CRafferty

Okay, so I was replaceing my front CVs and all the belts under the hood because I got a lot of mud in there and we thought the loud squeeling sound that was coming was because of the belts slipping or something, but it's been a few days since they were replaced and it's still making that noise when I start the engine. it gets louder when I rev the engine or use any of the electronics but it goes away after a few seconds. Does anyone have an ideer on what this could be?

Toyota Pete

If it gets louder with the use of electronics, check your alternator. pull the alt. belt and run it briefly without the belt and see if the noise stops.

CRafferty

I didn't run it w/ the belts off, but I put brand new GoodYear belts on them the day before and the noise started again.

T-1000

Mine does the EXACT same thing (the sound is kind of sickening almost, like it sounds really bad?), and makes a vibration when I accelerate.

Figured out last week that it's the alternator going out. I'm willing to bet that if you took a ratchet extension and put it on the alternator you would find some strange sounds. I haven't replaced mine yet, but I will soon.

CRafferty

That's what I'm thinking T. Thanks for the input. Have you looked into where you're going to get a new one yet? I'm thinking of running down to the neighbouthood Checker Auto, but I'm so tired of their crap service.

iamsuperbleeder

what about an idler pulley bearing?

CRafferty

That's one of my other thoughts, but would that have the same reaction to the use of he electronics or the accelorating? I thought that would just be an intermittant thing if it were the pulley bearing, and less harsh at that.

iamsuperbleeder

well when you turn on electronics like headlights for example, it puts a little more strain on the alt, which in turn makes it a little tougher for the belts to turn, leading to the belt tentioning up a bit, which will put more stress on the bearing in the idler pulley, so yes it very well can cause the noise if the bearing's bad in an idler pulley

best way to check would to be just remover the belt, and see how the idler pulley(s) feel; if they can wiggle around, they're shot; if they're hard to turn, or turn but feel like there's sand or something in the bearing, then they're shot...

Skoalbandit

x2. Definitely pull the belt and spin your pulleys. Do the same thing he mentioned to all of your pulleys. You can also have your alternator rebuilt by a machine shop, and they up the amperage of yours if you want, just stop in and ask them... They replace all the brushes, bearings, re-wind them, and clean all contacts etc. up inside..

CRafferty

Oh. That makes sense. I'll def check that out.

T-1000

IDK yet, I was thinking about just calling around and seeing who has good prices (I like Advance, there is a Toyota guru there and other smart dudes), but maybe I'll look into that rebuild thing...

CRafferty

OOOOOH. You got lucky with a competant employee. I went to rockauto.com for my fan and shroud and new grille, they had everything, but I haven't looked for the alternator yet.
I'll give those guys a good review. When the company they ordered my new CV driveshafts from (Wonh Ind.) tried to bone me and only send me one and tell me I got the other one, which I didn't, they got up in Wonh's grill over it and I had my halfshaft the next day. lol.

iamsuperbleeder

lol, I'm not even going to start on the issue about some of the people I worked with while at Advance for 2 years

the only ones that even had any common sence were 2 old timers that had been wrenching since the 50's and 60's; now they knew their stuff!

but then one retired, and one went to work with NASA at Kennedy Space Center...

But yeah if you're lucky you'll find at least one, maybe 2, automotive-intellegent workers at any Advance store


I worked their 2 1/2 years, and all my buddy's keep telling me to go back there, lol. If they paid as much as my current job, oh I would... but their too greedy with their money...

desertcox05

i thought i had a squeeling belt, narrowed it down to the power steering pump belt. so i just took the belt off for a couple days till i could dig up some money. after a couple of days of armstrong steering, i decided to put the belt back on. as soon as i started the motor, the squeeling came back so off with the belt again and the idler was smoking hot after 30 seconds of running. the light bulb came on, i took that sucker down to the nearest A.Z. and got a replacement bearing.