Squeak may be bad alternator bearings?

[plymouthcolt]

I recorded this short audio clip of a squeaking sound coming from my engine. It seems to emanate from the fan housing area. I'm wondering could it be bad alternator bearings?

http://www.mediafire.com/file/tzyetfwz4nl/911 engine squeak.mp4

[James Brown]

take the fan belt off and turn the alt. by hand and listen. also feel if the bearings are turning smooth. this is not 100% proof but i f there real bad, you will feel/hear it. also, pull up and push down on the fan and see if there is any play. you can start it up without the belt, but only for a short time to troubleshoot the squeak.

[SteveinTO]

With the motor idling, give the belt a squirt of belt dressing (available from your FLAPS). If it suddenly gets quiet, replace the belt. Or squirt it every three minutes.

With the motor OFF, try to wiggle the fan by grasping the blades at 12 & 6. There shouldn't be any free-play.

[plymouthcolt]

I removed the belt and grabbed the fan and tried to wiggle it-there was zero free play. I also spun the fan so it free wheeled and didn't hear anything.

I reassembled the pulley exactly as I had it before-5 inner and 1 outer. This time I did not use a cheater bar extension. Previously I used the cheater bar (fear of it not being tight enough) and I'm wondering if I over torqued the pulley and basically I was squishing the belt?

101 Projects book calls for about 29 foot lbs but I don't have a 24mm socket so I couldn't torque it with my wrench.

I started it up and no more squeak. I'll drive it some more to see if it's gone permanently.

[plymouthcolt]

Well the squeak is back. I'm going to remove the a/c belt to see if it's the compressor. Going to try some belt dressing if it's not the compressor bearings.

[theiceman]

AC ? you didn't mention that before ... take the belt off and start the car ,, then take the cooling belt off and start the car , then you will know .. PS you don't need a breaker to righten your belt , you could damage the bearing or fan ... ..

[redranger]

Sounds like it could be the belt slipping, but hard to tell from that clip. How old is the fan belt? 5 shims on the inside is too much, should have 3 on inside, 3 on outside, if it's the right belt. You will know the belt is tight enough when you can turn the engine over with the fan nut (might be some slipping, but shouldn't be much. ) Don't over tighten fan nut, bentley manual says torque is 30 lb/ft.

This is the right belt...the 10" that Pelican sells won't work despite the fact they list it for your car.

Pelican Parts - Product Information: 999-192-176-50-M100

[Gunter]

Originally Posted by plymouthcolt

Well the squeak is back. I'm going to remove the a/c belt to see if it's the compressor. Going to try some belt dressing if it's not the compressor bearings.

Yep, belt dressing on both belts might just fix the problem.

Cheater bar? No way. Don't overtorque and use the right combination of shims and position them correctly.
A lot of people make the belt too tight and stress the alternator bearings plus the blades will rub on the lower housing. Or they'll use the blades to hold the fan when tightening the nut.

Use the J-wrench to counter-hold the fan, then tighten the nut. (The socket doesn't have to be metric, find a standard one that fits like 15/16"?)

The nut doesn't care.

Belt dressing will prevent slippage; I use it all the time. Put it on a rag and smear it on the belts.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

You need a 24mm socket, before you start trying to tighten things with a Vice-Grip. C'mon, they're not _that_ expensive...

[ipacketeer]

If your fanbelt is too tight (not enough spacers) it will put too much pressure on the bearing and cause to squeak.

[plymouthcolt]

Sorry for no reply I've been getting home when it's too dark to work outside.

I removed the a/c belt and ran the motor-squeak. (Eliminates a/c belt and compressor bearing)

Then I removed the fan belt and ran the motor-no squeak. (Conclusion is the fan belt slipping)

I followed redrangers advice and went to 3 shims in and 3 shims out. Put everything back together and torqued to 29.5 ft lbs. Started it up and listened-NO SQUEAK!

My belt was changed about 2.5 years ago with one ordered from Pelican. It's part number 999 192 245 50 which is now superseded to 999-192-176-50-M100.

I took the car out for and drive and it's safe to say the squeak is fixed. Thank you everyone for your help.