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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 03:46 PM
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Default Alternator Squealing - Possible Crank Bolt Problem

Belt seems tight but when I rev the engine above idle I'm getting a constant squeal from the alternator area. Taking it in for service tomorrow to see if the alternator bearings are shot. Anyone else experience these symptoms????

Last edited by Walt White Coupe; Dec 18, 2006 at 09:17 AM. Reason: update
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 04:41 PM
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I had mine replaced weeks after I got my car.It whistled alot.I did not get a squeaking sound.Good luck
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe
Belt seems tight but when I rev the engine above idle I'm getting a constant squeal from the alternator area. Taking it in for service tomorrow to see if the alternator bearings are shot. Anyone else experience these symptoms????
If you have early '05 DO NOT EVEN DRIVE IT!
You may be experiencing the crankbolt starting to back out.
VIN's from around 11,000 and earlier '05's affected.
Do a search here oon the forum, and check your crankbolt before proceeding. Or have it flat bedded to your dealer.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 05:47 PM
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My alternator was making a whining noise also, and was replaced at ~1300 miles.

Shawn
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Hoonose
If you have early '05 DO NOT EVEN DRIVE IT!
You may be experiencing the crankbolt starting to back out.
VIN's from around 11,000 and earlier '05's affected.
Do a search here oon the forum, and check your crankbolt before proceeding. Or have it flat bedded to your dealer.
It was manufactured in June 2005, #29500. So that shouldn't be the problem. Will keep everyone posted as to solution.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe
It was manufactured in June 2005, #29500. So that shouldn't be the problem. Will keep everyone posted as to solution.
Whew!
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 11:49 AM
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Just got car back from service and all they would tell me is that I had a "noisy belt" that was replaced under warranty. Test drive and squeal is gone. Don't really understand "noisy belt."
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe
Just got car back from service and all they would tell me is that I had a "noisy belt" that was replaced under warranty. Test drive and squeal is gone. Don't really understand "noisy belt."
It is more common than you think.
Belt was bad and needed replacement.
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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 11:18 AM
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It's back. New belt solved the problem for 200 miles and now it's chirping/squealing again from idle on up just like it did before. I hate it when a repair shop can't fix a simple problem the first time and you have to keep taking it back over and over. The only thing that I know of that will cause a belt to squeal is loss of tension so I'm assuming it's the tensioner that is actually what has gone bad. We'll see what they say next.
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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe
It's back. New belt solved the problem for 200 miles and now it's chirping/squealing again from idle on up just like it did before. I hate it when a repair shop can't fix a simple problem the first time and you have to keep taking it back over and over. The only thing that I know of that will cause a belt to squeal is loss of tension so I'm assuming it's the tensioner that is actually what has gone bad. We'll see what they say next.
I agree. I had/have the same problem. When I took it in they replaced the belt tensioner. The squealing never went away. I'll be taking it back in a couple of weeks. The noise is annoying and most noticible when the car is cold.
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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by JVM225
It is more common than you think.
Belt was bad and needed replacement.
Not necessarily. The surface may just be too smooth and that may be causing it to slip a little. If this happens again, try sprinkling a little talcum powder (not baby powder because it has oil in it) on the belt (both sides because on a serpentine belt both sides make contact). The talcum powder will roughen the belt surface a little, reduce the slippage and stop the squeaking in some cases.

Last edited by PappyTinker; Dec 3, 2006 at 02:19 PM.
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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 02:55 PM
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Belt dressing is an expedient to temporarily stop an old glazed belt from slipping/squealing until it can be replaced. Since they already installed a new belt, putting on belt dressing is not the thing to do. Instead, they should be trying to discover why a belt, even a new belt, is squealing. The two most common causes of belt squeal are inadequate belt tension or improper pulley alignment.

But we aren't even sure at this point if the noise is belt squeal. It could still be faulty bearings. Bearing squeal can go away temporarily when you adjust belt tension or alignment because this changes the loading on the bearings. But bad bearings will quickly start to squeal again.
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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 03:24 PM
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But we aren't even sure at this point if the noise is belt squeal. It could still be faulty bearings. Bearing squeal can go away temporarily when you adjust belt tension or alignment because this changes the loading on the bearings. But bad bearings will quickly start to squeal again.[/QUOTE]

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Old Dec 3, 2006 | 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by drummingman
But we aren't even sure at this point if the noise is belt squeal. It could still be faulty bearings. Bearing squeal can go away temporarily when you adjust belt tension or alignment because this changes the loading on the bearings. But bad bearings will quickly start to squeal again.
[/QUOTE]

If it were an alignment issue the first belt would not have lasted 18,000 miles. So I don't think it's an alighnment issue. If it were bearings in the alternator sqealing, I would think they would be toast by now and the alternator would have seized. And I would hope the mechanic checked for an accessory drive bearing failure as the manual describes before replacing the belt. My money is still on it being the belt tensioner but time will tell. Hope to have it back in the shop by this Tuesday.
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 09:11 AM
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Default Update on Repair & Problem

Drop the car of at Thomas Chev. Get a call that they have to keep the car because the "engineers" have decided that the problem is the belt tensioner pulley. Next day they install the pulley, squeal is still there. The "engineers" decide it must be the idler pullley, another day to order that. End of the next day they say they replaced both pulleys and both belts. No more squeal. Mileage at 18915. 75 miles later start it up and the squeal is back. With the car running I can see that the crank pulley is not running dead nuts straight and has an ever so slight wobble to it. My car is well over the 11039 build number that is suppose to be affected by this "Crank Bolt" problem. My build is 29432. Made an appointment to bring it back tomorrow.

QUESTION: Anyone in the Delaware County, PA area have a recommendation for a dealer in the area that has done the crank bolt repair and that they would recommend. Don't have much confidence in Thomas Chev at this point. Still not 100% sure that is the problem but it sure looks like it to me at this point. Also, I haven't seen any reports from people with cars out of the affected range complain of this problem, are there any out there????
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe
Drop the car of at Thomas Chev. Get a call that they have to keep the car because the "engineers" have decided that the problem is the belt tensioner pulley. Next day they install the pulley, squeal is still there. The "engineers" decide it must be the idler pullley, another day to order that. End of the next day they say they replaced both pulleys and both belts. No more squeal. Mileage at 18915. 75 miles later start it up and the squeal is back. With the car running I can see that the crank pulley is not running dead nuts straight and has an ever so slight wobble to it. My car is well over the 11039 build number that is suppose to be affected by this "Crank Bolt" problem. My build is 29432. Made an appointment to bring it back tomorrow.

QUESTION: Anyone in the Delaware County, PA area have a recommendation for a dealer in the area that has done the crank bolt repair and that they would recommend. Don't have much confidence in Thomas Chev at this point. Still not 100% sure that is the problem but it sure looks like it to me at this point. Also, I haven't seen any reports from people with cars out of the affected range complain of this problem, are there any out there????
As in earlier post if you suspect the crank bolt, don't drive it. Major damage if it comes out.
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Jimbeaux
I agree. I had/have the same problem. When I took it in they replaced the belt tensioner. The squealing never went away. I'll be taking it back in a couple of weeks. The noise is annoying and most noticible when the car is cold.
...Alternator replaced. Squealing is now gone.
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