Squeal/ squeak

[paulfischer]

Hey guys.
I have a 99 lumina with a 3.8 in it, and I am stumped with a problem. I have posted on the Lumina site, and someone suggested I post here as the 3.8 is more common in the Buick cars.
My squeal is hard to figure out where its coming from, sometimes it makes a faint chirping sound, and thats it. Other times it squeals, but if turn the wheel, or give a little gas it goes away. (my squeal only happens with no load on motor at idle speed.)
I have noticed that if I'm stuck in traffic and temps gets a little hotter than just cruising, the squeal is more noticiable.(Noramlly car runs with temp gauge about 1/4 inch above 100 mark, when stuck in traffic it goes to the halfway mark on gauge) Which has me leading towards the water pump bearing. Than if I stop car and run errands or something and let it cool for a little bit, the squeal goes away. My theory is that maybe the hotter coolant temp is causing the bearing to expand more or something.
When I'm at a stop light if I turn the wheel to one side and hold it there, the squeal usually goes away, or , if tap the gas real quick the noise stops.
I'm guessing a PS pump or the water pump.
Other than tht the car runs great. No problems with the intake gaskets.
The car has 110,000 miles on her. What are some of things that are common to go wrong on the 3.8??
Any input would be great!!!!
Thanks
Paul

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by paulfischer

Hey guys.
I have a 99 lumina with a 3.8 in it, and I am stumped with a problem. I have posted on the Lumina site, and someone suggested I post here as the 3.8 is more common in the Buick cars.
My squeal is hard to figure out where its coming from, sometimes it makes a faint chirping sound, and thats it. Other times it squeals, but if turn the wheel, or give a little gas it goes away. (my squeal only happens with no load on motor at idle speed.)
I have noticed that if I'm stuck in traffic and temps gets a little hotter than just cruising, the squeal is more noticiable.(Noramlly car runs with temp gauge about 1/4 inch above 100 mark, when stuck in traffic it goes to the halfway mark on gauge) Which has me leading towards the water pump bearing. Than if I stop car and run errands or something and let it cool for a little bit, the squeal goes away. My theory is that maybe the hotter coolant temp is causing the bearing to expand more or something.
When I'm at a stop light if I turn the wheel to one side and hold it there, the squeal usually goes away, or , if tap the gas real quick the noise stops.
I'm guessing a PS pump or the water pump.
Other than tht the car runs great. No problems with the intake gaskets.
The car has 110,000 miles on her. What are some of things that are common to go wrong on the 3.8??
Any input would be great!!!!
Thanks
Paul

What condition is your serpentine drive belt in? Or it sounds like you've got it narrowed down to either the water pump or power steering pump.

You could run what I call the pipe test. Get a long hollow object like a pipe, put it to your ears and probe various spots on the engine. Of course be careful around the drive belt, pumps and pulleys, etc.

[paulfischer]

Replaced the belt and tensioner pulley about 2 months ago.(thinking that was cause of problem)
Have done teh sound test with a wooden stick. Kinda hard to listen to water pump or powersteering pump with it running. So its a tad unclear as to where its coming from.

[EZFrank]

Could be the belts buy some belt dressing and spray them if not need to change the belts.