98 Buick Lesabre squeaking noise when hot

[davisauto]

First time post, but got a doosy for ya...we have a 1998 Buick Lesabre 3.8 engine, with 52k on it, and it gets real noisy when it reaches operating temp. With the car on a lift, you can spray carb. cleaner between the flywheel and torque convertor and the noise goes away, until it dries the spray up. We initially thought it was a cracked flywheel, and we pulled the engine to replace that. Got the flywheel out, and did not see anything wrong, but replaced the flywheel anyway. Greased inside the crank where the snout of the torque convertor sits, thinking that it could make the sqeak also. Put everything back together...still squeaks. No signs of anything rubbing inside the bellhousing, no marks that would have you believe anything is touching. From up top, with the hood up, listening to the car run, it sounds just like a water pump whine, if anyone has heard that whine. I do not have a clue where to go next...any ideas on how to fix this thing, or has anyone had this problem?? Thanks in advance, Jamie.

[avatar307]

Rear engine seal and bearing? When the engine gets hot, it expands, putting more pressure on the output shaft, squeeking due to the bearing dying?

[avatar307]

Hmm... another thought. The front of the starter might be rubbing on the flywheel... as you say the noise is coming from the bell housing.

It's got to be something that's just barely touching, as it doesn't squeak until the engine is hot. As it doesn't squeak when cold. Remember, metal expands when hot, alunimum more so that steel I do believe.

Then again, my 95 has always had a whine coming from the engine, as long as I can remember anyway. Spray WD-40 on the alternator pulley, and it goes away for a couple minutes. Spray WD-40 on the tensioner and it goes away for a little longer. One time I just spayed it right on the belt, and it went away for quite a while. Thus, I think when spraying other parts, it was just getting on the belt and quieting whatever it was. My theory as of last night... the A/c pully spinning around the clutch, but I busted that by locking the A/c clutch. Crankshaft, normal water pump whine, who knows. It's been doing it for 4 years, and nothings broke. Replaced the water pump, was a little quieter. At least until the bleeder hose fitting broke and dumped the coolant.