Dry Bearing Noise?...

[ajbremer]

These last few days there's been kind of a dry bearing noise coming from the pulley areas and yesterday, while I was on my way to work, both belts snapped off and I ran over them thinking they were pieces of tire on the road or something. Then when my engine temp rose I knew that I'd lost my belt. When I pulled over and check it I had found that both belts broke. That made me think that one belt broke, spun around enough and broke the other belt so both the a/c belt and the water pump/alt. belt broke.

I'm a packrat so I had a spare belt in the car, I had the new belt on in just a few minutes and all is well. I didn't replace the a/c belt yet though.

My question is: Isn't a dry bearing noise mostly caused by the water pump? I know it's not the compressor because it's making the noise still and I don't have the a/c belt on yet. The water pump pulley is not locked up or nothing, I turned it very easily by hand.

[firebush357]

I have had an Alternator make that noise before in another vehicle.

[TominMO]

Without the belt on, when turning the WP pulley, does it feel grindy or smooth? It is wobbly or straight when turning? Is there any coolant coming out of the weep hole on top of the WP?

You should be able to hear which is the source of the bearing noise, alt or WP.

BTW the WP/alt belt and the A/C belt are the same length, in case anyone does not know that. Useful. Never hurts to throw a spare in the trunk, smart of you. I also did that with carby fuel filters, back when I had carby cars. Saved my butt a couple times, in between cities. Also carried necessary tools.

[1990new]

BTW the WP/alt belt and the A/C belt are the same length, in case anyone does not know that. .

On my 1990 L Plus with factory air, the alternator/wp belt is narrower and a little shorter that my AC belt.
The AC belts appear to be different lengths depending on whether you have factory air, dealer air and/or power steering.

It may be that a longer and wider belt will work on the alternator/wp in a pinch though.. I don't know.

[Greywolf]

Things like this are why I want a mechanics stethoscope as soon as I get everything back up to (financial) cruising speed. If you know somebody who has one, it should only take a minute or two to isolate exactly what it is. Fortunately one of my friends has one, right across the street.

[WmWatt]

Grey: I just stick a length of hose in one ear.

[TominMO]

On my 1990 L Plus with factory air, the alternator/wp belt is narrower and a little shorter that my AC belt.
The AC belts appear to be different lengths depending on whether you have factory air, dealer air and/or power steering.

It may be that a longer and wider belt will work on the alternator/wp in a pinch though.. I don't know.

Of course PS would require a different belt; didn't know that bout factory air vs dealer air tho. Are you sure that's true?