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Just why I am going to change alternators and maybe I can save the old one if its just the bearings. Good luck and glad you solved the mystery of "The Squealing Belt"....sounds like a good movie title.
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I've been told belts chirp, bearings squeal. Like the man said, don't overtighten the belt because it will destroy the bearings and cost you an alternator. Deflection for a used belt should be 3/8". I think deflection for a new belt is 1/2" but can't remember that far back. It's in the Haynes manual. To measure deflection place a straight edge across the tops of the two pulleys and push down the centre of the belt with a ruler. The other thing to check for is dirty, glazed pulley grooves. Not sure how to check for worn bearings but it you remove the belt and turn the pulley by had and it feels rough of if there's any side-to-side play in the pulley, I'd suspect the bearings.Original owner of silver grey carburetted 1989 Festiva. 105k km as of June 2006. 140k km as of June 2021.Comment
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never had that problem but the barings in my alternator sounded horrible, replacing my alternator fixed the barring "grinding" noise..... that one still worked, but i think it might have crapped out at some point....Doug's Daily Driver (Dad): '91 Ford Festiva L Manual "Old Yellow" got with 40,xxx mi... about 52,xxx mi. give or take now
Austin's Daily Driver (mine) : '91 Ford Festiva GL Automatic "Whitie III" W/ 0.40 over aspire engine from '94 Aspire "New Blue" rebuilt 92,xxx mi. then... about 96,xxx mi. or more now (on body)
Doug's work car: '95 Ford Aspire Manual "Whitie II" w/ swapped stock aspire engine from '95 Silver Aspire and has it's 5th transmission! 75,xxx mi... now with about 130,xxx mi.
Sold! '89 Ford Festiva Manual "Gaystiva" (sold to my Uncle) - got with 163,xxx..... now 163,xxx Sold!
TRANSFERRED! '89 Ford Festiva Automatic EFI "one hit wonder" Given to bolokid - got with 210,xxx ...... now with 210,xxx miles TRANSFERRED!
'94 Ford Aspire SE Manual "Assfire" - got with at least 350,000 mi
SOLD! '90 Ford Festiva L Manual look for Narion (or click the username) it's new owner on the forum! - got with 193,xxx miles... now has 193,xxx miles give or take SOLD!
R.I.P '91 Ford Escort GT w/ bad engine..... stripping for parts then off to the scrapper!
R.I.P '91 Ford Festiva Manual "Lil Red Rocket" bought brand new in 1991 with ~120 mi... ended with 227,xxx mi.
R.I.P '97 Ford Aspire 4 Door Automatic "Ford Metro" parts car - got with about 144,xxx mi.... ended with 144,xxx mi
R.I.P '95 Ford Aspire Manual Silver (one owner and one family car) got with about 50,000 miles ended with about 90,000 miles
R.I.P '94 Ford Aspire Manual "New Blue" got with 150,xxx.... ended with about 200,xxx (it's engine is the .40 engine in my GL)
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No idea if it's been seized for days or not , but it's definitely been working on it.
On to alternator #4 and belt #2 in 3 weeks this afternoon.Comment
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i just undone the top bolt on alternator,moved it a bit,squeal gone,still got the original belt on,15 years old..Comment
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Just the top bolt? I have to undo/loosen both on mine whenever I adjust itComment
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I like to pry mine loose with only the top bolt loose, then torque both when done. The reason is my own belief that prying the alt back and forth shines up the ground path then retightening that bottom bolt assures a good clean ground for the alternator to the engine. You can put gold connections on welder cable from the alternator positive but it will only equal the ground quality-capacity, never more.Reflex paint by Langeman...Lifted...Tow Rig
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Are you positive its the belt?......don't alternators make groaning noises when their bearings get old or dry? try belt dressing, or spray water on the belt when the car is running to try and chase it down.92 GL, 98k
77 Chevy shortbedComment
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"On to alternator #4 and belt #2 in 3 weeks this afternoon."
That sort of implies the problem is not in the belt or the alternator.
Could be overtightening?Original owner of silver grey carburetted 1989 Festiva. 105k km as of June 2006. 140k km as of June 2021.Comment
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Yeah.....something else is wrong to go thru 4 alternators in a week.Comment
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That I'm not sure exactly, pulley isn't completely siezed it was hard for me to get a grip on the ground pulley the other day. I pulled it out out and took it up to autozone (I highly dislike autofail) but they are are the only ones near the house. The tested it and it passed twice. So I got another belt and installed em both when I got home. Used a pry bar to help keep tension while I tightened the bolts up. Battery is on charger again also.Comment
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