Brake Pads or Alternator Belt?

[stunnajosh369]

I recently bought my first car from my neighbor, a nice older gentleman and the car was in very good condition. I shot the bearings in my alternator by being and idiot and getting stuck over a curb and trying to hold in the gas to try to get out when my tires were elevated. I tried to change the belt because I thought maybe my belt went bad so I bought a Gatorback from autozone for a 89 Crown Vic but that didin't work, it still made the nasty sound it was making. I took it to the autoshop and they put a brand new alternator in and said my belt was wrong and put a new belt on it. When I first started driving it again I noticed the belt made a a loud slipping noise just once every time I turned on the car. The mechanic told me if that kept happening after a couple hundred miles to bring it in and they'll tighten it, but the belt is pretty tight i've noticed myself. I usually drive my car with my radio up real loud but one day I turned off my radio and noticed there was a squeaking sound either coming from the left front tire or the alternator, somewhere in that area. The faster I went the faster the squeaking, and somtimes it would be a chittering sound. When I stopped it would completely stop, and if I go slow it's a slow squeak. What I'm trying to figure out is if this is my brake pads squeaking or my alternator belt, the autoshop I got my alternator put in at is kinda far out and if I bring it up there and make myself look like a prick and get them to look at it and it doesn't happen to be the alternator. I honestly don't know how to check and see if my rotor is getting messed up because I have no clue how to reach it, I'm used to being able to see the rotor from the Japanese type rims. I'm guessing I have to take the whole tire off?

[stunnajosh369]

Update: Me and my dad were testing the car out and he says it's not the brakes and it can't be any of the belts or anything because it only makes the squeaking sound when going forward. He thinks it might be air or somthing but it sounds like somthing different. I really don't know what to do with it or how to test out and figure out what it is because it only makes this sound when the car is going fast and moving forward and being really tight on money I can't afford to go to a mechanic.


(By the way, everytime I drive my car I always put it in the regular D, but my dad seems to put it in the D that looks like it has a circle around it, is that overdrive or somthing, and why would he be using that?)

[fbi-interceptor]

the d with a circle around it is overdrive. with gas prices the way they are i would use it anytime going over 40 miles an hour

[stunnajosh369]

What about the squeaking, do you think it's my belt or my brake pads?

[amo4387622]

I would not use the OD unless you are driving 55 MPH and up. If you are driving mostly city 54 MPH and down stay in the D. As for the squeaking I am not sure but if it stops when you use the brakes then it has to do with the brakes or something around that area.

[stunnajosh369]

But would it not make the same sound when going backwards also, it only makes the sound when going fowards..

[stunnajosh369]

Noone else has had this problem with a crown vic? I'm just trying to make my car last a long time because I don't have the money to go out and buy a new Hyundai or some crap, and I already put $700 into this car so I can't afford to go straight back to the mechanic, any actual help would be appreciated.

[stunnajosh369]

Thanks everyone for NOT helping me, almost died on the way home tonight.

[2gooses]

I would almost bet that the noise you are hearing is the brake pads on the rotor.If the noise stops when your stopped it's most likely not the alternator belt.try putting the car in park rev up the engine a little and see if you hear the noise,if not jack up the car and take the suspected wheel off and look at the rotor for groves,you should also be able to see the brake pads to see if they are worn down. they should have at least a 1/8th of an inch of material on them,maybe even a little thicker? I hope this helps some! keep us posted! d. adams