93 deville 4.9 noisey cold pulleys, quiet when warm. whats going out?

lenny lincoln · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-07, 11:28 AM

My 4.9 on cold mornings is very noisy only to come quiet after it warms up. Is not grinding noise. Can't tell coming from the air compressor, water pump, or belt tensioner. Anyone from experience that had similar symptomology could you please tell me whats about to go out. No water drips.

dadillac27 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-03-07, 07:06 PM

I have a 94 deville 4.9 and I had the same noise and it was my idler pulley. Hope this helps

maxxmicah · #3 (**permalink**) 03-12-08, 02:37 PM

i have a 95 deville 4.9 and i had the smae noise and it was my idler pulley. too

Chicano-Mexicano · #4 (**permalink**) 03-12-08, 06:06 PM

I have the same problem and that was my first though, glad to know that it's nothing major.

behind-bars · #5 (**permalink**) 03-12-08, 08:01 PM

if its a squeal try replacing your power steering fluid. PS Fluid is often overlooked. You dont necessarily have to replace it all either, I just took the cap off and used a cheap turkey baster to suck all the fluid I could from the PS case and put it in a empty milk jug, I didnt get much out, but after adding new fluid till full the squeal stopped. I did it a few times over the course of a few months so that most of the old fluid was eventually removed. You can drain it all out at once if you pull a hose, but that will let air into the system which has to be bled out, A partial change keeps the bleeding to a minimum.

I would try this before a idler pulley since it is cheap and easy and should be done anyway, however if it doesnt work and you replace the pulley atleast you may prolong the life of the PS Pump

1stL · #6 (**permalink**) 03-12-08, 11:59 PM

My 95 Deville with the 4.9 was making a loud sound when I first got it (worse when I first started and drove it). I couldn’t tell what it was. Eventually it quit all together, but then I realized that another sound had developed. The new sound was a grinding sound and could really only be heard when the hood was up. The first noise was apparent with the hood open or closed. Turns out the alternator was going bad. My volts showed 13.7 to 14.1 on the dash the whole time so I didn’t think that it was the alternator. I put another alternator on and it’s fine now. When I removed the old unit you could spin the pulley and feel that it was bad. Maybe you could remove the belt and spin the pulleys on the alternator and power steering pump and see if anything turns up.

NickySantoro · #7 (**permalink**) 03-13-08, 09:32 AM

OP,
How old is the serpentine belt?

92EldoTC · #8 (**permalink**) 03-13-08, 12:56 PM

uh check the belt for cracks and change the idler pulley soon before it goes out and you lose control of steering and eat your serpentine belt up, been there done that, not fun!!

lenny lincoln · #9 (**permalink**) 03-27-08, 10:15 AM

It was the water pump. New idler and belt was replaced when i did the pump. All quite now

92EldoTC · #10 (**permalink**) 03-28-08, 09:19 PM

squeaky pulleys, whether it be water or power steering pump, alternator or idler, isolate the noise, replace and enjoy the quiet!

McQueen95 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-07-09, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92EldoTC

squeaky pulleys, whether it be water or power steering pump, alternator or idler, isolate the noise, replace and enjoy the quiet!

This is great thread that I found while searching the forum. So... about "isolating the noise". I need some help with that. I think it's coming from one of the idler pulleys (93 Seville 4.9L). It's a relatively new sound and it's not too loud but it is very pronounced. It sounds like maybe bearings that have gone bad on an idler pulley or a power steering pulley. It's kind of a low sounding "grind" noise... very steady sound... not intermittent.

I'm 90% sure it's not coming from inside the engine. If I take the serpentine belt off completely, can I run the engine that way (at least for a couple of minutes) or do I risk creating a bigger problem? If the sound goes away, then I would at least know that it's something that is being driven by that belt. In case that doesn't help, I would appreciate hearing any suggestions for troubleshooting noises... inside or outside the engine.

I'm new to the forum and this is my first post...and obviously not a pro mechanic but I know enough to be dangerous and save myself a few bucks (most of the time

). Thanks to any who offer some advice.

-mq95

behind-bars · #12 (**permalink**) 01-08-09, 12:48 AM

If you cant isolate the sound with the belt on and engine running then I would pull the belt off and spin the pulleys by hand. I imagine you could run the engine for a minute without the belt, but I would be a little hesitant too run it more then a minute or two. When my waterpump went It threw the belt and the car ran a bit before I killed the engine and I dont see any damage, After the belt fell off I spun the waterpump pulley by hand and you could hear the shot bearings and the pulley was loose so I knew it was bad.

If you think it is a PS pump then have someone stand outside with the hood up and engine running and turn the wheel back and forth and see if the sound varies.