Squealing when cold.

[RSWiser]

Normally I don't drive my car when there is snow on the ground and it is cold.

This evening my daily driver was in the shop so I drove my Porsche. Stopped at an appointment for an hour. Temperature was about 25F.

When I came out and drove off it was squealing when I shifted. I have had a couple times it would squeal just a second and I thought it was the Belt on the Alternator. This squeal only happened when I shifted, both 1st and 2nd. Didn't last long but squealed not the less.

The car didn't really have time to get warmed up on the drive home.

Any thoughts.

[Bob Kontak]

The alternator belt is loose and / or tired. Engine rpms drop between shifts and then bounce up when you engage the clutch. Cold and loose belt says "I don't want to spin this fast" and lets you know.

[ossiblue]

Interesting. Some questions to help clarify:

1) Did it squeal every time you shifted into 1st and 2nd for the duration of the drive home or did it stop squealing in those gears after several shifts?

2) How many times did you shift into those gears--lots because you had many stops, or just a couple because you had a long cruise?

3) You said it squealed when shifting into 1st. Do you mean when you released the cluch and took off in 1st, or when you actually moved the shift lever into 1st?. Same question for 2nd gear.

4) Were your revs about the same when shifting into higher gears as they were when shifting into 2nd?

Let us know the answers as it may narrow down the problem a bit.

edit: Bob posted while I was typing but I certainly concur with his analysis. Simple and logical and an easy, cheap fix.

[Bob Kontak]

Let's hope it's the belt.

[landrover88]

Well

Sounds like the same noise I was having just before my throw out bearing went.

Good luck

[Baby]

Me, too.

Well



Sounds like the same noise I was having just before my throw out bearing went.



Good luck

[Bob Kontak]

Just for discussion, would the TO bearing squeal in 3rd & 4th as well as 1st and 2nd? I am thinking the rpm differential from idle to rpms in 3rd/4th would not be as drastic as 1st 2nd. Therefore the belt would not be as stressed.

Maybe the same thing happens with the TO bearing?

[Zeke]

Fan belts squeal in gear, out of gear, they squeal with any increase in RPM that has a bigger load on the fan effort. Actually, at the shift point the belts are quiet. Not so much a downshift.

Keep looking......

[RSWiser]

Answers:
Squealed when I first started car.
Squealed when I took off from first.
Squealed when I shifted to second.

Never got above second because it was only 1 mile home with 2 stoplights and 1 stop sign.

I really think it is the belt because it is the same squeal I have had a few time before since the belt was changed.

If belt is loose how do I tighten it?

Is it the 6 washers on the alternator?

Thanks for the help.

[Bob Kontak]

Have you lifted the lid to check the tension?

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Have you lifted the lid to check the tension?

+1 Do this first.

Originally Posted by RSWiser

Answers:
Squealed when I first started car.
Squealed when I took off from first.
Squealed when I shifted to second.

Never got above second because it was only 1 mile home with 2 stoplights and 1 stop sign.

I really think it is the belt because it is the same squeal I have had a few time before since the belt was changed.

If belt is loose how do I tighten it?

Is it the 6 washers on the alternator?

Thanks for the help.

Yes, the 6 washers (shims). Removing shims from between the pulley halves will increase tension on the belt. What is your shim arrangement now (how many are between the halves?)

[RSWiser]

Don't know the shim set up. I'll check this out when I get back from vacation and can get my car into the shop in a week.

So more shims between means more tension right?

Thanks.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by RSWiser

Don't know the shim set up. I'll check this out when I get back from vacation and can get my car into the shop in a week.

So more shims between means more tension right?

Thanks.

Um, no. Less would be a squeeze, forcing the belt up the vee.

[RSWiser]

Yeah, I missed that.

I'll do that next week when I get back from my vacation.

Thanks.