I have a new development...I "belt" squeal. I'v changed belts twice wit ones from other engines (not a new one yet). I tried loosening as well as tightening the belt. I sprayed on belt dressing. I then took off the belt, and really sprayed on the dressing!
I swapped out the alternator.
All this, and it still squeals. Water pump does'nt wiggle, rattle or leak.
However, I did notice that the fan does'nt spinn very smoothly when the car is off.

The squeal is really an intermittant "sqeak" that seems to be specific to the 4500-5500 rpm range, but will sustain itself at other rpms on occassion. It does seem to occur during acceleration and decelleration.

Please tell me it's the fan clutch! My girls having a bad week. The starter must really be filled with oil from the pan seal leak, because it's gone from having to tap the starter to get it to "catch" a contact every fifth time, to just about every single time I start her.
Then this squeal. And while swapping out the alternator tonight, and thinking how happy I'd be to have fixed her, I saw a leak in my radiator start as a result of my leaning on the top of the fan shroud! There's an anchoring tab for the shroud soldered to the top of the radiator, and I just gave it its final movement before it let loose!

ARRRRRRGH

 

man sorry to hear your bad luck!!! Just replaced my radiator, exacte same reason.

But it does sound like the fan clutch, might try there first.

Good luck.

 

Is there something appropriate that I could spray into the fan clutch? I don't want to mess up how it's supposed to work. Like maybe brake cleaner?

Can I get a second and third vote on the fan clutch tonight so I can sleep easy?

 

Id say the clutch fan also.

sorry about the luck

peace

 

That mounting tab on the radiator is pretty bad. I've had mine break before. I had to solder it back together because I couldn't afford a new radiator.

 

Get that oil leak repaired and clean your starter.

High voltage arcing in a powerful electric motor + combustable oil fumes = one burning car and sad, sad Sterling

But back to your question, might want to swap in a different fan/clutch from yuor parts car and see if the squeak-b-gone.

 

Funny how stupidly simple that is! It never even dawned on me about it being a fire hazard!

 

try pushing the fan back and forth. if it moves much at all, you need a new water pump. this is what happened to me, same sympoms.

dont worry, its only like a $50 part.

 

Well I simply tightened the **** outta it, and it seemed to remedy the problem. I always thought having the belts on tight was not good.

82streetracer- I did try to wiggle the water pump when the belt was off, and there was no play at all. () That was'nt something I was looking forward to having to do...Things are just nuts right now, and I don't have the time!

 

It isn't. Sure it may stop the belt from slipping but it can also cause premature wear of the front main bearing. Can't be too good for the bearing in the alternator either...

 

I'll get a new belt this weekend. The inside diameter of the belt is'nt supposed to contact the flat in the pulley, is it?
Mine is'nt, but the inside of the belt is in sad (old 'n cracked) shape - could just be worn.

 

A tell-tale sign of a bad fan clutch is if you can hear the fan loudly spinning after coasting down from redline(say coastin 7k down to 5k). It should be free spinning at that point. Also, your gas mileage will go to trash from all the extra weight for the motor to turn.

 

I forgot, with a bad fan clutch you will also start breaking belts. So overtightening the belt might be a fix it..for now.