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/diy/ - Do It Yourself


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1768710 No.1768710 [Reply] [Original]

My car makes a squealing noise when I turn it on and it gets faster with acceleration.
For some background, I just had my alternator fixed about 2 weeks ago and this started a couple of days after. I was wondering if there were any things I could do to see what it might be at home before going to a mechanic so I can try to price it out beforehand because I haven't had much work in the past 2 months and I'm living off of my savings.

>> No.1768755

>>1768710
When was the last time your belt was changed? Did they do it with the alternator? That’s a cheap and easy job, it’s either that or one of the pulleys.

Any change with AC going on-off or tight steering?

>> No.1768770

>>1768710
Did I just see this on /o/? Most likely just a belt, yiu can ignore it.

>> No.1768822

>>1768755
Hi, thanks. Ac is fine but when I turn really hard to the right or left it makes a weird noise. Car has original belt if I had to guess. It's a 2006 mustang with 65k miles if that means anything.
>>1768770
No, this is my only thread but thank you for the response.

>> No.1768851

>>1768710
>check serpentine belt condition and tension yourself: free
>belt is improperly tensioned, car has manually adjustable tensioner: free
>belt is knackered (glazed/heat damage, cracks, damaged ribbing, fraying etc): ~$20-30 for a new one
>belt is fine but tensioned out of spec, automatic tensioner pulley instead of manual adjustment: $10-20 for new one
>belt and pulley are both knackered: do the math

Serpentine belt is the most likely culprit (slipping causes squealing, poor condition or undertensioned causes slipping) and diagnosing plus either/both of the aforementioned remedies will cost you about an hour of your time and maybe $50 total using basic hand tools.

>>1768822
>car has original belt
>14 years old, 65k miles

Yeah time for a new belt.

>>1768770
>you can ignore it

I mean you CAN but if the belt is slipping from wear or improper tension it will prematurely wear out the belt while also stressing the systems it powers and can result in the belt snapping while driving, resulting in loss of power steering and getting pieces of the belt mashed up where they don't belong. Checking and fixing this is so simple and cheap that you'd have to be retarded to NOT fix it since it really isn't just about the noise. Hell I had intermittent power steering and air conditioning issues with a squealing belt that all went away by simply adjusting the belt tension into proper spec; it had been too loose after I'd replaced a pulley (kind of like OP's alternator situation) which resulted in slipping under load from the steering pump and aircon.

>> No.1768856

Check the idler pulley. Very easy to overlook and even easier to replace that's what it was on mine

>> No.1768858

>>1768851
I read this and sprayed some oil on my belt to see if it did anything to do the squealing out of curiosity and it really toned it down with a squeak just here and there. Guess I'll be taking this in to get fixed. Thanks a lot.

>> No.1768912

>>1768858
If you want to save a few bucks, Youtube it and see if you’re comfortable doing it yourself. V6 Mustang probably is super easy with lots of room to work, one wrench and 10min job with a $20 part.

>> No.1769245

>>1768710
Honestly just sounds like the belt tightener needs to be adjusted desu.

>> No.1770333

>>1768858
Oil on the belt is the worst thing you can do. The belt relies on friction to transfer power. If it slips, and you oil it, it will even slip even more, just not as loud.
What you can do it to put the car in neutral, all electric systems off, and then push the throttle repeatedly. Memorize the sound.
Then switch on everything electric, like all lights possible, window heater, air blower at full power. Again push the throttle. The the squealing sound gets worse, you do not have enough belt tension. You need to increase it. Some cars have tensioners, some tilt the alternator a little to provide tension. A new belt is cheap. Invest in it before you get stranded.

>> No.1770595

>>1768851
Some shitmobiles have hydraulic tensioners that will give you a heart attack when you see the price when the only place you can buy it is the dealers.