Squealing Noise Until Operating Temp

[The_Josh_Bear]

We have a vacuum pump that needs the other groove in the alternator pulley to power it.

We don't need no stinking brakes!

Why do you always gotta come in and make sense?!?

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

It's a well known fact that one single v-belt will not support a 130 amp alternator at full output. Some people get away with it, some don't. But like was said, the most amp draw would be after start up when the batteries have been used.

You will never find a 130 amp 3G alternator in the factory configuration without having a serpentine belt or two v-belts. They do make special regulators that you can retro fit on these alternators to bring the alternator in more slowly right after start up.

My 3G alt has never squealed unless it got wet or something, and I've tortured my batteries at times. So chalk me up as one that gets away with it, but that's also why I'm a believer in the wax stick! And tightening the alt belt nice and snug.

 

[KansasIDI]

My fairly new 3G alternator was squeaking when I started my truck tonight, but it was probably getting wet because my water pump is leaking. And my power steering pump is trying to kill itself.

I think I might just convert to serpentine… I have all the parts to do it… I might regret it but then again perhaps not

 

[IDIBRONCO]

We don't need no stinking brakes!

I do.

Why do you always gotta come in and make sense?!?

Because it's fun!

My 3G alt has never squealed unless it got wet or something,

I can't quite say that. Mine used to squeal sometimes until I bought a gates green stripe belt. I also don't use mine to the fullest most of the time. If it makes any difference, I'm pretty sure that it's a 130 amp and not a 150 amp.

 

[rvitko]

Yeah I double checked and it’s the 130 amp power master conversion. I’ll try the green belt and the pencil. Thanks! I’ve mostly just lived with it because I have a 94 turbo motor to transplant in and that’ll mean a serpentine conversion but it’s been on a stand for 2 years, I need a few grand to finish that project so it may be a while longer.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Well you could always swap over the serpentine parts. They'll go right onto an older engine.

 

[03wr250f]

as others have said likely belt noise. Pulling the belt and firing it up will confirm that.
I would be questioning the belt itself, try putting valve grind compound on it, and see if it helps.
as others have said it could be alternator, causing the squeal, and that is most likely, also how is the tensioner? is it keeping proper tension on the belt to prevent squealing?
I have had bad fan clutches cause that as well, where they would slip the belt because they were fully locked and wouldnt unlock for a long time, and it was a new clutch.

On my truck i swapped the 3g alt, serp to a smaller mustang pulley to spin it faster for more charging at idle, it caused squealing on startup when the glowplugs were running because the lack of tension could let the belt slip.

I ended up going to a 1/2'' shorter belt, and upgrading the charge cable size and now at idle i charge at 14.0 with blower on high, radio on, my auxilary reverse lights, fog lights, and headlights/ high beams with light bar and pod lights on, etc full load. I used to charge at 13.1 with the same load.

 

[screwhead]

@03wr250f Thank you for the advice. I have replaced the tensioner, was one of my first ideas about what it could be. I may try replacing the alternator soon.

I drove the pick up until one day it overheated on me a few times while driving maybe 10 miles. Had to pull over and let it sit then it would go a few miles before overheating. Didn’t have time to look into it so it sat for a few weeks and I eventually took it to another mechanic that seemed more confident they could figure out whatever was going on with it. That mechanic claimed that they could not replicate the overheating issue or the squealing noise. I think they are full of it, it overheated and squealed when I drove it out of their lot. While I was waiting for it to warm up in their lot I noticed it was pouring out oil around the oil cooler. (Has been leaking for a while but only a slight leak) I had the owner of their shop come look at it and asked him if it was leaking like that while they were messing with it. He said it might’ve been but I didn’t specifically ask them to look into that so his “mechanic probably didn’t think you want to pay for him to look into it” They would not let me speak to the actual guy who worked on the pick up. They also threw away my old thermostat that was in the cab. I hope y’all have better experiences with mechanics. Starting to think it might be a me problem.

I just finished pulling the oil cooler last night, going to rebuild it and put it back on soon. I imagine the oil cooler could be the cause of overheating but was curious if any of you thought that could also cause my squealing noise? Or maybe if they are separate issues.

Thanks again.

 

[IDIBOBS]

@03wr250f Thank you for the advice. I have replaced the tensioner, was one of my first ideas about what it could be. I may try replacing the alternator soon.

I drove the pick up until one day it overheated on me a few times while driving maybe 10 miles. Had to pull over and let it sit then it would go a few miles before overheating. Didn’t have time to look into it so it sat for a few weeks and I eventually took it to another mechanic that seemed more confident they could figure out whatever was going on with it. That mechanic claimed that they could not replicate the overheating issue or the squealing noise. I think they are full of it, it overheated and squealed when I drove it out of their lot. While I was waiting for it to warm up in their lot I noticed it was pouring out oil around the oil cooler. (Has been leaking for a while but only a slight leak) I had the owner of their shop come look at it and asked him if it was leaking like that while they were messing with it. He said it might’ve been but I didn’t specifically ask them to look into that so his “mechanic probably didn’t think you want to pay for him to look into it” They would not let me speak to the actual guy who worked on the pick up. They also threw away my old thermostat that was in the cab. I hope y’all have better experiences with mechanics. Starting to think it might be a me problem.

I just finished pulling the oil cooler last night, going to rebuild it and put it back on soon. I imagine the oil cooler could be the cause of overheating but was curious if any of you thought that could also cause my squealing noise? Or maybe if they are separate issues.

Thanks again.

With our going back and reading all the previous posts. Squeal will not come from the oil cooler. I’d be looking at alternator, ps pump, water pump,…. It should be really easy to find with a long screw driver to your ear while touching different belt driven components with the tip of the the screw driver As for over heating oil cooler, water pump, radiator, too much fuel, not enough fuel, ….

 

[screwhead]

@IDIBOBS
The squealing noise is not ever present at idle. I have to be driving, at least in second gear for it to happen. A lot of times won’t start till 3rd gear. Also will happen now even after I have been driving for a while, when it first started it would routinely go away completely whenever I reached operating temp.

 

[Old Goat]

I just reread through this thread again.
My first thought was throw Out Bearing in the Clutch.
Especially when you mentioned it started in 2 and then 3rd gear.
I went through this, and had 2 bearings do this, but was more a churping than a squeel.


Goat

 

[BeastMaster]

It should be really easy to find with a long screw driver to your ear while touching different belt driven components with the tip of the the screw driver.

Someone shared with me the act of holding the screwdriver ( or any other steel rod of appropriate length...3/8 extension rod, etc), while sticking the index finger of the hand holding the rod in the ear. The finger plugs the rest of the ear canal blocking ambient noise.

It's a safety thing too...if something catches in the rod, it's apt to wrench the rod out of your hand but not thrust it through your head. Turns out a finger is mostly incompressible water and transmits sound quite well.

I am kinda ignorant here. This may be the standard way to do this. If so, have a chuckle at my expense. It's just that this was shared with me and I am doing likewise

 

[screwhead]

Well I got the pick up back together finally after replacing throw out bearing with a nicer one from south bend clutch and the oil cooler gaskets, o rings. Sadly my oil cooler is still leaking a lot of oil out of the same place, the rear oil cooler head. I think it’s leaking from the gasket area where oil cooler meets the block. Seems like it’s still not mixing anything but I’m not sure.

Work has slowed down a bit for me so should have some more time to mess with it next week. If anyone has any advice I’d appreciate it. My plan is to replace the gaskets with Mahle brand ones instead of the Dorman ones I got and see if that has any effect. I was considering trying to use some gasket maker/rtv on them but have read you’re not supposed to do that, at least with the Dorman ones. I imagine Mahle are the same?

Was great to hear it running again. They sure do sound cool. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[screwhead]

Did some more work on the pick up recently, got my transfer case resealed. Put Mahle gaskets instead of Dorman ones on the oil cooler with no rtv or sealant of any kind on the gasket, I did put some on the bolts, one or two of them that I took out were soaked in oil so figured that might be at least part of the leak. Transfer case went well and is leak free for now.

The new gasket seems to have fixed my leak or made it nearly imperceptible. Need to clean the area where it was leaking again to be able to tell. But sadly I will have to take the oil cooler off again anyways because today while doing the coolant flush the distilled water it started to come out super brown. Took me quite a few cycles of draining and refilling, water was almost clear then the next one came out pretty a little bit brown. Did another flush just for confirmation and it was even darker. I attached a picture of the last flush.

I had a local machinist press the oil cooler back together as I was having a hard time keeping it straight by myself so figured I’d have a professional do it. When he gave it back to me he did express some doubt about whether or not he did it properly and said to bring it back if it mixed or leaked and he’d do it again for no charge. Maybe one of us nicked where the o rings sit too.

I will probably do that but considering trying it myself again with some extra hands.

 

[chickenpot]

I used to squirt some gold bond powder on my old chevys serp belt to quiet it down for a couple weeks. in my case it was a slight misalignment, but you should pull the belt and deep clean all the pulley grooves and belt with brake clean.