Battery light on, squealing noise and no power steering!

[vr6corrado 0]

I had to call the RAC out as my battery light came on, I lost power steering and there was a whine coming from the alternator/water pump region. The RAC guy reckoned it could be either the water pump, alternator or power steering pump (unlikely?). Can anyone narrow it down or does it have to be looked at? It's due in the garage later today and am I right in understanding any of these three require the engine to be jacked up?

Obviously I'm going to have to change the belt but is there anything else I should get done at the same time? Cheers

[coolrado 0]

sounds like either your water pump, alternator, or power steering pump have seized up for some reason unless your belt has gone slack for some reason ?

the alternator bearings seized on my parents golf which caused the same symptoms and just needed new bearings which cost a few quid.

[thamouse1981 0]

i have a squeeling noise that is definately coming from the alternator bearings it hasnt seized yet though and seems to be working fine does it sound like a jet engine with the bonnet up doing 2000 revs i thought mine was going to adopt wings and fly to mexico

[vr6corrado 0]

sounds like either your water pump, alternator, or power steering pump have seized up for some reason unless your belt has gone slack for some reason ?

the alternator bearings seized on my parents golf which caused the same symptoms and just needed new bearings which cost a few quid.

 

Yeah I remember the RAc guy mentioning something has seized, its not the belt itself. Does the engine has to come out to get to the alternator bearings?

[coolrado 0]

most garages would change the whole alternator not just the bearings, not sure about the vr6 as far as removal of the engine their golf was only a 1.6 :roll:

[dr_mat 0]

The book procedure for replacing the alternator is to remove the rad, which according to the book procedure requires removal of the front bumper and the slam panel... :(

But I am reliably informed that a resourceful garage can do it in-situ.

[vr6corrado 0]

Cheers - let's see how resourceful my garage is!

[thamouse1981 0]

the hardest bit i am told is getting the bolts out as they are too long for the space provided it maybe necessary to undo two engine mounts (front and rear left) but im not too sure this is what the garage said to me as i have to get mine done at some point

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Could it be the belt tensioner bearing?This is a well-documented failure, and relatively easy to rectify - I believe there is a "how to" somewhere. The bearing itself can be replaced with a bit of mechanical know-how, saving the cost of the complete assembly.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[vr6corrado 0]

Could it be the belt tensioner bearing?This is a well-documented failure, and relatively easy to rectify - I believe there is a "how to" somewhere. The bearing itself can be replaced with a bit of mechanical know-how, saving the cost of the complete assembly.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

 

Spot on. It was indeed the belt tensioner bearing! :) I'm happy it wasn't something more complex.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep was going to say belt tensioner bearing....lucky you caught it in time before the serpentine belt melted the pulley!

 

And yep, there is no need to touch the front of the car at all when changing out an alternator :wink:

 

You simply remove the airbox, undo the front engine mount top nut, jack the engine up, remove alternator and withdraw it through the gap where the airbox was - easy :lol: