I just started hearing this noise coming from the engine bay. The best I can describe it is that it's sort of a whine/metal on metal sound. I assume it's a bearing starting to go bad within the alternator but since they're about 120 bucks I was hoping to get some other opinions before I buy one, even if I can return it. I just started noticing it at work today so I haven't had a chance to get a good listen to it, through something solid, but I have checked power steering fluid and all other common problems than can cause a whine. Any help will be appreciated.

 

I have a similar problem (that no one wanted to help me with..)execpt im pretty sure mine is bad. Without the belt on the alternator spins freely (something wrong with the bearing obviously) and i think it siezed up because one of the bolts holding my powersteering pump in snapped in 1/2

 

BAN, how's your voltage? If the alternator is going bad it should be low, check that out and see, otherwise you may have to check other periferals, or you can always take off your serpentine belt and check your alternator and see if it's hard to spin, it should spin pretty easily.
Spartan, I'm not quite sure what to tell you, the alternator should spin pretty easily, I'd check your power steering and all other periferals. It's also possible that the bolt just got rusty and broke in half, not very possible, but hey, anything can happen.

 

Ok, sorry, didnt mean to hijack your post Ban, but i wasnt gettin ne help outa mine.

 

Try this. This is from the old school but it still works. Get a screw driver and put it on alternator and put the other end of the screw driver up to your ear. I know sounds dumb but it works. You should be able to hear the innards of the alternator and you'll be able to hear if the bearings are bad. The screw driver will amplify the sound. Easy check if your not by an auto parts store to do the check for you.

 

Could be any one of the accessories driven by the serpentine belt, including the belt tensioner and idler pulley. Follow LT1RUNNERs advice and probe around to pin down the noise. If you want to impress your buddies while doing it, you can get an automotive stethoscope at a perts store for about $10 and put on a white lab coat.

 

HEY PETE, why dont you just let him borrow yours.....

 

when my alt **** the bed(did 3x, dk if it was amp doing it or jus 2 bad remanufactured ones) my volt never showed it till my battery was already dead. although, even when my volt gage read 15volts(was ALWAYS high) my check gauge lite went on, as soon as they **** the bed, all 3 times.

 

Thanks for the responses, good advice. I called over a buddy of mine and had already checked it with the screw driver trick, sounded fine. My buddy thought it sounded more like a vacuum leak definitely not a bearing going out. We tried spraying some starting fluid around, but nothing. The car is running stronger than ever and the I've noticed now that the noise quiets down a bit once it warms up. As it sits now I'm just going to say **** it and see what happens. Thanks again, false alarm I guess, for now.

 

Get a new altenator, Have the shop make it a 1-wire setup i did it and ive never had a power problem since