Noisy Starter Update

shak · **Posted:** Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:57 pm

so a while ago my starter started to squeak and make all these crazy noises as I started the car in cold and I heard bunch of you guys had that problem too so I did not take it seriously. I went to start it today and the noise was deafening and smelled like burned rubber. So i left it, went to work, came back and it was better. I dont know if its the alternator or starter or something else but its that thing that the belt goes arounf it and has a bunch of copper wires wrapped around it inside ( looks like a generator from middle school physics). Since the KJs dont celebrate christmas, I have to wait till monday to get it checked out by my mechanic and for those of you out there with the skreaching sound when you start up the kj, get it checked out before KJ ruins your holiday....... :cry:

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 1:45 am

If the serpentine (sp?) belt is attached it is the alternator as the starter engages at the flywheel. The burning rubber smell leads me to believe that you belt is slipping. How many miles are on it? The serpentine belt should last for quite a while (100,000 miles is not unheard of). But if you live in an are of climate extremes, the rubber in the belt has a tendency to wear out much faster. If you are not familiar with belts, have a TRUSTED mechanic look at it. All to often they like to tell you that you need a new one because it has cracks in it. Ask the mechanic to show you your belt next to a new one and if yours looks damaged have it replaced. If it is the alternator making the noise and not the belt, get a new one installed. If you ever have to jumpstart your Liberty, it is a PITA because the computer goes crazy.

shak · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:46 am

i thought it was the belt but its not. The belt is brand new, less than 2k miles on it. I did a little google search and found out as MechanicJoe said that the thing is called alternator. I think i need a new one. anyways can anyone tell me what are the dangers of driving around with a possibly damaged alternator are until i get it fixed on monday

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 3:19 am

The only thing you will wreck is your alternator. Sounds like it's already too late to save. If you do loose power, shut the vehicle off immediately. If the battery dies-you will need to teach the computer everything over. You need your foot on the throttle constantly in order to keep it running. I would just avoid driving it, but if you do keep it near home (i.e.: grocery store/regular errands). Again you will not wreck anything besides the alternator, if it does die, it needed to be replaced anyways. Hope this helps.

Libby4Wheeler · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 4:42 am

if it is your alternator i wouldnt drive it if its that bad cause if the bearings do happen to freeze and it stops spinning you will burn the belt off and loose power steering and if it is higher mileage ae: above 100,000 miles if it does break it could cause a sudden jerk in the internals and cause it to jump timing not a good situation. never heard of it on a libby but have to fix it on other cars

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 11:29 am

Libby4Wheeler wrote:

if it is your alternator i wouldnt drive it if its that bad cause if the bearings do happen to freeze and it stops spinning you will burn the belt off and loose power steering and if it is higher mileage ae: above 100,000 miles if it does break it could cause a sudden jerk in the internals and cause it to jump timing not a good situation. never heard of it on a libby but have to fix it on other cars

The 3.7L uses a timing chain, not a belt. Unless the chain breaks your timing should be fine.

shak · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 1:32 pm

i will get it fixed on monday....any estimates on the costs as im not under waranty?

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:30 pm

its a fairly simple fix if you a basic socket set. If not under warranty-I'd do it myself. The Jeep like all vehicles made today has a diagram of how to install the serpentine belt on the radiator core support. The price of the alternator ranges from $240-$340 depending on which model you have. It would probably take a mechanic 2 hours to install so figure another $160-$180 for labor. If you can do it yourself, I would.

shak · **Posted:** Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:26 am

well the sound has calmed down and other than a little bit here and there, does not do it much. So im hoping that mechanic magically can fix it quick and I wont have to replace it

2003KJ · **Posted:** Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:05 am

If you want to, run your KJ by the nearest Autozone and they'll test your Alternator for free and tell you if its working properly or not....same thing with a battery when that time comes.

the1jferg · **Posted:** Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:34 pm

Same thing with the OBII for those of us that don't get display on the dash.

shak · **Posted:** Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:30 pm

I dont know what to say or how to feel......
Finally took it to my mechanic today....and guess what.....the belt was routed wrong.....i just wanna strangle the dumba$$ that put it on at meineke
So my mechanic, god bless him, fixed the squeakiness in less than a minute and i was on my way home.

krazz1e · **Posted:** Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:03 pm

nice. it's this kind of example that makes me wrench on my own vechile when I can.

Not only saves $, but if I F'up, you learn and fix it :lol:

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:26 pm

krazz1e wrote:

nice. it's this kind of example that makes me wrench on my own vechile when I can.

Not only saves $, but if I F'up, you learn and fix it :lol:

Here here! Especially a serpentine belt! :oops:

Get to know its little friend the tensioner!

And who is getting 100k out of them? :roll:

Neatus · **Posted:** Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:37 pm

shak wrote:

:shock:

I dont know what to say or how to feel......
Finally took it to my mechanic today....and guess what.....the belt was routed wrong.....i just wanna strangle the dumba$$ that put it on at meineke
So my mechanic, god bless him, fixed the squeakiness in less than a minute and i was on my way home.

What an idiot. You should make sure there is no damage to anything that the belt is routed to. If so I would slap a big bill on Meineke! Man, that would make me so angry! Glad you got it fixed.

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 27, 2005 9:36 pm

You could have also overheated your engine if the water pump was going the wrong way.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:36 am

DaveKJ02 wrote:

krazz1e wrote:

nice. it's this kind of example that makes me wrench on my own vechile when I can.

Not only saves $, but if I F'up, you learn and fix it :lol:

Here here! Especially a serpentine belt! :oops:

Get to know its little friend the tensioner!

And who is getting 100k out of them? :roll:

I don't know why I typed 100,000, I must have been really tired or all liquored up. Or both. I should have said 30,000-50,000. These serpentines seem to last longer then the old V-belts.

shak · **Posted:** Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:55 am

thanks guys for the replies.....im goin to mineke tomorrow to argue and get a new belt....

Noisy Starter Update

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