Dragging this topic over from the other side.

I have recently developed a chirping squeal. It not permanent and generally lasts for 10 mins, maybe until the engine is warm and disappears. It sounds like its coming from the front wheel area, I originally thought the L/H but with both windows open it could be anywhere under the front. It usually starts at around 30mph, if I accelerate its louder but then if I remove the gas it goes again, so its definitely worse at acceleration.

I have removed the front propshaft , the shaft feels solid and I drove the car without it on and its still chirping.

I have also just replaced the calipers , pads & carriers as I had a stuck Pin so just did an overhaul as I originally thought that may have been causing the problem.

Tested the wheel for bearing wobble and it seems fine.

I have just read that the serpentine tensioner bearings can cause a squeal until the engine is hot but as I only get the squeal whilst driving Im not sure about that one.

Might still be the tensioner or one of the idler pulleys - when driving the engine is obviously under more load so it could be that it only shows up when it's actually having to work...

I had one of my idler pulleys and the tensioner start to make weird noises but only at really random times - so I replaced the lot of them just to be sure!

So a L/H & R/H idler and the tensioner,Looks simple enough. Anything else worth replacing whilst I'm there apart from the belt.

Worth checking the water pump for any play in the bearing... other than that, noting else really that is worth doing.

Sods law.

I bought the idlers & tensioner yesterday and today I have no squeal at all.

I also towed the mrs car to a garage today thinking it would probably sound worse but zilch.

It was definitely the idlers then. You've frightened them into being quiet.....

I frightened my mrs towing her and I was only doing 35KPH or 50KPH in a 90 zone. She wasnt even in the drivers seat. The mechanic was doing all the work.
Soooo glad I didnt tow her back from Lyon otherwise it would have been a Hart to Hart episode... it was murder!

I've got a rigid tow pole to use rather than a rope. I've towed a mate 60 odd miles who told me he'd got bored reading the name of the garage that made my rear number plate as that was about all he could see. Also towed my daughter about the same distance, I think she went to sleep out of boredom.....

Parts arrived already. I am going to remove the fan anyway so do I really still need to use a tensioner release tool or will I manage with a socket wrench?

I bought a set of fan wrench spanners/pulley holder to get the fan off the water pump - however, to do the tensioner, I use a 15mm socket on the end of a breaker bar to release the tensioner and get the belt off.

Marty

Yup, 15mm socket here too. I bought (or may have already had) the fan spanner but made the holding tool by drilling a hole in the end of a lump of steel bar. The hole is big enough to go over the head of one of the pulley bolts so holds it steady while you heave on the spanner.

Gilbertd wrote:

I've got a rigid tow pole to use rather than a rope. I've towed a mate 60 odd miles who told me he'd got bored reading the name of the garage that made my rear number plate as that was about all he could see. Also towed my daughter about the same distance, I think she went to sleep out of boredom.....

LOLOL you took me back some years there ............ a pal and I did that once in 40 tonne TRUCKS!!! I pulled him once from down near Orange up to Dieppe, onto the ferry and then from Newhaven and we got to the bottom of the A3, 15 miles from base, before we got stopped. When we told the police how far we had come, they said 'Sod it' and let us carry on. My pal said it was one of the most terrifying things he had ever done.