Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 22:04:38 GMT From: "Fred W." <Fred.Willsnopsamammyrealbox.com> Subject: Re: Alternator belt squeal & battery issues '90 - 9000T
"Atif I. Chaudhry" <foonopsamcom> wrote in message news:MPG.18b72185d196332e98969enopsamstand.cit.cornell.edu... > It has been really cold here in Upstate NY. > > In the morning when I start the car the voltage reads about 9V and will > stay there for a good long time unless I cycle through the info button > and change the computer display though miles, temp, etc back to voltage. > > While the car is warming up the voltage climbes. While it is climbing > there is a definate squeal from the engine. Once the the voltage hits > 14.3V or 14.4V the squealing stops and the engine idles slightly faster. > If I start to drive the car immediately at this point the voltage drops > again and if it drops to 13V or lower the squealing comes back. But if I > am accelerating (and thus have higher RPMs) the voltage goes back up and > the squealing stops. > > Once I've been driving the car for a good while and the engine is > warmer, the squealing stops no matter what the voltage, but the voltage > stays high even when the car is idling. > > Does any of this sound unusual, or is this normal for cold weather. > This it the first winter I've had the car. > > Over the summer the alternator belt broke while I was on a trip and had > I had to have a Goodyear Service center replace it. Could they have > done it incorrectly? > > I'm taking a few long road trips soon and don't want any nasty suprises > when I'm far from home. > > -Atif It definitely sounds like the belt is slipping due to the heavy load of recharging the battery. It is no doubt exacerbated by the cold temperatures. I'm sure that you realize that the rubber will become stiff and hard at higher temps. It may also be that the belt that the goodyear guys put in is of substandard quality. I seem to recall the original belt being a Continental, but I might be wrong. A third possibility is that the belt tensioner may not be tugging the belt quite as tight as it should and the heavy load at low temperature reults in slippage. My recommendation would be to change the belt again with a good quality one and in the process checkout how well the tendioner is working. You will have to exercize the tensioner to get the belt off anyway... If you are short on cash, you just test the tensioner first and only replace the belt if it really needs it.
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