Bad bearing, power steering pump, alternator???

[turbochris]

you will learn SOOOOO MUCH by spinning the pump/alt/tensioner/ac clutch by hand while the belt is off. If nothing pops out at you, try starting the motor w the belt off, if it still makes noise then it's not anything that is driven by the belt.

[SSHAMU94]

Originally Posted by turbochris

you will learn SOOOOO MUCH by spinning the pump/alt/tensioner/ac clutch by hand while the belt is off. If nothing pops out at you, try starting the motor w the belt off, if it still makes noise then it's not anything that is driven by the belt.

Yes. I did start it without the belt on and it did not make the noise. It must be something on the drive belt. I've narrowed it down to the PSP. Its just weird...I've never heard that kind of noise coming from a bad one. It usually makes that grinding/low pitch noise. Not a high whining noise like its making.

A couple of other things I've noticed. The noise goes away after the car has been running for a while. its only when its cold do i hear it. Could it be just the pulley that the belt rides on?

This is so frustrating!

[1slow96]

Many power steering pumps suffer from some form of "morning-sickness",and I've found a small bottle of Lucas p/s stop-leak to be helpful. That is,after flushing out the p/s system completely. Use a quality p/s fluid,never use ATF. I use/recommend Red-Line synthetic p/s fluid,but there are others.

[The Fooser Guy]

For the um-teenth time:

Get a wooden dowel / yardstick / piece of molding / etc. about 3 feet long.
(Wood is a pretty good insulator, so you don't get shocked. Use a light-weight piece of wood so when it gets caught by something spinnning (like the pullies/belt) it just snaps off without killing you.)

Open your hood and start the car.

Put one end of the 'stick' in the first joint of your thumb, and then close your fingers around your thumb and the stick.

Put your thumb-knuckle 'in' your ear, with the stick still in your hand.

Put the other end of the stick 'on' your motor/alt/PSP/tensioner/injectors/tranny/etc. and you can listen to the individual parts/bearings. This is because the sound vibrations travel up the stick better than they do thru the air and all the vibrations are not blending together.

D'oh: you want to put the 'motor' end of the stick on parts that ARE NOT MOVING. Like if you want to listen to the tensioner, you have to carefully place the end of the stick on the bolt head in the center of the pully - not on the spinning pully itself.

If it costs you a buck to try this, you probably over-spent.

HTH.

.

[BALLSS]

OP

it has been stated to use a "probe" either screw driver or wood dowel to listen to the spinning accessories JUST BE CAREFULL NOT STICKING IT ON MOVING PARTS. You can buy for like $3-$4 at harbor Freight a automotive stethascope (worth the $) which will greatly assist in pin pointing the source of noise.

just pulling the belt and spinning the accessories will most likely point out the issue.

Your problem "sounds" like one I had. Cold/morning starts a "chirp" sound until car got warmer and went away. It was the rear alternator bearing. This is a $6 part but has to be pressed in/out and alternator dissassembly is no big deal. youtube video shows how

on the electrical connector...you can buy tools to remove the pins at most auto parts stores in the help section or harbor freight.