96 Nissan Sentra... Need help isolating engine squeal

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Al Kondo - 20 Jun 2005 20:32 GMT

I have a 96 Sentra GXE and I am trying to isolate an intermittent
squeal from my engine area that I hear at startup and then goes away.
I recently changed out my water pump so I know it is not that. I have
tightened by belts so I know its not that. So, I figure it has to be
the alternator or the idler pulley. Though I have tried putting my
ear as close to both units as I can (without losing it), I cannot
isolate which of the two it is coming from. I was thinking of just
changing out my idler pulley, but I found out that it costs about $80
(ouch!). Therefore, I want to know which is the problem unit before I
spend my hard earned money. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Al Kondo

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Comboverfish - 20 Jun 2005 21:42 GMT

> I have tightened my belts
> so I know its not that.

Actually, all that tells you is that your belts are tighter than they
were before.

Get a can of WD40 ready, and when the squealing occurs, spray it very
lightly at each belt, one at a time. If the noise goes away then you
know which belt is the cause.

You can tighten some belts until right before they snap and they will
still squeal. Rubber condition, pulley condition, and pulley alignment
issues can all be contributing factors.

Toyota MDT in MO

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Bob M. - 20 Jun 2005 23:48 GMT

>I have a 96 Sentra GXE and I am trying to isolate an intermittent
> squeal from my engine area that I hear at startup and then goes away.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> ear as close to both units as I can (without losing it), I cannot
> isolate which of the two it is coming from. I was thinking of just

Get a mechanic's stethoscope, lets you reach into tiny places and hear
things. Also good for isolating the source.

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Hugo Schmeisser - 21 Jun 2005 14:36 GMT

> > I have a 96 Sentra GXE and I am trying to isolate an intermittent
> > squeal from my engine area that I hear at startup and then goes
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> Get a mechanic's stethoscope, lets you reach into tiny places and
> hear things. Also good for isolating the source.

A bit hard to touch a mechanic's stethoscope to a moving belt, don't
you think?

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twillmon@cybermesa.net - 21 Jun 2005 14:41 GMT

On 2005-06-20 x-no-archive:yes said:
>Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
>"Al Kondo" <alkon@hal-pc.org> wrote in message
>news:42b719a1.23740197@news.hal-pc.org...
>>I have a 96 Sentra GXE and I am trying to isolate an intermittent
>> squeal from my engine area that I hear at startup and then goes
>>away. I recently changed out my water pump so I know it is not
>>that. I have tightened by belts so I know its not that. So, I
>>figure it has to be the alternator or the idler pulley. Though
>>I have tried putting my ear as close to both units as I can
>>(without losing it), I cannot isolate which of the two it is
>coming from. I was thinking of just
>Get a mechanic's stethoscope, lets you reach into tiny places and
>hear things. Also good for isolating the source.
Lacking that, a piece of hose to your ear might do well enough.

Tom

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

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