two problems with '85 FWB

[lochenjons]

problem 1: well not too long ago, my '85 brougham started making weird noises when the engine was cold. only when i was accelerating. it would make a sound like the fan belt was rubbing on something. like a high pitched whine/squeaking sound. only until i got into 2nd gear and then it would usually subside. i got some fan belt "dressing" down at kragens and boom. problem fixed. but now there's a new problem.

if i use the defroster while the car is cold, it does the same thing. only difference is the NO CHARGE light will come on the dash but very dimly. it fades away in about 3 minutes. at speeds above 30 it doesnt make a sound. it only makes them when the car is in 1st and sometimes 2nd gears. any help guys?


problem 2: okay so as some of you might no, i complained about my radio a while ago and how the digits were all messed up and didn't display properly. i went to the pick n pull in san jose and spied two 85ish fleetwoods that were in great shape! suprising. well anyways one of them has a good looking radio that i'm going to buy when "half off day" rolls around. only problem is the actual knobs to tune and change the volume are missing. just the "wooden" ones on the top. this may be a stupid question but hopefully its an easy answer. can i just take the knobs off of mine and stick it on the new radio?

thanks

[jayoldschool]

Originally Posted by lochenjons

problem 1: well not too long ago, my '85 brougham started making weird noises when the engine was cold. only when i was accelerating. it would make a sound like the fan belt was rubbing on something. like a high pitched whine/squeaking sound. only until i got into 2nd gear and then it would usually subside. i got some fan belt "dressing" down at kragens and boom. problem fixed. but now there's a new problem.

if i use the defroster while the car is cold, it does the same thing. only difference is the NO CHARGE light will come on the dash but very dimly. it fades away in about 3 minutes. at speeds above 30 it doesnt make a sound. it only makes them when the car is in 1st and sometimes 2nd gears. any help guys?

You need to change the belt and make sure it is properly tensioned. Simple as that. Belt dressing should never be used. THe reson the no charge light is coming on is because the belt is slipping under load. Change the belt, throw out the dressing.

Originally Posted by lochenjons

problem 2: okay so as some of you might no, i complained about my radio a while ago and how the digits were all messed up and didn't display properly. i went to the pick n pull in san jose and spied two 85ish fleetwoods that were in great shape! suprising. well anyways one of them has a good looking radio that i'm going to buy when "half off day" rolls around. only problem is the actual knobs to tune and change the volume are missing. just the "wooden" ones on the top. this may be a stupid question but hopefully its an easy answer. can i just take the knobs off of mine and stick it on the new radio?

Yes.

[Abadox]

Yeah,It's your belt man.....it's too loose or just worn out.
The reason it squeels when the defroster is turned on is because the compressor on the air-conditioner is activated to rid the windshield of fog.
That's my opinion anyway....if I'm wrong someone else will set you striaght

[lochenjons]

yeah thats what i was thinking... im gonna look into tightening it. if that doesnt work its time for a new belt

[Benzilla]

I'm starting to wonder about my mechanic. I'm having the same problem with a belt that you are. But he was supposed to go through all the belts and make sure everything was fine the last time I was in there.

Also, the brakes were squeaking so I had him put on new pads and turn the roters. They still squeaked, so he put on another new set. They do it too. WTF is going on?

Lastly, the car now makes a whining sound that goes up and down when idling, and gets faster when excelerating, it sounds like it's coming from the alternator which I just had rebuilt. It didn't do it before. Oh, and after the car warms up fully, I start to hear another squeak. it loops, and gets faster and slower with the speed. It's not high pitch like another belt, it's more like if you very lightly honked a bicycle horn. honk-honk-honk..

Anybody have ideas? I'm sick of this shit.

Sorry if that seemed like a thread jack.

[AElayyat]

Originally Posted by lochenjons

problem 1: well not too long ago, my '85 brougham started making weird noises when the engine was cold. only when i was accelerating. it would make a sound like the fan belt was rubbing on something. like a high pitched whine/squeaking sound. only until i got into 2nd gear and then it would usually subside. i got some fan belt "dressing" down at kragens and boom. problem fixed. but now there's a new problem.

if i use the defroster while the car is cold, it does the same thing. only difference is the NO CHARGE light will come on the dash but very dimly. it fades away in about 3 minutes. at speeds above 30 it doesnt make a sound. it only makes them when the car is in 1st and sometimes 2nd gears. any help guys?


problem 2: okay so as some of you might no, i complained about my radio a while ago and how the digits were all messed up and didn't display properly. i went to the pick n pull in san jose and spied two 85ish fleetwoods that were in great shape! suprising. well anyways one of them has a good looking radio that i'm going to buy when "half off day" rolls around. only problem is the actual knobs to tune and change the volume are missing. just the "wooden" ones on the top. this may be a stupid question but hopefully its an easy answer. can i just take the knobs off of mine and stick it on the new radio?

thanks

It could also be your a/c compressor. I had simmilar problems with my 85 but in my situation it turned out to be the compressor not the belt. Change the belt first then go from there.

[AElayyat]

Originally Posted by Benzilla

I'm starting to wonder about my mechanic. I'm having the same problem with a belt that you are. But he was supposed to go through all the belts and make sure everything was fine the last time I was in there.

Also, the brakes were squeaking so I had him put on new pads and turn the roters. They still squeaked, so he put on another new set. They do it too. WTF is going on?

Lastly, the car now makes a whining sound that goes up and down when idling, and gets faster when excelerating, it sounds like it's coming from the alternator which I just had rebuilt. It didn't do it before. Oh, and after the car warms up fully, I start to hear another squeak. it loops, and gets faster and slower with the speed. It's not high pitch like another belt, it's more like if you very lightly honked a bicycle horn. honk-honk-honk..

Anybody have ideas? I'm sick of this shit.

Sorry if that seemed like a thread jack.

Your mechanic could be using shitty parts regarding the brakes.

For that other problem it could be the alternator?? Not too sure on that one.

[Benzilla]

He said he put the best parts you can get on. But I wonder.

I'm thinking the alternator too, but I don't get why it just does it AFTER a rebuild. And the guy who did it has been in business for decades.

[The Ape Man]

You guys should be doing your own repair work. Your meck-a-nick can't make a decent living learning the ins and outs of your 20+ year old car unless he fixes dozens of them.

The problem might be a loose fan belt other than the alternator belt itself. There is another belt which drives the waterpump and something else. The alternator belt itself is driven from a step up ratio provided by the dual groove fan belt pulley.
Once a belt squeels it is probably history. New belts stretch and may require a break-in and retightening. This sucks and was not always that way. By now the waterpump should be carefully checked for weeping of coolant as the alternator belt may have killed it from being overtightened.

[Benzilla]

Originally Posted by The Ape Man

You guys should be doing your own repair work. Your meck-a-nick can't make a decent living learning the ins and outs of your 20+ year old car unless he fixes dozens of them.

I agree, except I'm not a do-it-yourself-er when it comes to engines. I love taking care of my cars; detailing, minor restoration, all that stuff. But when I get under the hood, beyond checking the fluids and changing the oil, I'm lost for the most pert. And that's pathetic, I know. But I'd rather have somebody that (is supposed to) know what their doing work on my car than a know it all tire kicker (That would be me I guess).

And my mechanic got into the business back when these cars were new, so he actually enjoys working on the 20+ year old cars. He's the only person I trust to touch my Phaeton, I'd never feel right taking it to some dealer or a muffler and lube joint.

Too bad I think he just died. crap.

[carnut]

If the engine is a 4100, then the slipping belt is NOT the alternator belt but the smog pump belt. The alt. belt only wraps around the water pump. The smog pump belt wraps around the crankshaft and water pump. When that belt is worn, loose or glazed, it will slip on the water pump pulley. To confirm this, with the engine off try rotating the alternator against its normal running rotation with a wrench on the alt. pulley nut. If it rotates as I think it will, look down at the water pump pulley. You will see the pulley moving and the smog belt sitting still! Its a bitch to change, must be done from under the car. Get the best quality belt because you dont want to do this again. This is from experience. Took me a week to figure it out after I wasted money on an alternator! ten years ago.

[lochenjons]

okay thanks guys ill give it a look. weekend project here i come