The sound of crickets

[Derick]

Just noticed that there's a high pitched squeaking sound coming from my engine. It (for lack of a better description) sounds like chirping crickets

The noise increases with acceleration and then dissapears at about 2500rpm. so I'm thinking it's something with the pulleys or belts? Anyone else ever had this?

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: The sound of crickets

Well I can't offer any insight to your issue but when I saw the title of this thread I thought it had to do with the slowness of the boards today

Good luck with your problem D!

[Derick]

Re: The sound of crickets

LOL, thanks anyways B

I'm gonna bring it into the stealership on the weekend, but was hoping to get some info to prepare myself for something that sounds expensive haha

[Aleks]

Re: The sound of crickets

I'm gonna say serpentine belt tensioner......they are spring loaded, and when they get too dry or ready to go, they chirp like that.......

[Derick]

Re: The sound of crickets

I'm gonna say serpentine belt tensioner......they are spring loaded, and when they get too dry or ready to go, they chirp like that.......

Hrmmm, any idea on how much that would cost to replace Alex?

[Kiwi Kid]

Re: The sound of crickets

yeah mine was doing that the other day too.. picked up some belt dressing from crappy tire for like 3 bucks.. all gone!

[Stonewall]

Re: The sound of crickets

Tensioner is about $130 if the another of the rollers goes add on a nother $60. I just changed the tensioner on the wifes car this weekend as the dampener was dead, then I looked at the one on my car and the dampener is dead too *doh*.

[Derick]

Re: The sound of crickets

yeah mine was doing that the other day too.. picked up some belt dressing from crappy tire for like 3 bucks.. all gone!

haha, that belt dressing stuff was the first thing that popped into my head when I heard it. But isn't that just curing the sympton rather than the problem?

Brent, Was yours and your wife's car making noises as well?

[Mr. Burns]

Re: The sound of crickets

mine did that... did the dressing thing for a couple weeks before the whole thing failed... my car then sat at northland for over 3 weeks waiting for various parts to come in.

[Stonewall]

Re: The sound of crickets

It was making a little noise, nothing major. I did notice more of a vibration in the car when the AC was on though. The thing that tipped me off that the dampener was toast was the fact that there was oil all over the bottom bolt that holds it to the tensioner. It is is the plastic carrier roller that is toast I read it will make lots of noise though, I also saw a major ugly picture of one so I think it is better safe then sorry.

[Derick]

Re: The sound of crickets

So I dropped the ride off at the dealership this morning and they called back to tell me that the noise was not from the pulleys or drive belts, but the alternator itself. So basically, they offered to replace the alternator for about $800USD inc. labor..... Does this sound right? I hate the feeling that I may be getting screwed

[Khyron]

Re: The sound of crickets

The price is correct - NL told me it's around 1200 for a refurbished one (I had read it somewhere and didn't believe so asked them to look it up).

However, they are not supposed to fail so I'd get a 2nd opinion from another dealership.

Khyron

[Stonewall]

Re: The sound of crickets

More then likely the alternator itself is fine but the pully on the end is shot. I read a bit about this onthe tdiclub last week when I was working on the wifes car. If I remember right it can be fixed a lot cheaper then replacing the whole alternator.

[Derick]

Re: The sound of crickets

The price is correct - NL told me it's around 1200 for a refurbished one (I had read it somewhere and didn't believe so asked them to look it up).

However, they are not supposed to fail so I'd get a 2nd opinion from another dealership.

Khyron

Holy balls! That's retarded expensive for an alternator. Geoff, What do you mean it's not "supposed" to fail? Don't all alternators have a finite life to them? What happened to yours?

Edit: Brent - According to the techc I spole with, they took everythign apart becasue they couldn't figure out where the noise was originating from. After bench testing, he said they isolated it to a busted bearing (or something like it) in the alternator?

[Khyron]

Re: The sound of crickets

Mine didn't break, I was just confirming the completely insane price. I've never seen a thread about mk4 alternators dying so I'm assuming it must be quite rare. Check for aftermarket options as that's just madness.

Khyron