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Most likely cause of auxiliary belt noise squeal?

  • 13-10-2017 10:04pm
    #1
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭


    Wifes old Ford Focus (1.4 petrol 2004) has developed a very noisy auxiliary belt.

    Now it was like that 12 months ago and I put on a new belt and it was better in fact fixed it for a while but last month its got worse and worse. Belt itself looks fine.

    When its dry there is no squeal but as soon as its damp or wet it can be really noisy.

    Am I right to think the most likely cause is the alternator bearings and that the alternator needs replacing?


Comments

  • #2
    shietpilot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,881 ✭✭✭shietpilot


    The belt tensioner is weak possibly causing the belt to slip when it's wet. Or one of the pulleys is binding up making the belt wear.


  • #3
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    shietpilot wrote: »
    The belt tensioner is weak possibly causing the belt to slip when it's wet. Or one of the pulleys is binding up making the belt wear.

    No belt pensioner tensioner afaik on those and I'm having trouble working out if its one of the pulleys, suppose all I can do is take the belt off and see if I can feel which pulley is causing the problem.


  • #4
    Hal1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,720 ✭✭✭Hal1


    It has to be one of these. There is no tensioner for the aux belt.
    430554.jpg


  • #5
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Thanks next best guess its the water pump. Problem is my wife want to do a couple of hundred mile journey next weekend and I don't think I have time to do the water pump which I was planning to do with a timing belt change.

    The water pump has been weeping for a long time, only a very minor drip but that does also point to that as being the source of the problem.


  • #6
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Quick question to anyone that might know is it possible to do just the water pump without taking anything else off other than the aux belt?

    Not got the car here atm so can't check myself.


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  • #7
    Hal1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,720 ✭✭✭Hal1


    Yeah, as it's not driven by the timing belt. So once you remove the aux belt ( I removed the alternator to get belt off) it's only a few bolts on the WP.


  • #8
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Yep, already know about the trick of taking the alternator off to remove and fit the aux belt :) , but if thats all it needs I can probably find the time on Thursday/Friday to replace the water pump so once I've taken another look at it (when the cars back home) and order one from micksgarage.


  • #9
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Just got the car back and I need to think a bit more about it :o There looks to be a good bit more to strip off than just alternator and I think I'll be working in behind the timing belt so have to at least remove that cover also.


  • #10
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    In the end just to try and see what was going on I did the following. Removed belt altogether and ran the engine. I wan't to check the noise was coming from that dam belt. All quiet so went and got a new belt fitted it and for now the squeal is gone.


  • #11
    Waterson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 383 ✭✭Waterson


    If your water pump is leaking you'd be best to replace it especially coming into the winter months. On some models the pump replacement requires removal of timing belt as the pump housing incorporates the tapped hole for the timing belt tensioner. Timing belt and water pump kits are cheap enough and labour is under 2 hours. Cheaper alternative than a head gasket replacement...


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  • #12
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Waterson wrote: »
    If your water pump is leaking you'd be best to replace it especially coming into the winter months. On some models the pump replacement requires removal of timing belt as the pump housing incorporates the tapped hole for the timing belt tensioner. Timing belt and water pump kits are cheap enough and labour is under 2 hours. Cheaper alternative than a head gasket replacement...

    Its been leaking for 4 years :o but the mechanic I use for bigger jobs said not to bother as it was a common problem that wasn't worth fixing. I say leak but you could drive a 1000 miles and not notice a difference in the header bottle. When I looked from underneath with the mechanic he showed me where it was weeping from around the gasket not even wet just a dry residue..

    It will do for now once we get this storm over with I'll get the timing belt done which is due soon and do the water pump at the same time.

    Thanks :)


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