rattle,churn, kaplunk???

[HARDTIMER]

That is just about the sound im getting. In a recent post I described the whistling/bearing/whinning noise I was getting and everyone thought it was power steering (so do I) just recently bought a fixer upper house so I havent had time to take it in to the shop. I drove it last night and theres a rattle/grinding type noise that sounds like its coming from the bottom of the car!!! Car still drives GREAT and starts right up but the noise is unbearable. Last night it made this noise and wouldnt stop. When I made it home I noticed smoke coming from somewhere from the lower part of the car on the same side as the power steering pump but it was coming from somewhere underneath it. Any ideas guys?? There was sort of a smell also not quite an elecrical smell but more of a burnt rubber sort of smell but not quite(I KNOW I KNOW REAL VAGUE). Anyone else have this problem? Could it be connected to the power steering problem Ive been having?

[newscarver]

the power steering resovoir cap is on the top of the motor...your noise is on the bottom...over a month ago i had a awful noise for about a day, it turned out to be a paper coffee cup got sucked up and fetched up in between and the edge of the belt was wearing against it and making this painfull noise...hoping your troubles are minor ...news

[dsatt12]

It could be your PS pump bearings giving up. It'd also make the belt tend to slip some as the pulley gets harder to turn making nasty smells.

I got symptoms along those lines when my AC compressor was distributing fragments of it's innards throughout the AC system.

[HARDTIMER]

dsatt im kinda thinking along those lines also. did you get any smoke? The sound is sort of like metal grinding a little. I noticed the noise a couple weeks ago when I would start the car or when I was just idling sometimes. Thought it may have been something loose around the exhaust.

[hockeydad]

Sounds like your AC compressor has seized up or the bearings are on their way out on your Alternator. If this is the case the noise would be coming from the lower end of the motor on the passenger side. You would also get a electrical type burning smell at the same time ask me I have been through this.

Sidney

[radvra]

Sounds similar to a problem I had on my 97 a couple of months ago. I heard awful noises that were a cross between bearing grinding noises and howling....this combined with a smell coming in to the interior which smelled like gear oil or electrical burning type of odor. I drove the car for a month or so because it was an intermittent problem which got progressively worse. I took it to the shop when it became constant. Turns out it was the alternator. Local mechanic at Shell replaced it but had a difficult time getting it out. May have to remove the radiator, but it can be done without doing this. Good luck!

[HARDTIMER]

THANKS A BUNCH hokeydad AND radvra. Thats EXACTLY what it sounds like. I have a pretty good mechanic at a shell near me coincidentally! Gonna take it down there. Its about 5miles away though, you guys think I should drive it or have it towed???

[radvra]

Originally Posted by radvra

Sounds similar to a problem I had on my 97 a couple of months ago. I heard awful noises that were a cross between bearing grinding noises and howling....this combined with a smell coming in to the interior which smelled like gear oil or electrical burning type of odor. I drove the <A TITLE="Click for more information about car" STYLE="text-decoration: none; border-bottom: medium solid green;" HREF="http://search.targetwords.com/u.search?x=5977|1||||cars|AA1VDw">car</A> for a month or so because it was an intermittent problem which got progressively worse. I took it to the shop when it became constant. Turns out it was the alternator. Local mechanic at Shell replaced it but had a difficult time getting it out. May have to remove the radiator, but it can be done without doing this. Good luck!

Up to you on the drive vs. tow. If the car starts/runs and you can deal with the noise, I'd drive it since your mechanic is close by. If you break down on the way you'll have to tow it anyway so this might be a fall back position. Just bring your cell phone :-). Part is pretty expensive...you may want to shop around and ask your mechanic what he'll charge.

[hockeydad]

Originally Posted by HARDTIMER

THANKS A BUNCH hokeydad AND radvra. Thats EXACTLY what it sounds like. I have a pretty good mechanic at a shell near me coincidentally! Gonna take it down there. Its about 5miles away though, you guys think I should drive it or have it towed???

If it will Run then go ahead but keep in mind that if you have alongway to go and it isn't charging then it will die and you will be standed.

Best regards,
Sidney

[dsatt12]

To answer your question, I had smoke too.

I agree on the calling around. I had someone do the alternator on mine. I got labor quotes that varied about $100 or so and parts quotes that ranged about $80. I found one shop that I now frequent that had the lowest on the alternator (a lifetime warrantied Delco no less) and $20 more than the cheapest on labor. I saved over $150 compared to my usual garage.

[HARDTIMER]

COOOLLL!!! How much did you pay for the alt. dsatt? Hoping its not the a/c like hockeydad suggested

[dsatt12]

I think the alternator was $160 and the labor was $240. Not cheap all in all, but is is buried under the intake manifold and fuel rails and 15 other things those idiots in detroit decided to toss on top. Elsewhere in these forums I read most (but not all) of the shop manuals say take the radiator out to get the damn thing in and out, thus the 4 hours of labor.

It just must've offended them that all the GMs with various V-6s I've owned were so simple to work on. I mean a big crescent wrench to the belt tensioner, a couple bolts later, you've got your alternator off. But noooo....

[hockeydad]

Originally Posted by HARDTIMER

COOOLLL!!! How much did you pay for the alt. dsatt? Hoping its not the a/c like hockeydad suggested

Is the Air blowing cold, because if not then it is and you will need a compressor as well as the Alternator. Trust me I am not only a Automotive mechanic by trade, but my 1996 had the same problem.

Sidney

[radvra]

[Maybe you guys could help me troubleshoot a problem with my A/C (97 with 155K).

The A/C stopped working. Took it to a shop and they said the unit was charged but not delivering cold air, and that it might be electrical (sensor, relay). I had to reschedule an appointment to bring it back, and in the interim when I start the car I have a loud bearing or belt noise coming from the vicinity of the A/C (lower passenger side under the serpentine belt). Then I restart the car and the noise is gone.

When the A/C is turned on, I get white smoke and a burned rubber smell coming from the lower serpentine belt area.

This sounds like a defective compressor clutch to me, but I have no idea what's involved in the repair/replacement? Should I replace the compressor and the clutch or just the clutch (not sure if this is a separate "add on" part or part of the compressor assembly.)...in addition this may or may not solve the "electrical" issue.

Since the car has 155K I was just going to buy the comprssor and have someone do the R&R. Any ideas?