[BlackExpress]

I have an issue where our Escalade is now shutting off on us randomly at idle. When the engine shuts off, there is a loud screech noise just before it shuts off.

-Oil has always been well maintained and looks good.
-226,000 miles
-Serpentine belt is like new
-Power steering pulley is a little hard to spin and makes a weird noise when I spin it by hand. I’m not sure if that’s normal.
-Water pump pulley doesn’t spin too freely either and also has a noise when I spin it by hand.
-I hear an intermittent whistling noise when engine running that turns into a solid pulley whistling noise once warmed up.

My only thought so far is maybe a pulley is getting ready to seize and it has randomly seized up causing the engine to shut off at an idle? I didn’t think a pulley could make an engine shut off, I thought it would just smoke the belt but maybe at an idle it would? I don’t know what else to think right now.

 

[Trentblasco]

. get a temp gun and check their temps ... they will all be warm/hot to the touch if the engine is warmed up but if its showing way hotter than the other pullys you may be on to something. the power steering and water pump will have some resistence but they should spin with minimal friction by hand. the idler pullys should spin just as free or slightly better. I have had a few pullys fail on me in other cars and they tend to melt/distort the plastic pulleys as soon as the bearing starts to fail.

 

[TecEighty]

To check the power steering pump, turn the steering wheel all the way to full lock R or L while idling and bounce it against the stop a few times. If it squeals and stalls, boom - replace the pump.

 

[BlackExpress]

Thanks for the replies guys. I’m going to give both suggestions a try and report back.

 

[BlackExpress]

 

[BlackExpress]

Well temperatures are relatively close. I took the video above to show the whine/whistle at idle and did a few power steering bumps.

 

[BlackExpress]

The only other thing that happened (2 days ago, magically before this just happened out of nowhere) was that the shifter linkage cable came loose at the transmission. I rigged up a plastic clip to hold it on. It’s still holding great but I wonder if maybe it’s not fully engaging in drive/park/etc? And it’s causing the torque converter to act funny or lock up maybe??

 

[BlackExpress]

Any ideas??

 

[Big Red One]

Any ideas??

Sounds like a/c compressor clutch, compressor may be seized. How's your oil pressure at idle? Cam bearings would also squeal and shut engine down.

 

[TecEighty]

That's the power steering pump for sure!