God awful sqealing sound, and not Alt/AC belt

[Stevebsy]

Hola everyone-

I have a terrible awful sounding squealing sound coming from my car at idle. Sounds like a slipping belt, or very close. Rev it up and it goes away.

I thought it was the PS/ALT belt or the AC belt, but it isn't, as I removed them both just to be sure and the noise is still there.

I'm thinking it must be a T-belt tensioner about to die? It's starting to seize up, and squealing on the t-belt?

My car has 77k and no t-belt change done yet, so I guess it may be that time huh?

[Manarius]

I'd try to pinpoint where exactly the sound is coming from.

[huck369]

Steve,
It probably is one of the T-Belt tensioners....BUT could be the water pump going out too...time to pull the covers and the t-belt and check them all.

[Beav]

Whatever you do, don't keep running it. From the time the noise began until the time a locked-up water pump came to include all the idlers, the tensioner and the belt only took one of my customers a few blocks.

[Stevebsy]

Ya..I guess it's time to do my 60k service....full t-belt, water pump, reseal, etc etc.....

It's definately not going anywhere for now...except from one end of the driveway to the other when I get started on repairs.


Thanks for the help.

I'll try to document the process for the how-to.

[Ralph Gibbs]

Hi, I agree w/ Beav don't run the SVX. I did and it cost me big time, I blew the Rad. and other things like the water pump, It siezed up and new Idler bearings. It was the worst experience I had w/ my SVX.

I thought it was the alt. at first and took it to an electrical shop. They did not charge me but did not no what the problem was. a few days later I was on my way to the dealer and WoW ! what is all that steam coming from under the hood. They told me that I blew the Engine but I took it (on a flat bed) for a second opinion and had it repaired.

Good luck..Ralph

[Ralph Gibbs]

Sorry Beav, I typed Bev by mistake when I answered Stevebsy's thread.

[huck369]

Originally Posted by Beav

Whatever you do, don't keep running it. From the time the noise began until the time a locked-up water pump came to include all the idlers, the tensioner and the belt only took one of my customers a few blocks.

As I did on my old Pearly....you'll have idler pulleys like this....

[Trevor]

As a matter of interest, in this neck of the woods, no repairer with a reputation who guarantees their work, will do a cam belt change on any Subaru, without at the same time replacing the water pump, adjuster and idlers. Otherwise, they confidently state, the job is not cost effective. Having noted the rough idler bearings when mine was done, I agree with this philosophy.

[Beav]

I'm a bit too cheap to follow that. I drilled a small hole in each bearing's seal and used a small grease gun to push in some new lube. After cleaning the hole, a dab of good silicone seals it right up. Of course, I only do that on my stuff. I give my customers an explanation of recommended and mandatory parts then let them choose.

Now, my lubing the bearings was only done as maintenance, not a repair or band-aid. If the bearing is bad, it's bad. Anything that seizes and causes the belt to stop will almost be guaranteed to shock the entire drive and ruin everything that was o.k. a second or two earlier.

[ensteele]

My guess was a bearing in the clutch for the AC. Mine has done that a couple of times.

[Stevebsy]

Nope..I thought it might be the AC too, so I cut what was left of the old crusty belt, and it made no difference...so then I cut off the other belt (Alt/PS) and it was still there, so that only leaves the T-belt ones

Did anyone ever find a generic replacement bearing for these that can be pressed in/out? If not, maybe I'll be the first...

[Beav]

Not that I know of but with some web shopping you can find them for about half of normal Subaru pricing.

[Hocrest]

Not sure how this compares to pricing from Subaru???

[SURTEESS]

Hey Trevor (see posting approx 3 above) - I got my 100k service done at Archibold & Shorter here on the Shore (cost me a small fortune but hey that's the SVX for you).

Anyway approx 5000km later I arrived at home only to hear the engine bubbling away - so after playing the water hose on the engine for approx 15 minutes to help cool her down I phone my faithfull Subaru agent & told them to get me a tow (pick-up) truck & vehicle for me to use while they sorted out my issue.

They reported the next day that the water pump had siezed & "would I like a new one".

They then told me it should have been changed at 100k - "and did the sevice manager not ask me if I wanted it done".

It was going to cost me NZ$1100 to get it done - but after me conplaining like hell to service manager & other staff, we came to an arrangement that saw me pay for new water pump (NZ$130) & they wore the bill for 6 hours labour = 1100-130 = 970 (970/6=161.66 per hour!!!).

S##T - I think I will become a mechanic!!!!