In My T-bird (89 w/ a 3.8L) after the car is all warmed up and driven for a couple of miles the engine squeeks everytime I hit the gas then it stops. It happens during all rpms but it only will squeek for a second, but it squeeks OFTEN and its driving me crazy now! I replaced my tensioner pulley and it still squeeks. Ive sprayed WD-40 on all of the accessory pullies (exept the crank) and it still squeeks. Could it be my harmonic balancer? But the engine idles run and doesnt ever shake or vibrate.....
Engine squeeks during acceleration
- Thread starter Fastcat
- Start date
Well, I found that since most if not all of my Stang's pullies have sealed bearings, shooting WD40 most often will not help...if the bearing is squeeking it is likely the ball bearings inside are hashed anyway, and shooting the WD40 in may actually exacerbate the problem by thinning out the grease inside it, assuming the wd40 can even get into the bearing itself. I found that by getting a piece of thick hose, sticking one end in my ear, and putting other end close to the different pullies, you can pretty much figure out which one is making the sound. On mine, after spending 70 bucks on a billet tension pulley, it turned out to be a loose bolt on the smog pump delete mount...go figure. GL
Yup, anything that spins on your car has bearings. The bearing sits between whatever spins, and the stationary object it is attached to (sorry bad explaination). ie your tensioner pulley and the bolt that holds it to the tensioner assembly. That bolt actually applies force to the inner race of the bearing, and pulley is pressed onto the outer surface (spinning part) of the bearing. For the alternator, the bearing is inside the housing, and is not accessible from the outside (from what i remember. When you zap off the pulley, the bearing wasn't visible). Not sure about the steering pump tho.
Besides, if I were you I wouldn't be spraying WD-40 on my belts anyway. It doesn't last long for one and will degrade the rubber on the belt over time and could actually make belt squeak worse. For future use, try using a bar of soap on the belt surface instead. Works much better! 
stockhatch
Founding Member
Dude, just pull off the belt to eliminate driven accessories. Dont drive it across the state, just down the road and it will be fine. If it still makes the noise at least you know what ISNT making it. I had this problem a few years back....guess what it was? The head gasket. Yes, the headgasket. It was compression "chirping" as it leaked out of the cylinder due to a broken head bolt. I hope yours is an alternator bearing.
AC
AC
