Water pump squeal...maybe?

[DieselSpider]

If you do not have a mechanics stethoscope you may want to consider getting one to help locate the source of this noise. Even the cheap one from Harbor Freight works very well especially considering it costs less than $5. Despite the low price even my Daughter who is not mechanically inclined was able to identify the source of the noise in her cars engine which the factory mechanics said did not exists. It was the valve train on the 3rd and 4th cylinders which are furthest away from where the oil feeds up from the block and into the head. A good shot of Mystery Type oil to clean things up and a long drive cleared that up and got the oil flowing again. The car had sat unused for over a year due to the previous owners terminal illness so had some lack of use issues despite its very low mileage.

https://www.harborfreight.com/mechanics ... tethoscope

[Spider951]

Old cars and things that go bump in the dark. X2 on stethoscope. I suppose by now you've checked all the usual suspects (?): belts, hoses, wires, zip-ties and other things that might interfere with fan blades, etc. I would most suspect the alignment and tension of the alternator belt and pulley. Mine is kinda wonky in that area.

Or....just a wild guess, but one noise that recently had me puzzled for while after clutch replacement and other drivetrain work: intermittent but scary squeal/high pitched scraping sound (fingernails on a chalkboard) - turned out to be very slight rubbing of flywheel on the thin metal guard plate (aka "transmission inspection plate" in VAS catalog). I still don't understand the intermittent part, but a washer or two under each plate mounting bolt to act as spacers was the remedy. I was dreading re-pulling the tranny when I finally pinpointed the location of the noise. (Or...if you maybe have a Frigidaire refrigerator with an icemaker in your car that would for sure be the source. Our fridge is quite "musical").

[RRoller123]

Just a thought.... On my car, there is a required plastic spacer for the bottom mounting stud/bolt (cant remember which it is right now) of the large plastic belt cover up front. Without that spacer the pulleys can rub on the plastic housing. Mine had deep gouges from the crankshaft pulley. This could possibly be the source of the noise.

[njoconnor]

Interesting timing between this post and my real life.....

Started getting what I was sure was alternator belt squeal, in that it sounded like 1) the belts on my old VW/Audi's when they got old and loose, and 2) the squeal went away when things got warm. But I was also hearing a metallic clicking noise, independent of engine speed, mostly at idle (well....the engine was probably drowning it out at speed...).

At the golf course this AM, I noticed coolant on the parking lot near the Fiat. popped the hood, checked the radiator, some coolant, but low. Home was less than 10 miles away, so I jumped in and headed back.the squeal got more frequent, the clicking got louder/more persistent, and at the final stoplight, a few wisps of steam. Got home, into the driveway/garage, and had coolant flowing from the front of the engine, over the oil pan lip, and (thankfully) into the garage mat/tray I'd purchased when we bought the house. Of course, coolant all over the inside of the hood, radiator, belt cover, hoses.....

Water pump was replaced by the PO in 2011 when he had the engine rebuilt. I've put 5500 miles on since then. I'm kinda hoping it's water pump, not head gasket; I can't see any coolant leaking from block/valve head seam at the sides. Any other suggestions of where to look/what to anticipate?

Thanks.....

Neil

[RRoller123]

My fan itself actually came loose years ago, hit the radiator and slowly started to eat through it until the radiator was damaged enough to leak. Sprayed coolant all over the engine bay. Made a clicking as well. Although all this happened pretty quickly, like over just a few miles.

[njoconnor]

I'll make sure to look, Pete, but right before I shut it down, I scanned the radiator and saw no sign of coolant flowing from that direction. The gush flowing from the region of the water pump keeps me focused there.

I went back out later and did some more poking around. Found that I could move the water pump pulley laterally in all directions about 1/16 inch....which I suspect is NOT the stock spec. Depending on other schedule demands, I'll be disassembling things today or tomorrow, confirming water pump, then ordering the needed parts. I'll mis an upcoming cars and coffee, but will be back on the road for fall driving soon.

Neil

[CharlieB]

OK, I finally got the noise located...it was the tensioner bearing! Weird though because the bearing was changed out around this time last year.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for the advice.
I'm sure I'll have more oddities to share soon.
Thanks again
Charlie