When the car is running I hear a whislte like sound comming from my alternator!

Is this normal or actualy comming from somewheres else?

 

On mine it was the field coils vibrating. If this is what you have the fix is to replace the generator.

To diagnosie, when the noise is present, disconnect the generator connector. If the noise stops, it is loose the field coil.

 

Not sure what you mean CALEMASTER. The wire that looks like a spark plug wire or the electrical looking one?

With the car running? If it stops making the noise then the alternator has got to go?

 

I blew an alternator once on a missed shift which according to my log had my rpm's up to 8,495!!! It didn't really whislte though, mine was more like a screaching from the fan blades straightening out and rubbing the housing... I've since went to a different over rev strategy.

 

new alt is needed if the noise is bothersome.

 

While the engine is running and noise present. If noise stops when you disconnect this connector, then the noise is caused by a loose field coil in the generator. If so, the correction is to replace the generator.

This one.

 

Wow, thanks for taking the time to post the pic brother!

By generator you mean alternator or a component within it?


Funny is that my car crapped out on me yesterday when going to start it. I changed the battery and have not heard the whistle YET.

Thanks again CALEMASTER

Rod

 

You are welcome.

If the noise does return, try disconnecting the connecter as shown in the photo above. For me the problem was intermitted and it took me about 2 weeks to figure it out. Interestingly, my new generator now has a one way clutch in the pulley.




I call it a generator because GM calls it a generator.

 

Good info with pics, too! Thanks Al.

 

Interesting statement in the online manual that the slip ring and frame are liquid cooled. Just checked the Helm for my 2008 and it says the same thing which is incorrect (no coolant lines to the unit obviously). Actual liquid cooled alternators are not very common but can be found for example in a 1999 BMW 540i.

 

Q: Know why your alternator whistles?

A: Because it doesn't know the words.

 

 

You are correct!

And in reality, an Alternator IS a Generator, and anyone who says differently, absolutely doesn't know what they are talking about. Allow me to summarize and educate….

A machine that converts rotational motion of mechanical power into electrical power is called a Generator. In simplicity, there are DC Generators and AC Generators. And, I’m not talking about solid-state here. Within the AC Generator group, there are a plethora of mechanical designs that yield different output electrical waveforms and characteristics. One example I’ll mention here, because it happens to be what we are focusing on in this forum, is a Synchronous Generator.

This design consists of stationary field and armature windings where its operation is dependent upon a periodic variation in the reluctance between the mechanical angular displacement of each stator tooth and each rotor tooth. Of course, there are at least a couple different configurations with this type of design, but who cares? It is still called a Synchronous Generator that has an AC output waveform (doesn't matter whether it is sinusoidal, square, triangular, pulse or whatever). Of course in our case, we must convert it to a DC output by using solid state electronics which I don't need to get into here.

Now, instead of calling this design a Synchronous Generator, can you come up with another name? ALTERNATOR, yes, that’s correct! As a matter of fact, the intelligent manufacturing industry (or publisher of manuals) is very wise to use the most correct term to describe and encompass all designs of electric generating machines within the devices they build, that terminology would be the……GENERATOR. The word Alternator simply describes a specific design of a Generator.

Oh my goodness, look what terminology GM uses in their maintenance manuals for our Corvettes…..obviously, these engineers understand this underlying concept.

Again, an ALTERNATOR IS CLASSIFIED AS A GENERATOR REGARDLESS OF THE OUTPUT WAVEFORM, PERIOD!

Class is over, have a nice day.