98 Squeal/chirping Noise

[dan10116]

OK,
My 98 ZX2 with 84+K miles has been making a very annoying high pitched squealing noise and seems to be getting worse. Mainly does it when giving slight gas (just enough to keep a steady speed). If it starts to squeel and I let off the gas, or hammer the gas -- it goes away. Now, I thought obviously that a bad belt could do it, but that's recently been replaced and didn't fix the problem. It does do it infrequently at idle. And after a decent 3-4 mile drive, it'll let out a good sqeal right after the engine shuts down.

Searching through the posts here in Google, I find quite a few posts that are VERY similar, but with very different solutions.

To me, I wonder if it could be a water pump going out? It is a high pitched noise that seems to be coming from the bottom right side of the engine?

But I found an old post (from Click23) that mentions that his guy in the shop said it was a bad oil separator?

Can anybody confirm this for me or help?? Obviously this problem doesn't happen anywhere within 15 miles of my mechanic! UGH

Appreciate your help.

[flattop]

Dan, I'm having a similar problem with my 97 Escort....hopefully someone can lead us in the right direction.

[98zx2red]

Hey Guys,
I've been looking for people with this same problem. I just bought my ZX2 with only 38,000 miles on it and it is making that same squealing noise. I thought the same thing about the water pump, so I bought a new one today and will put it on this weekend. I'll keep you posted on weither or not it takes care of it.

[98zx2red]

Hey Guys,
Click 23 and I have both found the fix!!!! It is an $10 to $15 fix, put an aftermarket Crankcase Breather on in place of the stock one. Email me if you want a pic. refranks@patioenclosuresinc.com

[myoldself]

Hey, dan10116... i believe you emailed me about these noises. i finally found this thread and read your post. you explained the noise A LOT better than i did. you were dead on when you described when it happens and everything. my car does exactly, precisely, the same same same things that yours does at the same moments that yours does. the only thing about the solution i read in the most recent post is, i dont really know what this stuff all means. also, did the solution help you out at all yet?

david

[Snow93]

had the same thing on me 93 escort.. oddly though it was the alternator.. swaped it for 20 bucks and hour labor.

[pcgranny]

I get an intermitting chirpping or squeel after I've let up on the brakes. Seems to come from the right front side of the car. My brakes work just fine. I have a 97 Ford Escort LX.

[dan10116]

98zx2red's recommendation (with kudo's to Click 23) re: crankcase breather... Superb!

$10, 10 minute fix to a squeaking noise previously unexplainable for over a year!!!

Administrator: Can I recommend that users 98zx2red and Click 23 be upgraded to "savior" status?

I take back all those derogatory comments about Ford's now... All though extremely frustrating, the radio sounds better now, the transmission shifts smoother, better acceleration, the whole works.

Thanks again guys.

[myoldself]

Hey,
Today my girlfriend and I looked everywhere for a crankcase breather filter but no one had one so as a last resort we went to Ford for a stock breather filter. IT WORKED!!! All we needed was a new one because the old had an oil build up in it making the PCV valve whistle like a kazoo.

Correction to dan10116's comment, ....it was more like a 30 second fix.

Anyways, I can't believe the mystery of the year was a measly little black 10$ part.

Thanks guys!!!

[myoldself]

By the way, how I see it, stock or not, the part I got from Ford is just fine. FOr now......

[98zx2red]

For anyone wanting to check, to see if you need the crankcase breather replaced. Allow the car to run until it starts to squeal, then loosen the oil fill cap. This should stop the noise, then retighten the cap and the noise should come back after few moments. The Ford dealer has the stock replacements, or go to a parts store that has dress up items. The breather element I used was a MR. GASKET VALVE COVER BREATHER. If you use the afthermarket one you will no longer use the hose running back to the air cleaner!

[myoldself]

To check if you need to replace it, what about just pulling off the breather filter while the car is running and making noise? Wouldn't the noise stop then? I don't know, I never tried it. And using your method, how is it that you dont need the hose running back to the air cleaner? I don't know cars at all so could you explain?

[98zx2red]

Yes you can just pull the breather off but it is easier to just loosen the oil fill cap( less time and less heat, the breather filter gets hot after running for awhile). The fumes that are built up in the crankcase escape through the breather and circulate back to the air cleaner. This is to mix with the fresh air coming in to the air cleaner, it's a very minor polution device. By the way the colder the air is coming into the intake the more power you get,the tube shoots hat air in. Will you feel this power probably not, but is one of the easiest mods you can do. Most aftermarket cold air intakes will not have any place to run that hose to anyways.

[Click23]

Maybe I can start my own church Dan

The truth is I had an alternator replaced, belt replaced x2, several mechanics stumped (independent and dealer), oil separator replace by a mechanic (stopped the squeal for about a month), and one mechanic said the only thing he could think of after the replacing the oil separator was a cracked flywheel :22yikes:. I found a guy on another board that had the same problem and had fixed it. Ever since I have been spreading the gospel, I mean information, on how to fix it. I flet like I had been after spending $500+ to fix a $15 problem

Here is pic of the filter, it is the black cylinder to the right of the red arrow.

Robert

[chevyn0va1]

[quote=Click23] Maybe I can start my own church Dan

Does this only apply to the dohc/zetch or both motors?