Alternator Noise (mechanical failure)

Glad I was home in my driveway letting Riv warm up when this happened.  Alternator bearings had been making noise but was still charging.  Suddenly LOTS of rattling and hubby says the alt. belt tension pulley bearing froze and separated pulley from bearing, which he had to hunt for under the hood.  Belt was thrown, but gladly did not break.  Seems like it would be a royal PITA to change!  Also glad it was not the supercharger.

Alt will be rebuilt and pulley has been ordered.

While car was up and he was changing the oil, he noticed sway bar bolts to link kits were rusted and sway bar had come disconnected from lower A-Frames . . . I never felt any difference in handling so it was a surpise to find this.

Anyone know what special tool is required to remove fuel lines when changing valve cover gaskets?

Thanks!

If you have a Harbor Freight near you they sell a plastic set of fuel injection line removal tools for $10 or $12. If not any auto parts store will have them.

Fuel lines dont need to come off to change valve cover gaskets. The rear valve cover is kind of a pain to get off but I was able to wiggle it out. However if you're looking for some insurance on not busting a fuel line (just had to repair mine which were damaged in an unrelated procedure...not fun) then removing them is always a good option.

If it's the tensioner pulley that failed, there is a chance your alternator is fine. It's difficult to tell if the noise is coming from alternator bearings when the tensioner pulley is making noise. From our experience, alternators fail far less frequently than tensioner/idler pulleys, and not very often do both fail at exactly the same time.

AA wrote:

If it's the tensioner pulley that failed, there is a chance your alternator is fine. It's difficult to tell if the noise is coming from alternator bearings when the tensioner pulley is making noise. From our experience, alternators fail far less frequently than tensioner/idler pulleys, and not very often do both fail at exactly the same time.

Agreed. Those Tensioner pulleys like to grenade from time to time. Mine did that in the beginning of winter. Had to change it in a parking lot

As for the fuel line tool.....check this Link to Harbor Freight

AA wrote:

If it's the tensioner pulley that failed, there is a chance your alternator is fine. It's difficult to tell if the noise is coming from alternator bearings when the tensioner pulley is making noise. From our experience, alternators fail far less frequently than tensioner/idler pulleys, and not very often do both fail at exactly the same time.

just turn the alternator pulley by hand, if the alt bearings have a problem then in the turning you will like a little roughness or grinding although you may or may not hear a squeak. I know this sounds overly simplistic but it works.

Albertj

So i'm dealing with the problem of my alternator squeaking like a bunch of mice under my hood and its annoying i know its it because it squeaks when i rotate it by hand. I don't consider my self a tight wad when it comes to my cars but i don't really want to shell out the $160 for a new one i'd rather just replace the bearings. Is there any way i can get a rebuild kit for the alternator? or maybe just the bearings? I'm pretty sure our cars run the 12si GM alternator is this right?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWM-912
would this work?
Any info would help

-Thanks

Hey, thanks for everyone's input! Hopefully all will work out fine. Thanks again.

no love for the series 1 guys.
ive heard nothing but positives about rebuild kits.if a rebuild kit is what it needs.
My manual sez its a type,CS-144 is that he same as the 12si???

you could try a junkyard alternator out of an olds or pontiac with the 3800 - people don't junk their cars over alternators and yards do not charge very much for them.

albertj wrote:

you could try a junkyard alternator out of an olds or pontiac with the 3800 - people don't junk their cars over alternators and yards do not charge very much for them.

good idea AJ. I have feelers out for Powermaster and a rebuild house back east.I should have satisfactory answers tomorow.I also enquired about a starter kit too.......

www.alternatorparts.com has a rebuild kit or individual parts. Also HD rectifiers and such.

see https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t936-high-output-alternator for more info

not sure which alternator the '95 uses, but alternatorparts.com has a pretty extensive catalog.

robotennis61 wrote:

no love for the series 1 guys.
ive heard nothing but positives about rebuild kits.if a rebuild kit is what it needs.
My manual sez its a type,CS-144 is that he same as the 12si???

You're right its a CS144 i did some more research after getting the ACDelco PN and figured out for sure.

The aren't the same, the CS144 has a pain in the butt needle bearing in the rear that fails and squeaks like crazy....

I havnt come up with anything.

Those Series I alternators should be a dime a dozen at scrap yards.
Why not just get a used one?

i am hearing a whirring noise, lower pitch than supercharger whine on acceleration, its not terribly loud but i can hear it from inside of the car with the windows up. but before i assume something, what does a spun bearing sound like? how do i find it etc. of course this noise appears after i put the pcm in and have a bit of fun... geez

A spun rod bearing causes a low pitched knocking sound under load,  usually once per revolution. You can hear it in P if it's really bad. Doesn't sound like your problem. Unless you let it run out of oil, don't know why this would happen.

ok good i definitely dont hear that noise lol. it sounds like  a hum in the engine compartment. i turned the steering wheel back and forth didnt hear the powersteering pump, but gave it alittle gas in park and i could hear it. strange

in the morning i will check all of my fluids and go from there

Could be a failing alternator bearing. After a drive, touch the alt housing to see if it's hotter than other parts on the engine. Can also remove the accessory belt and rotate the alternator pulley by hand. Check for rough rotation, squeaks, or wobble/play.

Alright, will do

also get a long screw driver touch it to the alternator (NOT ANY ROTATING PARTS)... Just the case and put it to your ear.. if you hear a knocking noise you can imagine your alternator is bad.. or take the belt off and spin the pulley.

AA wrote:

Could be a failing alternator bearing. After a drive, touch the alt housing to see if it's hotter than other parts on the engine. Can also remove the accessory belt and rotate the alternator pulley by hand. Check for rough rotation, squeaks, or wobble/play.




(what he said lol.... whoops)

Lol thanks, I took the belt off and spun the pulley, now I know there would be noise coming from the brushes but the squeak is louder and theres a sound of metal rubbing metal, you know, the white noise sound. Recorded it  and sent it to one of my mechanically inclined friends, " yup, shes done " lol, ok what are our alternators

Pay for a good one: $200-250 fully rebuilt usually. Don't buy the cheaper option - its a partial rebuild.

Alright