Aletnator
- 96chris
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Aletnator
Altenator SCREEMS every time on cold start up's.. For about 15-20 seconds. Took it out, and took it to napa they tested it and said it was fine.. i dont know why its doing this??
96 RS DOHC
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- Inodoro Pereyra
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Re: Aletnator
Are you sure it's the alternator?
Make sure your belts have the right tension, if they do and they're still screaming, get a can of belt dressing, and spray your belts.
Make sure your belts have the right tension, if they do and they're still screaming, get a can of belt dressing, and spray your belts.
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- 96chris
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Re: Aletnator
If its the belt, would it need to be tighter or looser? And would the altenator even make that noise?
96 RS DOHC
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- Inodoro Pereyra
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Re: Aletnator
When the belt starts getting old, it loosens up a little. The first symptom is normally that kind of screech for the first few seconds when you start the car. The belt needs to be at the proper tension. If you try to solve the problem only by tightening the belt, chances are it will break.
Just push on the belt with your finger, between both pulleys. Applying about 5Lbs of pressure you should have about 1/8" to 3'16" deflection.
Either way, apply the belt dressing first, and if it solves it, get ready to buy new belts.![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
EDIT: I'm assuming you took the alternator off the car, and took it to napa for testing. If you tested the alty inside the car, the test done means nothing. The alty can be working perfectly, but its bearings may be starting to fail, and making noise when it's cold. You need to take the alty off the car, let it cool down completely, and then take it for testing.
Just push on the belt with your finger, between both pulleys. Applying about 5Lbs of pressure you should have about 1/8" to 3'16" deflection.
Either way, apply the belt dressing first, and if it solves it, get ready to buy new belts.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
EDIT: I'm assuming you took the alternator off the car, and took it to napa for testing. If you tested the alty inside the car, the test done means nothing. The alty can be working perfectly, but its bearings may be starting to fail, and making noise when it's cold. You need to take the alty off the car, let it cool down completely, and then take it for testing.
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"The more I know man, the more I love my dog."
Diogenes of Sinope.
"The more I know man, the more I love my dog."
Diogenes of Sinope.
- Ryan
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Re: Aletnator
If this were a betting game, I'd put all my money on the belt. Get a good quality one too. On my SOHC, the belts went in this fashion. First, I tightened the crap out of them, but it wasn't solved until I replaced them.
On my BP, I had used a sketchy 90A alternator. I think it was shorting, because the charge light came on periodically when the RPM's were low (idle) and the thing didn't squeal, but a few days later my engine bay was covered in belt dust, and the belt was polished shiny (V belt alty). I replaced it with a good quality belt, and the proper alternator, set it to the proper tension, and life went smoothly.
On my BP, I had used a sketchy 90A alternator. I think it was shorting, because the charge light came on periodically when the RPM's were low (idle) and the thing didn't squeal, but a few days later my engine bay was covered in belt dust, and the belt was polished shiny (V belt alty). I replaced it with a good quality belt, and the proper alternator, set it to the proper tension, and life went smoothly.
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Black GS - Summer DD/Race car - Fancy KLZE
Red GS - K8-ATX -> MTX-KLDE - Frakencar. Scrapped
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Black '93 BP RS - wrecked, parted, scrapped.
Green GS - Sold.
Black GS - Summer DD/Race car - Fancy KLZE
Red GS - K8-ATX -> MTX-KLDE - Frakencar. Scrapped
White GS - Rusty. Parts. Scrapped
1997 BMW M3 - my summer baby
2002 BMW 325Xi - sold
2003 Forester Xti - EJ20K swapped.
Feedback
Re: Aletnator
These belts have a habit of screeming. I've found if you get any coolant on them it just makes things worse. Believe it or not most garages just use WD40. I used it liberally and it's fixed this problem for me a few times. Power steering pump can whine too in cold wheather if there's any moisture in the fluid.
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92 GS Sold
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2002 Subaru WRX Blue, SOLD (best E test numbers I've ever seen)
94 MX-6. Sold
92 GS KLZE 5 Speed
96 GS 5 speed, KLZE, Sold
95 GS Minty Shape Sold
92 GS Sold
92 GS Parts Car scrapped.
Feedback viewtopic.php?f=37&t=66348" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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I know you believe that you understand what you think I said but I'm sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
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Re: Aletnator
The alternator belt issue is well documented on the RS model. When I had an RS I replaced my belts with the highest quality ones I could get and they squeeled like stuck pigs and then quickly failed. LOTS of other guys reported the same thing and told me to go get factory replacements from Mazda. Problem was solved.
For the record...belt dressing is not recommeded by any belt manufacturer and my personal opinion is that it is a shadetree mechanic's shortcut for a problem like this. No offense intended to those who use such a product.
For the record...belt dressing is not recommeded by any belt manufacturer and my personal opinion is that it is a shadetree mechanic's shortcut for a problem like this. No offense intended to those who use such a product.
94' RS/GS/MS/CF Monster Turbo...coming soon.
93' GS SE, the Black Beast, the former love of my life...soon to be gutted and crushed.
94' GS, black on black, now in several small pieces...and one large crushed piece.
2007 Mazda3 GT Sport --- super fun
2004 Honda RC51 --- Lost forever to some theavin' bastard
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93' GS SE, the Black Beast, the former love of my life...soon to be gutted and crushed.
94' GS, black on black, now in several small pieces...and one large crushed piece.
2007 Mazda3 GT Sport --- super fun
2004 Honda RC51 --- Lost forever to some theavin' bastard
My Worklog
My feedback thread
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
- Ryan
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Re: Aletnator
To pinpoint the solution, not as a fix, belt dressing is a good idea. Even a mist of water does it.
Now with Moderator power!
Black '93 BP RS - wrecked, parted, scrapped.
Green GS - Sold.
Black GS - Summer DD/Race car - Fancy KLZE
Red GS - K8-ATX -> MTX-KLDE - Frakencar. Scrapped
White GS - Rusty. Parts. Scrapped
1997 BMW M3 - my summer baby
2002 BMW 325Xi - sold
2003 Forester Xti - EJ20K swapped.
Feedback
Black '93 BP RS - wrecked, parted, scrapped.
Green GS - Sold.
Black GS - Summer DD/Race car - Fancy KLZE
Red GS - K8-ATX -> MTX-KLDE - Frakencar. Scrapped
White GS - Rusty. Parts. Scrapped
1997 BMW M3 - my summer baby
2002 BMW 325Xi - sold
2003 Forester Xti - EJ20K swapped.
Feedback
- Inodoro Pereyra
- Senior Member
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- Joined: March 11th, 2009, 3:44 pm
- Location: Back in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Re: Aletnator
I agree. That's why I told him to get ready to buy new belts. But belt dressing is a good diagnostic tool for belt slipping problems, and a good temporary fix if you're in a bind. Of course it will NOT solve the problem. Once the belt starts to stretch, the only real solution is a new belt.wytbishop wrote: For the record...belt dressing is not recommeded by any belt manufacturer and my personal opinion is that it is a shadetree mechanic's shortcut for a problem like this. No offense intended to those who use such a product.
Bottom line, belt dressing, like everything else, is good if you use it properly.
About aftermarket belts screaming, I disagree. I've had 2 RS's, a '92 with gatorback belts, and a '94 (with a '95 engine) with dayco belts. Neither one ever gave me any belt trouble.
U28sIG5vdyB5b3UgYWxzbyBrbm93IGJhc2UgNjQuLi5odWg/DQpTSE9XIE9GRiEhIQ==
"The more I know man, the more I love my dog."
Diogenes of Sinope.
"The more I know man, the more I love my dog."
Diogenes of Sinope.
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Re: Aletnator
I'm sure not every user of Goodyear or Dayco would have this problem...but many have and factory belts were the solution.Inodoro Pereyra wrote:wytbishop wrote: About aftermarket belts screaming, I disagree. I've had 2 RS's, a '92 with gatorback belts, and a '94 (with a '95 engine) with dayco belts. Neither one ever gave me any belt trouble.
94' RS/GS/MS/CF Monster Turbo...coming soon.
93' GS SE, the Black Beast, the former love of my life...soon to be gutted and crushed.
94' GS, black on black, now in several small pieces...and one large crushed piece.
2007 Mazda3 GT Sport --- super fun
2004 Honda RC51 --- Lost forever to some theavin' bastard
My Worklog
My feedback thread
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
93' GS SE, the Black Beast, the former love of my life...soon to be gutted and crushed.
94' GS, black on black, now in several small pieces...and one large crushed piece.
2007 Mazda3 GT Sport --- super fun
2004 Honda RC51 --- Lost forever to some theavin' bastard
My Worklog
My feedback thread
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.