marvelt Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) I've recently been hearing a noise coming from the car whilst driving so i decided to investigate abit further,and found that its most prominent from the front offside wheel arch.I'm thinking alternator belt ?if you guys could give it a listen and see what you think would be appreciated.(you can just about hear it over the normal engine idle) Edited January 9, 2012 by marvelt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I can't hear any noise because it sounds like someone's using a pneumatic drill nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo 1.7sdi Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yes it is a strange noise. I think it is better to open the bonnet and to find the source of noise with precision because it could be a serious problem. You can use a flexible pipe like a stethoscope (introduce the beginning of the pipe in your ear and you move the pipe end in different zones).It sound me like a bearing noise. There are bearings in alternator, pulley (on alternator belt or timing belt), clutch or gearbox.Try to make a new film after you open the bonnet and post it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durb Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yes it is a strange noise. I think it is better to open the bonnet and to find the source of noise with precision because it could be a serious problem. You can use a flexible pipe like a stethoscope (introduce the beginning of the pipe in your ear and you move the pipe end in different zones).It sound me like a bearing noise. There are bearings in alternator, pulley (on alternator belt or timing belt), clutch or gearbox.Try to make a new film after you open the bonnet and post it here.Does sound like bearing to me too, Need to identify the source - if is timing belt tensioner, then driving with it like it (or running the engine) wouldn't be a good idea...If the noise is from the offside area, I would suggest removing the alternator belt to see if it stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 thanks for the info, i wouldn't have thought it would be the timing belt tensioner as I've just had the cam belt done with new tensioners and everything, i opened the bonnet up and it does seem to be coming from the alternator itself, however it is much more audible from the offside wheel arch, without the engine rattling away in your face. gonna take it in to my local garage this week and see what they think, heres hoping its not expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_273 Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Lightly spray WD40 on the alternator belt and see it that stops it.Alternator belts often make noises like that if they have been removed and refitted, such as when you recently had the cambelt changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durb Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 thanks for the info,i wouldn't have thought it would be the timing belt tensioner as I've just had the cam belt done with new tensioners and everything,i opened the bonnet up and it does seem to be coming from the alternator itself, however it is much more audible from the offside wheel arch, without the engine rattling away in your face.gonna take it in to my local garage this week and see what they think, heres hoping its not expensive.Fair enough, although it wouldn't be the first time for a brand new component to go bad.could try a little lube on the alternator bearings, a small squirt of something like plus gas or WD40 would change the noise and give you the diagnosis.Personally I would want to be sure of the source of the noise before doing many miles.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 water pump ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 do i just stick the nozzle in a gap of the alternator or something more delicate ?cheers for the feedback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durb Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 you can just give the bearings a spray - where the shaft meets the casing. at each end. should be ok if you dont go too mad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derv Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Check if the alternator has a freewheel pulley, or if it has just a plain pulley.The freewheel pulley has a bearing in it with a spline drive slot in the end. The ordinary pulley is held on with a nut.The freewheel pulley can seize and throw the pulley and belt off. Mine did this after only a days worth of making a noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 can you confirm if this is a freewheel or not ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo 1.7sdi Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 It seem to be a freewheel pulley but to be sure remove the black cover and if it looks like thisthen it is a freewheel pulley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derv Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 The black cover means it is a freewheel pulley.Here are the two to compare:If you gently prod the cooling blades inside the alternator, they should move in one direction with the engine stopped. Otherwise the pulley is seized.If it is definitely the pulley at fault, I would get it changed asap. When they break they also take out the tensioner. It sometimes confuses people into diagnosing the problem as a broken tensioner. Only to find the new tensioner breaks again in a short time.Here is my old pulley with the broken bearing, which I found in the undertray:You need a tool such as the Laser 3307 to fit the new pulley.I decided to save a few quid in the long run, and bought a new alternator. Unfortunately the one supplied by Bosch came with a standard pulley, so I had to buy a new freewheel pulley from VAG anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 the cooling blades move freely in one direction, so I'm guessing the pulley isn't seized and is alright, sprayed some 40 in the alternator bearings, or what i could see to be moving parts, this seems to have silenced the noise slightly but not cured it. would it be best to get a new alternator or can you buy the bearings separate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derv Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Personally I would get an exchange alternator from VAG, if you are sure it's the alternator at fault. They are not mega money.I also factor in the fact that it costs us on average £20/day to have the Lupo out of action. So in my case the quickest solution can be the best one.last year I stripped down and priced up all the parts I needed to refresh a Bosch alternator on one of my other cars, and worked out cheaper to get a whole new unit.First I would whip the belt off and run the engine without it to help confirm the source of the noise. You could then also have a play with alternator pulley directly to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo 1.7sdi Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) The bearings can be replaced. Their codes are: 6303 and 6003. They must be special bearings for alternator, not any bearings. I used FAG and NTN (SKF could be a good choise)Below is a link to a DYIhttp://vwforum.vwfor...showtopic=68329It isn't a hard operation for somebody with some experience.You must be very careful because a bearing which is incorrect fitted will have a very short life.Another interesting DYIhttp://vwforum.vwforum.ro/topic/84114-diy-reconditionare-alternator-bosch/ Edited January 12, 2012 by lupo 1.7sdi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 very impressed by the level of help given on here guys,much appreciated, I've given it a dose of wd and it has definitely quietened it down, its still there but not noticeable at all over the normal engine rattle.I'm taking it into the garage on monday, so will get the belt off and have another play try and narrow it done conclusively, will let you know what it was in the end ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannonball Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 What did the garage say ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted January 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 said it was the alternator bearings most likely, i can get it refurbed for 40 quid, so I'm opting for that and gonna go from there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvelt Posted April 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 just incase anyone else has the same problem. it ended up being the clutch inside the alternator, got it done for 65 quid . runs smoothly ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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