weestro

'95 Max, 140K on the clock. Cold starts produce an ear-piercing squeal that is really bad if the A/C is on during startup. If I let off the clutch immediately after starting sometimes the noise stops sometimes not. I thought it might be the throw-out bearing and wanted to replace the clutch anyway so did that but the noise remains. Sounds like belt squeal and comes from the passenger side of motor, maybe too loose? It has new belts BTW.

Any thoughts?

thx

way2fast95

iTrader: (1)

Double check the tension on your belts. If it has been awhile since you replaced them, go ahead and replace while you are at it.

Belts slipping has a distinctive squealing sound, and will almost always stop once the car warms up a bit.

weestro

I replaced the belts about 2 months ago thinking that would fix the squeal. Not having that obscure deflection tool the FSM talks about, I eyeballed the tension to 1/2 - 1/4 inch. The squeal remained...

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

i get it in the morning usually for half a second. yesterday it went for about 2 seconds but stopped after warmed up. i dont know how to do the tensioner though.
i also hear a similar sound when i step on the gas and my car shifts down for "passing" gear or wahtever. i donno what thats about

way2fast95

iTrader: (1)

chillin, yours sounds like a belt issue, i would replace the belts and make sure they have correct tension. It squeals when it slips and it slips when its cold, ie- startup, and when it is under heavy load, ie- a/c use or downshifting gears. It's very inexpensive to replace belts so start there.

weestro, I would suspect the a/c compressor bearings are on there way out, but they only experience I have with that, I have read on this site. Someone else might be able to give more info on how to diagnose that and it that is the case, you will need to replace the compressor or rebuild it.

JPMax

iTrader: (10)

Is it a really high pitched squeel or more like an EEErrrrrr kinda sound?

Can you tell what side of the engine bay it's coming from?

If it's coming from the right (passenger) side then it's probably a loose belt. With the car running, try spraying a little water on the belt and see if it squeels. The tension on the belts usually need to be checked a few weeks after changing.

If it's coming from the left (driver) side then I think you have what's very common in older maxs, a starter that's going bad. I used to have this problem every morning when it was cold. You can either replace the starter or pull it out and clean/replace the grease inside. (See www.motorvate.ca for more info)

weestro

I wonder about the compressor because while driving with the A/C on every once and a while I'll hear what sounds like a belt slip noise but it's only for half a second.

The sound is definitely a high-pitched squeal and it comes from the passenger side only when cold tho...

weestro

Ant96GLE

iTrader: (4)

The belts are squeaking... anytime you install new belts you have to retension them, they tend to stretch out.