Super 44

So after getting some extensive gauge cluster/warning light problems fixed, I brought my car home and installed a set of aftermarket plugwires, I believe made by Kingsborne. I'm not sure this is related but I hadn't heard this noise until after I'd done all this. The noise doesn't happen everytime I start up but it's frequent enough to really worry me. The engine turns over and starts and then there's like two squeals out of the engine bay before the engine settles down. I'm not sure if its a belt slipping, or possibly something power steering related since I found a small puddle of red liquid which I'm sure if PS fluid underneath the car after taking it for a long ride last weekend. And the level of fluid in the PS resevoir is down to about half. Any ideas or suggestions, am I correct in thinking its power steering related or is there more info I need to give to help figure it out?
Thanks in advance.

jim968

Belt squeal on starting is usually the alternator belt... more load on the alternator replacing the charge you took out of the battery. This is the wider of the two belts, it's on the driver's side of the engine bay. Adjustment is underneath, a turn-buckle strut arrangement; get it up on ramps, drop the undertray. You'll see the adjustment strut between the AC compressor (same belt as alt.)& engine. Loosen the locknuts (look close at the threads to know which way to turn each), turn the body to lengthen the strut & tighten the belt. Tighten the locknuts.

PS fluid leak is a common prob. on these cars; try tightening or replacing the clamp on th ehose at the bottom of the reservoir, but the hose may be cracked & require replacement. Fluid for top-up is Dexron ATF. This leak will deteriorate the rubber bushings on sway bar & front suspension, so it needs to be fixed. The leak may also be from other sources, but this one is pretty common.

Jim, gone home... <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />

Super 44

Just to make sure I've got this right, the alternator is the one on top correct? and the AC pump is the one below it?
And since I put in new larger plug wires, its placing a higher strain on the alternator at start up? Is that right?
Sorry there's a lot I'm just learning about this car and I want to make sure I'm getting it all right.
Thanks
Jasper

JLeake

Another leak source is the power steering reservoir cap itself. Mine is leaking even though the original gasket is still in place. I ordered an extra, but it hasn't come in yet. Wipe everything down, run the car, and observe where your fluid is coming from.

IceShark

Super, replacing the plug wires shouldn't have anything to do with any more strain on the alternator, just coincidental. What you want to do is open the hood, have someone else start the car and see if you can pinpoint the source.

As far as the leaking PS fluid, we just had a thread on that and what type of replacement hose clamps to buy in an effort to try and save the hoses for a couple more years. And if you go adjusting either of the turnbuckles to tighten belts, make sure you back off the lock nuts and squirt down the threads with penetrating oil as you can snap those turnbuckles easier than you would think.

One other common source of squeal on startup is the starter pinion gear sticking and staying engaged with the flywheel. It makes a horrible noise as it gets driven too fast. If your starter has never been worked on and you have a clutch there is a fair chance there is a major build up of clutch dust causing the pinion gear to stick.

Thaddeus

I had a persistent squeal in my power steering on startup. Turned out there was a loose clamp that allowed a little fluid out, and a little air into the system. When the air bubbles hit the pump, it cavitated and made an awful noise which quickly dissapeared as they were pumped out of the system. I tightened the clamp and presto, it went away.

Try starting the car after sitting all night and IMMEDIATELY try turning the steering wheel back and forth, see if it makes the noise louder. If it does, odds are your leak is causing the problem.

good luck

Thaddeus

Super 44

So I tried starting the car after letting it sit overnight, though there didn't appear to be any dripping from the PS pump before I started it up. I tried the moving the wheel back and forth but I didn't hear that noise at all. I let it run for a little while and then shut off the engine. When I restarted it again though the noise was there this time. There doesn't appear to be much leakage today, though the level in the resevoir had dropped a bit from when I topped it off.
Any more ideas or things to try?
thanks for the responses so far.