[Garfie]

Hi all,

Last night when leaving my mates in my GT TDi (non PD) all was fine untill about 30 seconds up the road when I got a nasty squeaky bearing or belt noise from the engine. I pulled over to investigate and located it somewhere near the alternator. Now we all know what a slipping altenator belt sounds like but this was not that high pitch squeal, more of a dry bearing squeaky noise. Tried reving up the engine and it didnt make a lot of difference to the sound, it changed a little but was not pitch related to engine revs. It was really puzzling me for about 5 minutes when all of a sudden I heard a quiet click noise and the nasty noise totally dissapeared???

I also noticed over the past couple of days a slight squeak like the alternator belt slipping momentarily when pulling hard out of a junction

Any ideas what it could be people?

Could it just be the alternator belt slipping slightly, loosening pressure on the tensioner pully causing that to squeak too??

Anyone know how the alternator belt is tensioned? From what I could see it looked like an automatic system. Are these prone to stick at all if this is the case?

Its worrying me a bit now, never done it before and was fine on the way to work this moring.

 

[Garfie]

Anyone got any ideas?

I dont want my Kryptonhyperdieselburner engine to let me down

 

[Deadlock]

I had (maybe) the same noise ages ago, and didn't think nothing off it, then it got worst , espically when it rained!! after taking the car to a garage, I found out that my alt belt was wet - I have no undertray not even the side parts, this keeps things dry around that area.

But the main problem was my alternator belt tensioner, see here with pics:

http://www.uk-mkivs.net/forums/375178/ShowPost.aspx

I hope that helps some!!

 

[Garfie]

I have an undertray and it wasnt wet last night so i dont know what kicked it off. The air was fairly moist tho as the paint was damp when I got in.

Is this the belt tensioner then? Do these engines have an automatic belt tensioning system controlled by the hydraulic rams. So on yours had the rams failed causing you to lose belt tension?

 

[Deadlock]

Yes there are two mini hydraulic arms (or something) in the belt tensioner, this was knackerd on mine (the top square bit, you can see this when you go under the hood!!) was moving/shaking a lot. The new one doesn't even budge!! and the car drives much better.

Not saying your having the same problem, but its worth a look/listen to see if the sound is coming from that area???

How many miles has she done? as I here this should be changed at around the 60k ish mark??

 

[Garfie]

Was the square bit shaking around at tick over or did you get someone to rev it for you?

From the sound of it last night it was coming from there or the alternator which are fairly close together. Perhaps the belt has stretched so far that the tensioner cant keep it tight?

I will have to have a look and check the belt tension. The thing that worries me is that it wasn't a loose belt type of noise, more a dry bearing squeal. Did yours sound anything like that?

She's just turned 95k and I have no idea if its been changed or when the belt was last done as I have only just got her.

Did you fit a new one yourself or get the stealer to do it? Is it an expensive part?

Thanks for your help

 

[Deadlock]

My specialist mate fitted it for me (see the link i provided before of my post) vw quoted ?140 ish and I paid ?30 i.e. I only paid for the part!![Y]

Apparently mine was in a very bad state, it shook, at idle and under load

yes it sounded like a dry seqeal after Billy dried out the belt for me!!

Part is ?30 ish, and you get 2 new bolts as well!

 

[Garfie]

Cool, thanks for the help. Gives me somewhere to start looking!

Much appreciated

Anyone else come across this before or anyone with any other suggestions?

 

[Garfie]

Anyone else come across this problem with the belt tensioner or the nasty noise?

 

[Vaudaz]

I had a very similar noise that you describe last week,lasted all of 10 minutes then nothing since then!Done 250 miles since with no ill effects,not saying that is too wise though.I've got to get it booked in for a service in the next couple of weeks anyway,so I'm going to leave it until then. Incidentally,mine has just hit 93k miles,very similar?! My altenator/fan belt is cracking and not in the best condition so it could be something to do with that I guess,was going to leave it to VW to change that too! I'll let you know if the noise comes back or if VW find anything suspicious,won't be for a couple of weeks yet though.

 

[Garfie]

Good luck!

Would be much appreciated if you can let me know how it goes, its one of those things thats always in the back of my mind now, but I am sure, I think, I HOPE that its nothing serious!

Anyone else had similar noises?

 

[damir]

hm, i had a similar problem a few days ago, i started engine and heard
some squeaking noise...i thought that my belt got wet or something so i
just reved up a little and it went away, never heard it again but it
didnt rain that bad after that day either ...it must be wet belt...but
it should dry if you rev up like to red line or something, it should go
away almost instantly.

 

[Vaudaz]

hm, i had a similar problem a few days ago, i started engine and heard some squeaking noise...i thought that my belt got wet or something so i just reved up a little and it went away, never heard it again but it didnt rain that bad after that day either ...it must be wet belt...but it should dry if you rev up like to red line or something, it should go away almost instantly.

This could be the starter motor sticking,quite a common problem! Mine does it on every cold start,doens't make a sound when warm though!

 

[jimsg60]

Don't know if you ever sorted this but thought it might be a good time to bump it as i've just had the same problem.

Had to drive to Leicester yesterday, so hopped in the car in the morning started it up, awful metallic screeching noise like bearings.. scratched my head a bit as it hadn't done it before but pressed on hoping it'd shut up once I got going. After about 2 miles of driving I felt a slight jolt in the engine bay and it suddenly stopped.. but once or twice in my journey I got 'ALTERNATOR - WORKSHOP' come up on the digi display.

Every time I stopped the car and restarted it the noise would come back and then the jolt then shut up but would still hear a slight noise even at idle. Went to my friendly local VW specialist who reckons it could be the alternator about to sieze up.. he put a little belt dressing on and it hasn't done it now since. I'd obviously prefer it to be the tensioner (as referenced in that thread a few posts back up) as they are a LOT cheaper than the alternator but the mechanic said that the tensioners are pretty sturdy on the TDI PD's and rarely fail...

 

[Snazy]

Right, I have had similar to this for a while, a rattly sort of noise starting and stopping from time to time, however on a drive to Leicester (ironic or what !) yesterday its become an almost constant thing. Sounds like a louder version of a thrust/release bearing on a clutch. But added now is a squeeling, if the rattling stops, the squeeling starts and vice versa, so im assuming a belt and tensioner.

Has anyone had this done at VW and if so how much were you quoted ?

Want to get it done soon so I dont have to keep getting the other car out all the time to use. Not using the Golf while its like this lol its embarrasing.

Does this sound similar to what you guys had ?

 

[Garfie]

Right, I have had similar to this for a while, a rattly sort of noise starting and stopping from time to time, however on a drive to Leicester (ironic or what !) yesterday its become an almost constant thing. Sounds like a louder version of a thrust/release bearing on a clutch. But added now is a squeeling, if the rattling stops, the squeeling starts and vice versa, so im assuming a belt and tensioner.

Has anyone had this done at VW and if so how much were you quoted ?

Want to get it done soon so I dont have to keep getting the other car out all the time to use. Not using the Golf while its like this lol its embarrasing.

Does this sound similar to what you guys had ?

Could be a similar thing but mine was more a squealing noise rather than a rattley release bearing noise.

Apart from that one night mine hasn't done it since, never had to replace anything, it just disappeared []

 

[Snazy]

Fair play m8, starting to think I have a multitude of problems on the go at the same time.

Getting the aux belt off tomorrow evening. If it goes quiet from there, then im onto a winner. Fingers crossed. Service at the same time.

 

[spanner]

I've had a similar noise on my R32. When cold/wet there is a squeeking noise that comes from under the engine bay. It seems to go away when the engine is revved, but comes back at close to idle speed. After a couple of minutes driving it goes away completely until the next morning. The noise only starts after about 10 - 20 seconds of running so my thought was that it could be related to the air-con, since this doesn't start up immediately.

 

[Snazy]

Not too worried about the sqeeling, more the rattling.

Never mind, stripping it down tomorrow evening so will soon know.

 

[Vaudaz]

Could well be the fan belt tensioner, I have rattling on idle, and when it's cold/damp there is a squeel that lasts around 10 minutes or so. I can see my tensioner wobbling like mad now!