Evening all need some urgent help with a noise from engine bay. Heading away in a couple of days and want to sort this asap. Normally my machanic would look at it but he is on holidays atm. 2 days ago i notice a little bit of a squealling noise coming from under the bonnet. It lasted for a couple of minutes then that was it. Tonight went to drop wife of to movies and the squeal was there on idle, as I drove up the road the noise got fast and it is a high pitch like bearing type of noise. Got home left it running popped the bonnet and listened. It sounds like it is coming from belt area for sure. Water pump is not that old at all, neat her is the timimg belt. Removed timing covers ( plastic ones over timing belt) to see if water pump pulley was wobbling or any other pulley was showing wear but nothing obvious. It almost sounds lke noise is from larger pulley towards back of belts? Any ideas guys ?

Ok just re checked all the belts nothing out of the norm as far as wear goes. Not over heating not losing water so hopefully water pump is fine. Did spray a little bit of lubricant in pulley bearing at back of motor and it seems to be louder and instead of just squealling a little its all the time now? Could it be a dry bearing and spray it has made it spin freely and louder?

Pulled tensioner pulley for ps off and wow no squealing noise :-) will track one down tomorrow, mnyone know if repco has them?

eBay
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Magna-Verada-Power-Steering-Idler-Pulley-6G72-6G74-/200713458155?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ebb7451eb
$65 + $12 postage

Gives you an idea of the price, anyway, if that is the right one.

I've "fixed" a noisy idler by pulling out the blue bearing cover carefully, a good squirt of degreaser to move the hardened grease out, putting fresh grease in there, and putting the cover back on. OK temp fix until you can find a new one at a good price.

Thanks mate but have to have it all back together by Monday night and mate rung his brother tonight he runs the aussie auto store near me. He said he could get me one Monday morning so will fit it back up that arvo.

Had similar noise on replacement engine from QLD wrecker.... Checked engine bay several times on 1000klm trip to NSW. Turns out the PS pulley bolt wound out, only thing saved a catastrophe..... The chassis rail!

Yep was the pulley, so replaced both and belts whilst I was under there. It actually sounds alot quite when ac engages also :-) so glad I replaced both

Ok all seamed great for a couple of days then hello I have my squeal is back. So replaced both pullies and belts so can't be them, but the noise isn't getting any louder or speeding up when u rev the engine so just wondering if it could be the water pump? Question is does the water pump rotate faster with the revs in the engine? If so if it was the pump why isn't the squeal getting faster or even louder? Any ideas?

Hows the P/S fluid looking? It may well be needing a flush or could even be low (if you had not checked that before)

Does the squeeling happen with A/C off?
Does the squealing happen when you turn the steering?

p/s all good squeal doesn't alter when wheel is turned at all. Whether ac on or not makes the same noise. The noise isn't constant its repeditive so its the same pitch and volume , hard to explain its like a stuck record if you know what I mean?

spray the belts/pulleys with some silicon tyre shine. this is a regular fix for belt squeal in the auto industry and usually fixes the problem permanently as its usually just the edge of the belt rubbing on the pulley
I use the $4 can from supercheap auto

thanks mate will give it a try tomorrow night anything worth a try :-) .

Beautiful .......... nothing like a $2 can of fix the sequel to do the job :-) was squelling like a cut pig sprayed the tyre shine on and all gone :-) thanks guys

Glad to hear. its the 1st thing you should always try before changing belts/tensioners

If you have a squeal the only way, especially with new belts, to really stop it is tighten them. They have to be very tight these belts to stop both groan and squeal

The issue with silicone spray is that when they do still slip you will not hear it and then they will break, ps belt is especially fun when it goes as it often ends up wrapped around the main pulley and strips the timing belt, will make you wish you did not spend that $2 in the end