Hello guys, belive me I searched a lot and could not find anything about this.
I got a SE 2k. yesterday afternoon I turned on the car and a weird whinning sound started, not the regular belt one, but more deep. I took a look at the engine and it was a burning (plastic) smell ?? WTF, turned off, checked both belts and they were tensioned ( I got them changed 3 mos ago, just as maintenance, no problems at all after that).
Tried to find a mechanic but no luck, well this am had to come to work ( 5am) turned the car on and still can notice some "different" noise but not as noticeable as last night; as I said not the belt sliping one. As I am driving, the dash lights are dim and all the controls, when I tried to go to the maximun intensity the do not change, not even the one on the clock.
The weird thing is that there is not battery light as usuall when the alt. is not working well. I got to my office, the burning smell still there and I touched the alt. and it was hot ( I don't know if that is the normal temp, but it was hot.)
Now my question is, this may be a bearing problem on the pulley? why don't I get the batt. light?? may be the A/C comp. even thoug I did not turned on?
What can I do to diagnose better the problem and how much can it cost??
Thanks a lot

 

take it to autozone they will do it for free.. I guess the belt was to tight and now it screwed up your bearings... you can release the tightness of the belt by loosing the belt tensioner just a bit. Good luck

 

Thanks for the reply Lontar, now I got a question, which one is the belt tensioner? I don't know much about engines so a picture would help (if possible), Now if the problem was that the belt was too tight and the bearings are f.. then can I just change the bearings or do I need to change the whole thing?
But still, why if the alt is not working properly, the battery light does not come off??
Thanks for the info.

 

Here you go......

I guess you can replace the bearings.. but what's the cost. A new alternator wil lrun form $190-$250 unless you go to the dealer, they will bang you in the a$$. If the alternator is ot working properly the batt and Brake light will come up at the same time.

 

Thanks lontar (again) great help, I'll lose it a little and see what happens.
As you said if the alt. is not properly working, why I am not getting any lights in my dash. The battery and the brake lights are off. The only thing I saw was that the regular control lights were very dim this am, but not warning lights at all?? I am confused.

 

Well I cannot answer that but maybe someone else can in here. Remember that our dash light are low dim so maybe this is confusing you.

 

Hi,
Wow sounds like my problem I had a few months ago. Did you check your battery voltage?
Should be about 12-12.5 volts with the engine off and about 14-14.5 volts with the engine running. It was my alt. Weird things happen when your battery voltage goes down. I had a smell and a strange whining or whirling noise when mine went. I didn't get the batt light on when it failed.
Hope this helps.
-quadcells

 

Confirmed!!! It was the alternator!! I took the car to the mechanic, measured the amp and it was 11.3 or something like that; the battery measure was fine. He also used an stestoscopy on the Alt, and told me was the bearing, I listened and it sounded like metal crushing, really bad. Need new Alt. Called around and the refurbish one was $ 170, but my final call was for parts source ( Canada ) and found a new one for 226 with taxes!! No bad the will deliver tomorrow; Labor 120. So I don't think is that bad.
I ask the mechanic about the no warnings lights and he said, it is just because the Alt, was charging a little bit, but was on the way to no funtion at all.
Thanks for the replies.

 

I'm glad i found this thread. My car recently started to make a "whuring" type sound esp at night with the lights, a/c and radio on. I don't have any indicator lights on but i do notice my HIDS flicker a little after turning them on. The noise is def coming from the alternator.

 

^^^ Go to autozone or other store like that and have them test the alt. I don't remember the number now but it will tell you if the alt is on its last leg, a lot easier to deal with it before it dies totally and then you got to pay a tow.