Auto Mechanics up!!

[Jeepnut]

Yep...another vote for belt or idler pulley. If it goes away quickly after it starts making noise, the belt is heating up and grabbing again...or the idler is heating up and the bearings stop squealing.
Low cost fix either way.

 

[Sven]

I vote with Jeepnut.

I also vote no on the belt dressing. Best product out there to ruin a good belt. Of course, if it is the belt making the noise, it may very well NOT be a good belt! Our maintenance lead would like to see every can of belt dressing in the warehouse tossed!

 

[sar4937]

Liquid dish soap would make a better lube, and will break down any oil. Rinses off with water. Never use a tar or petroleum product.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Slip the belt=remove the belt. This will isolate the noise to something driven off the serp belt. While unloading the tensioner you will notice whether it moves freely, and check the belt for cracks. The engine can be run for a short time without the belt, with the engine off pulleys can be spun to find the noise. On the other hand, if the noise is still there without the belt in place you can definitely start looking elsewhere. Draw a diagram so you know how to route the belt when you restall it.

That's a good, common sense troubleshooting procedure. Most cars have a decal showing belt routing somewhere under the hood. You might not have to even draw a diagram...

 

[mtb1bkr]

I guess I'll have to pull the car in the garage this weekend and lift it up so I can get to the bottom of the belt area. I can only see the top couple of pulleys and unfortunately there is not a diagram in the engine compartment. I'm sure I can find one online. Once I find the tensioner is it easy to remove the belt? I'm thinking that if I can get the tensioner and the belt off then I will just replace them as the car is getting near enough to the point where it's supposed to get a new belt.

Bill

 

[2Loud4You]

I guess I'll have to pull the car in the garage this weekend and lift it up so I can get to the bottom of the belt area. I can only see the top couple of pulleys and unfortunately there is not a diagram in the engine compartment. I'm sure I can find one online. Once I find the tensioner is it easy to remove the belt? I'm thinking that if I can get the tensioner and the belt off then I will just replace them as the car is getting near enough to the point where it's supposed to get a new belt.

Bill

It's been a while since I've worked on a Focus, not many of our customers own them so I don't remember right off hand which type of tensioner it has. Some cars have spring loaded tensioners while others tension the belt via one of the components, such as the alternator or power steering pump. BE SURE to draw or find a belt routing before removal or you could hate life putting a new one on. I also suggest putting the new belt in the hot sun to relax the rubber so you can work with it easier. As for replacing the tensioner, it probably only needs the pulley, not the whole assembly. If it's maintaining proper tension on the belt then no need to replace it. For instance, I replaced a tensioner on a Saturn for an ex and MY cost was $55 with a list price of over $100. Hers actually did fail and needed the whole assembly but as you can see, they can be expensive. She was just lucky I got her the shop price instead of her walking into the store.

 

[Landpimp]

I had to replace a few tensioner over the years, most are sold complete with bearing and pully.........but depending on how made, you can pop the bearing out, go to the local bearing shop and match it up, I got 2 for $10.....the tensioner was over $100, Toyota did not sell just the bearing.

changed so many belts I can get the 3rd one back on without taking the other 2 off....well I use to be able to

 

[Andy Griffith]

I don't know if that car has a separate timing belt or not, but don't discount that it is a tensioner or idler pulley bearing on it either. A lot of cars now have two or even three belts. It could be any one of these bearing on any of the pieces. It's k hard to determine which one is making the noise until you get the belt(s) off and spin the pulleys.

It might be a good idea to change the timing belt if it has one if you have to take it off.

 

[clint_lnl]

if it is the belt, remove the belt then start the engine and see is noise is gone. if its gone, then ( with engine off ) grab and them and move all the pullys and spin them, to see if there loose or making noise. IF the noise is still there with the belt off. it could be the timming belt or water pump ( thinking the water pump is driven by the timming belt )
good luck

 

[Landpimp]

I am telling ya, get the hose in your ear and listen for the noise......its the easiest way, dont gotta take anything off untill you find the problem

 

[Jack Flash]

... I can only see the top couple of pulleys and unfortunately there is not a diagram in the engine compartment. I'm sure I can find one online. Once I find the tensioner is it easy to remove the belt? I'm thinking that if I can get the tensioner and the belt off then I will just replace them as the car is getting near enough to the point where it's supposed to get a new belt.

Bill

Since you say "belts" I feel safe assuming it has more than one. Look in your owner's manual and see if it has anything to say about changing the belts. It may have a diagram to boot. Normally I would say if it's almost time to change the belts, you may as well go ahead and do it. Then you know the belts are ok. But in this case, if a bearing freezes up you will probably ruin the new belt(s), among other possible bad outcomes.

Most small cars have an extremely cramped engine compartment. It makes this kind of work very difficult, especially if you have large hands. Another thing about small cars: everything on them is small, light-weight, and fairly cheap. IE, prone to wearout and breakage. At 65k miles, expect a lot of stuff to start failing.

Unless you are determined to make this a do-it-yourself fix, you may be better off taking it to a trusted mechanic, if you know one. (I don't mean any offense here. I don't know your level of experience, what tools you have, etc. I DO know that some of these small cars have things shoe-horned so tightly in the engine compartment that you need to pull the engine to replace a starter! My wife's former car, a little Saturn, had a bearing go bad in the alternator, and they had to pull the engine to get that off.) Not that any of this is un-do-able, just go into it with your eyes wide open. There are car repair forums where you may be able to get advice from a mechanic who has loads of experience on the model of car you have.

 

[2Loud4You]

Jack, what kind of Saturn did your wife own?! I've NEVER and I mean NEVER seen an alternator that required engine removal to replace and I've worked on numerous Saturns.

 

[sar4937]

As far as the focus goes, there is a plastic inspection panel in the wheelwell you can remove for more access. There is a chance that the A/C belt has a manual adjuster.

 

[84CJ]

The AC clutch can make a terrible metal to metal sound some times. Is the AC on when you are hearing the noise? My sons ford did that. The sound was scary as hell. Like nothing I had ever heard.

 

[Jack Flash]

2Loud4You:
It was a '93 four-door, I think the model designation was SL2(?)

 

[mtb1bkr]

I'll have to try paying attention when I start the car as to whether or not the AC is on. The problem is, as I have stated a few times, it doesn't happen at every start up. So, I can't be there with the hood open every time it's started with a hose or anything else hoping it will squeal.

Bill

 

[2Loud4You]

2Loud4You:
It was a '93 four-door, I think the model designation was SL2(?)

I just worked on an ex's 97 SL2 and unless there was a MAJOR change there would've been no reason to remove the engine to replace the alternator. Ironically the job I was doing was replacing the tensioner because the spring failed and all tension was lost. Had it replaced in less than an hour in her driveway with basic tools and that included unbolting the power steering pump to move it to the side. She was very grateful and not only paid me for the work but also "paid" me, so I didn't complain.

 

[Jack Flash]

2Loud4You:
I sure haven't kept up with the design changes Saturn has made over the years so I can't add much. I did not personally replace the alternator, but had it done at a trusted shop a few years back. I'm pretty sure that what I reported is what they told me, but my memory is not what it once was so feel free to take it with a grain of salt, if you so choose. We sold the car a couple of years ago and all its records went with it.

Anyways, about the Ford Focus, my point was that it may be wise to at least consult a trusted professional.

 

[Spotteddog]

Then I'd suggest being purposeful about the test diagnostics.
Put a post-it note dead center in the drivers side windshield to remind you. Week 1, start car ONLY with A/C in "on" position.
Week 2, post-it note to remind you to turn all HVAC controls to "off" before all start up's. And if your AM distracted, perhaps another over the key slot in the column.