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My coworker has a 2007 Dodge Caliber 2.0 that squeals intermittently while driving and sometimes idling. It sounds like a common accessory belt squeal but I’m a fairly competent DIY mechanic and we’ve checked and changed almost everything and still can’t find what’s causing it. A/C does not affect the squealing. Car has new idler pulleys (upper and lower) new tensioner, new alternator and new accessory belt. This would lead me to believe that either the power steering pump or water pump would be to blame since the A/C operation does not affect the squealing. I hear no bearing noise from the P/S pump and the water pump is not leaking or otherwise misbehaving. Any ideas? Am I overlooking something simple here?
Thanks in advance,
AKL
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It could be crying because it just realized it’s a caliber. I mean, I would.
Ok, seriously. If you have a harbor freight store around you, go get an automotive stethoscope. Under $10 and a good tool. Also, you can use the cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels to help narrow down the source of the sound. Is it only when the a/c is on? It’s likely to be a belt tensioner pulley wheel or an idler pulley wheel. Those have bearings that go bad and cause noise. They are also usually cheap, around $20 bucks each. Anything that spins could cause the sound. A weak belt tensioner can cause it too.[quote=”AKLmfreak” post=174725]A/C does not affect the squealing. Car has new idler pulleys (upper and lower) new tensioner, new alternator and new accessory belt. This would lead me to believe that either the power steering pump or water pump would be to blame since the A/C operation does not affect the squealing.[/quote]
I believe those year Chryslers were prone to having wobbly water pumps which cause the belts to squeal. Take the belt off and see how much movement that water pump pulley gives.
I picked up a power steering pump today and my buddy stopped by after work to have me put it in. Water pump has absolutely no play in it and spins very smoothly. Changing the P/S pump DID eliminate most of the squealing but it turns out the remanufactured pump i got was defective so we put the old pump back in and will be exchanging the new one tomorrow. Sounds like the squeals are a combination of the P/S as well as the A/C clutch because even with the new (defective) pump, i could still hear squealing coming from down below.
this thing is putting up quite a fight.
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