Squeaking Noise From Front of Engine. 95 SL2

[tx3nc]

1995 SL2, 60,000 miles on it. It has a squeaking type noise when the engine is running, warmed up, and in drive or reverse while sitting stopped. Rev the engine to move the car and the noise stopps. Put in neutral or part and the noise stops.

I tried to locate the noise with it idling in drive with the hand brake set. I could hear the noise but trying to isolate it with my mechanic's stethescope wasn't very difinitive. I think it might be comming from the serpentine belt tensioner.

Has anyone else seen symptoms like this?

[papoopeepoo]

Probably the belt tensioner, I'd say.

[tx3nc]

Originally Posted by papoopeepoo

Probably the belt tensioner, I'd say.

Ok, that's something I hadn't though of. That the squeek could be the tensioner itself and not one of the pullies. I did see the tensioner arm moving back and forth as the engine ran. I could check again and see if it smooths out when the idle speed increases in park.

How difficult is that tensioner to get to and replace?

[BV22]

Remove the belt and repeat your noise test. Don't run the car for more than a couple minutes without the belt - water pump is not pumping in this condition. If the noise is gone with the belt removed, then you know it is something driven by the belt. Wiggle and spin all the pulleys and see if you can identify the culprit. The tensioner is most likely on a car that old, but the idler, p/s pump a/c compressor and alternator can all make noise too.

[wi111y]

Originally Posted by tx3nc

Ok, that's something I hadn't though of. That the squeek could be the tensioner itself and not one of the pullies. I did see the tensioner arm moving back and forth as the engine ran. I could check again and see if it smooths out when the idle speed increases in park.

How difficult is that tensioner to get to and replace?

There's 2 bolts holding it on. To get to one of them I belive you have to rotate the tensioner back while removing it, which can be a pain. It's not hard to replace, it's just in a pretty tight spot to work in.

[tx3nc]

Ok. Update. Replaced the tensioner as well as the stationary idler pulley. The noise is gone. It was getting progressively worse. I'm glad I did it. The weather has been mild up to now, but cold weather and snow is comming and I don't have a heated area to work in. So if I let it go till it fails it would be really miserable to work on. I had another car that the tensioner failed on and the car threw the belt. Luckily I was only a block from home so I limped it in and fixed it.

I think it was the tensoner arm or spring that was squeaking as it vibrated at idle and not the pulley bearing.

Thanks guys.