pulley noise but NOT Alternator

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:03 pm

When I turn my Jeep on in the cold Michigan mornings now, I get a metallic squeak/chirp from the engine near the fan. I replaced the alternator in the recent past, and I can put my ear pretty close and it seems to be fine.

I replaced my serpentine tensioner a few years ago too, but it looks to rock a little. I'm thinking about buying a new one since it may have been killed by my old alternator. On IDparts.com it's $140. My other go-to place is moparpartsamerica.com, but they don't have it at the moment.

While I ponder that purchase, I'm thinking about replacing both belt pulleys too. They may actually be the problem since they're the oldest.

My questions:
1. Is there a good way to tell if there are other causes? I'm looking for leaking grease from the bearings, but I can't see anything on ANY pulley other than road dirt. How common is it for the compressor, viscous heater, or power steering pump bearings to fail? I sort of hear it constantly, but less when it's warm after a drive. It doesn't seem to change in tone or pitch when I turn the wheel, turn on the compressor, or once the vehicle is very warm.

2. There is a $10 price difference between idparts and moparpartsamerica.com, yet they both claim to have original parts from VM. Should I just buy two from the cheaper source and save the $20?

Thanks everyone.

Srytrucker · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:15 pm

I have had this strange chirping sound for a while and I had replaced all the pulleys and alternator and now I m told this could be intake gasket .

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:28 pm

Oh boy... What would that involve? Would that imply air was being sucked in or something? I really feel like my sound is a metallic squeak or chirp.

amslube · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:49 pm

Have you rules out the belt? Try a little soap on the ribbed side of the belt. Get a bar of soap and when the engine is running and chirping, hold it lightly against the ribbed side of the belt and see if the noise changes. Another thought, does the noise go away after the engine is running for a few minutes? Cold morning starts initially take a lot out of a battery and full output from the alternator to do the initial charge can cause the belt to slip...but this may be due to a weak tensioner.

jws84_02 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:30 pm

It could also be your fan clutch. I know I had a squeak and I replaced everything(alt, idlers, and tensioner). I still had the squeak. Someone on here told me to try a new Hayden fan clutch. That cured my problem

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:03 pm

Hello, I had a similar issue.

Chip chirp, never thought it could be the alternator pulley again, since I replaced the alternator last year.

Well, it was the alternator pulley again and replaced under warranty.

TJ2 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:24 pm

racertracer wrote:

Hello, I had a similar issue.

Chip chirp, never thought it could be the alternator pulley again, since I replaced the alternator last year.

Well, it was the alternator pulley again and replaced under warranty.

Racer, where did you buy your alternator?

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:29 pm

Advance auto

SC RIGGR · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:34 pm

When I took mine back to Advance for replacement, they had no test procedure on the tester. They had to take my word it was bad. I have replaced mine three times now. All under warranty, all but one was the failed clutch, which wont show up in there test procedure anyway

camo · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:44 pm

rebuild all pulleys for less than 70 bucks. check this thread viewtopic.php?f=5&t=76128

racertracer · **Posted:** Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:47 pm

SC RIGGR wrote:

When I took mine back to Advance for replacement, they had no test procedure on the tester. They had to take my word it was bad. I have replaced mine three times now. All under warranty, all but one was the failed clutch, which wont show up in there test procedure anyway

Mine had globs of rust as proof that the failure was with the bearing. The rust was stuck under the black plastic dust cap.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:31 am

Thanks guys,

This gives me a lot to check out. I'm really not thinking it's the alternator only because the noise seems to be coming from farther down into the engine bay. I can put my ear pretty close to the alternator pulley and that does not seem to be the source of the noise. Of course it's always possible that the noise is being deceptive. The engine is obviously running and the noises are difficult to track down.

I think I'll start with the basic pulleys first since those are the cheapest.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:39 am

Check for reddish dust near the alt pulley. If you cleaned everything when you last replaced it and you find some, it is the alt pulley, again.

DOC

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:23 pm

Thanks Doc,

There is no dust at all.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:33 pm

To troubleshoot the noise mine was making even after new alternator and serpentine belt, I simple removed the belt off the tensioner pulley and made sure the belt was away from the crankshaft pulley and then cranked the motor up. Noise was gone! Ran the engine for only about 45 seconds with no belt. Put belt back on, and used a piece of 1/2 inch PVC as a listening rod while the engine was running to locate where the noise was coming from.

Be very careful not to let any of the moving parts come in contact with the PVC pipe while listening. :grim:

Problem turned out to be the tensioner pulley had a very weak spring and was not keeping proper tension on the belt pulleys allowing the belt to chirp and rattle at times. Replaced it with the ID parts one. The new spring was twice as strong as the old one. Noise gone for good!!! :BANANA:

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:40 pm

Did you do the TB service WITH all the idlers 20K miles ago? If so, and you have to guess, I would replace the serpentine belt tensioner, given that it wobbles a bit. Just do NOT use Crowne. OEM only.

DOC

Big Montana · **Posted:** Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:41 am

DOC4444 wrote:

Did you do the TB service WITH all the idlers 20K miles ago? If so, and you have to guess, I would replace the serpentine belt tensioner, given that it wobbles a bit. Just do NOT use Crowne. OEM only.

DOC

It's funny that you would ask... I had a dealership rape me with a massive TB job, and despite my request, they did not replace the pulleys or the tensioner on the timing belt. I had requested in writing that the TB and serpentine belt pulleys be replaced at the time. He told me over the phone that the pulleys were fine. I thought he meant the serpentine belt pulleys only so I said fine. I figured I could replace the SB pulleys on my own later. When I picked the jeep up, I asked for my parts. It was then that I made the discovery. I was pretty angery. I asked if he thought the pulleys were going to make it to 200k and he obviously said yes.

I've had the fear that those pulleys are the problem, but I guess I'll focus on the outer pulleys first. If it turns out to be the TB pulleys I don't see how I can take it back to them. That dealership has gotten my business too much by default simply because they're next to my workp place. I hate their shop.

kjjet · **Posted:** Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:28 pm

Another Stealership issue. Even when you want things changed, the price is so high. Most people want to stop the bleeding.

I would remove the belt and start. Like requested before. Therefore you will know its not in the timing belt system or water pump.

Good Luck KJJET!

pulley noise but NOT Alternator

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