Alternator

spdracer

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if i were to replace the alternator pulley would that include the bearings inside the pulley? i think thats whewre my squueling is comming from on cold starts since ive replaced already tensioner pulley/idle pulley...
 
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Wes8398

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You replaced the belt before you bothered with the tensioner/idler pullies, right? If not, does the squeal go away after it warms up a bit? If so, it's likely the belt itself, not a pulley.
 
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spdracer

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yeah sorry forgot to mention first thing was the belt that i replaced. and yeah it just makes the noise on cold morning for 4min or so then its gone..
 
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Firestrike87

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I hate to dig up an old thread but did replacing the alternator fix your problem? I'm having a similar issue and a couple of people said it sounds like the squeal is coming from the top of the engine right at the alternator, but my alternator tests out fine?
 

nyuk98gt

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Firestrike87:

Your alternator may test fine but the bearing may be worn. You can get rebuild kit or you can get a new alternator. I put a PA Performance 130 A alternator (made in the USA) on mine last year and it is a very fine piece of equipment!

HTH,

Chris
 
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Firestrike87

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So it is possible for the alternator to actually make a squealing noise only sometimes? I figured if the bearing was bad it waould always make noise. I guess I'll have to start looking for a new or rebuilt alternator. Thanks for the help.
 

nyuk98gt

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Firestrike87:

Yes, it can be intermittent but, eventually, the bearing will squeak constantly. Before you fork out for a new alternator, confirm the location of the squeak by holding a piece of tubing up to your ear and moving the other end around (tensioner, water pump, p/s pump, A/C clutch, alternator). The noise will increase a lot when you find the real squeak (could be the alternator, for sure).

Chris
 
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Firestrike87

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Well I checked the alternator, water pump, powersteering pump and they all sounded fine to me, although I don't really know what to listen to. I know my AC doesn't work but if the AC was off, could it still make noise? If I turn the AC on, is the part around the pulley supposed to spin? I can spin it by hand but it doesn't ever spin with the AC on or off. Also, how do I test to see if the tensioner is bad?
 

nyuk98gt

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Firestrike87:

The pulley on the A/C is the clutch and it should turn by hand with the A/C off (interior switch set to "VENT"). If it isn't turning with the A/C off, then I bet the compressor is fouled up. By "my A/C doesn't work..." I presume that you mean it doesn't cool the interior, right? The compressor 'should' still turn even if it is out of freon. The clutch won't engage if the pressure switch(es) doesn't detect sufficient pressure.

Given the latest info from you, I'm thinking that the A/C compressor is the bad actor rather than the alternator.

Chris
 
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Firestrike87

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Ya, when I purchased the car the previous owner said the AC didn't work and when I checked it, the air wasn't cooler. When I turn the AC to the on position, it doesn't spin that part on the front of the pulley. I don't hear anything turn on or click when I the the knob to turn the AC on. If the AC compressor is at fault, how much does it cost to replace that and how do you actually check to see what is wrong with it? Would it still make the noise if it doesn't turn on?
 

mattman347

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I would say if the clutch is not engaging, then your are low on 134a. I had to replace the alternator on my Cobra because it would squeel sometimes(bearing was going out) I would replace it.
 

nyuk98gt

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Firestrike87:

To test things, the system has to have sufficient 134a refrigerant. You can buy a couple of cans at AutoZone or your local parts place for testing purposes. The pressure switch near the 'bottle' on the firewall is known to be a weak spot and it isn't very expensive to replace. It screws on/off and there is a Schrader (sp?) valve to prevent freon from coming out. There's a high pressure switch, too, but the LP switch is the one that most people have trouble with. I hope it is just a switch. The main compressor failed on me (after 8 years) and the compressor had to be replaced.

For ballpark pricing, sit down, you're not going to like this. My new A/C compressor along with evacuating/refilling/testing the sytsem ran about $700 at the local Ford dealer. You can buy a new compressor, install it, and then head to your dealer to have it evacuated (a full vacuum must be pulled to remove all air/water vapor) and refilled and tested. Probably a much less expensive way to go!

Chris
 
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Firestrike87

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Well, maybe I'll just hope that I need refrigerant to get the ac to work or I'll just roll the windows down. Also, hopefully the squealing noise isn't coming from the ac compressor and it actually is the alternator. Listening to the noise with the hood open, everyone I talk to says it sounds like it is coming from the alternator on top but when I used our stethascope to listen to the alternator, it didn't make any crazy noises to lead me to beilve that the bearings are going bad. Also the pulley felt fine spinning it but a local alternator shop said that the contacts or windings or something inside the alternator could be almost worn out expessially since my car has 151,000 miles on it. I'm going to try and get a video of it but everytime it does it I don't have a camara near. I guess I'll just wait until it gets worse and does it more often. I do notice that the pitch of the squeal does change while I decellerate. I will be decellerating at a steady rate but the noise almost sounds like it is "downshifting". The pitch goes from high to lower a couple of times during the steady decelleration all the way to 0 mph.
 

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