
ANSWER : Hi There,
You may want to check the tension on the belt to be sure it is not loose after changing the belt. You can do this by adjusting the tensioner pulley to put more or less pressure on the belt. The squeal may also be related to the tensioer pulley itself if it is beginning to wear out or has a faulty bearing inside. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to assist with this if needed.
You may want to check the tension on the belt to be sure it is not loose after changing the belt. You can do this by adjusting the tensioner pulley to put more or less pressure on the belt. The squeal may also be related to the tensioer pulley itself if it is beginning to wear out or has a faulty bearing inside. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to assist with this if needed.
Engine in my Dodge Dakota truck with 105,000 miles is making a weird noise like a clothes dryer. I am not noticing any problems wi
ANSWER : With regard to maintenance, yes the transfer case oil should be changed as well as the engine coolant. YourMechanic can dispatch a certified mechanic to perform both of those services on a mobile basis. With regard to the engine noise, if you suspect the noise might originate from an accessory (water pump, alternator, A/C compressor, etc.) that runs off the serpentine belt, a quick way to isolate engine noise from accessory noise is to simply remove the belt and run the engine BRIEFLY, really briefly in case the water pump is belt driven. If, after that exercise, the noise turns out to be within the engine, simply request an engine noise diagnostic. Noises in engines are usually related to the valve train, timing chain, pistons and bearings and the responding mechanic will let you know of the most likely possibility in your case.
I have a whining squealing noise coming from somewhere in my pulley system and serpentine belt.
ANSWER : If the noise changed when the battery was replaced, I would first suspect the alternator. Sometimes, when a bearing/bushing starts to go bad it will only make noise with the belt installed, as the tension can cause pressure to be applied to the affected area of the bearing/bushing.
Also, there typically shouldn’t be any type of clicking coming from the power steering and there really shouldn’t be any shaft play. When I am trying to find the source of a noise like this, I will use a stethoscope with an extended probe to isolate the source of the noise.
If you go this route, be extremely careful to avoid making contact with the pulleys or belt, to avoid injury. There are several possible causes for a noise from the front of an engine, so have a certified mechanic perform an inspection to determine the source of the noise.
Rear brake squealing noise goes off when brakes applied.
ANSWER : Hey there. If the noise was not there before you replaced the brake pads on your 2014 Audi A4, you might want to try replacing the caliper clips and using a good quality brake lube anywhere the pads make contact with the caliper, caliper piston, and or bracket. If you need to have this looked at, an expert from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose the squealing noise and perform the appropriate repair.
Squealing noise?!
ANSWER : Hey there. You have a binding accessory on the engine like the A/C compressor or pulley, power steering pump, or an idler pulley. You should first test the computer to see if the power steering pressure switch is activating by scanning the computer data to see if switch is working. If it is okay, then one of the components are binding and would need to be diagnosed by removing the belt and checking each component for binding. The car may also need a power steering pressure test. If you would like to have this looked at, a certified pro from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the squealing noise and pinpoint the problem.
is the ecm the problem if battery light is on and the alternator isn’t bad
ANSWER : This is likely a sign of a failing voltage regulator. This is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. In your case, it sounds like the voltage output from the alternator may be much too high resulting in overcharging the battery and burning up wires in the process. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and properly test your vehicle’s charging system.
Rotors and brakes were replaced only 6 months ago, but have now been making noise again for 3 months.
ANSWER : Hi there. Brake squeaks and squeals are a result of pad vibration, unless it’s a sensor touching letting you know it’s time for brake pad replacement. All brake pads vibrate, whether it’s audible depends on the frequency at which the pad(s) vibrates. This audible vibration may be the result of loose pad hardware or poor fitting replacement brake pads. I recommend having your vehicle’s brakes noise diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.
I just changed my passenger end links on my vehicle an hours ago and now there’s a rubbing noise and a bang noise 2005 Nissan Altima
ANSWER : hi there – first thing to check is if the link was installed with the "bolt" or anchor joints pointing in the correct direction. Close clearances for these links, and if installed backward, they could easily hit other suspension components as the suspension flexes going over bumps. For assistance, I would recommend a noisy suspension inspection by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
