1999 Sentra SE-L Problems...be gentle, first post!

[Saulbadguy]

Hello all, first post..i'm wondering if my Sentra is starting to show its age. I just hit 94k miles and i'm developing a couple of problems.

1st:

Whenever I start the car, I hear a loud high pitched screech/squeal. It is NOT the belts (those squeal later), it almost sounds like metal grinding.

2nd:
After I replaced my belts, the AC belt squeals. It just started happening after I had the belts replaced.

3rd:
Brake noise. I seem to be getting an odd amount of brake noise after I replaced the brakes. They are kind of cheap-o brakes...any recommendations for good ones?

Thanks.

[marc780]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Hello all, first post..i'm wondering if my Sentra is starting to show its age. I just hit 94k miles and i'm developing a couple of problems.

1st:

Whenever I start the car, I hear a loud high pitched screech/squeal. It is NOT the belts (those squeal later), it almost sounds like metal grinding.

2nd:
After I replaced my belts, the AC belt squeals. It just started happening after I had the belts replaced.

3rd:
Brake noise. I seem to be getting an odd amount of brake noise after I replaced the brakes. They are kind of cheap-o brakes...any recommendations for good ones?

Thanks.

Saul, 94k aint nothin on a Sentra. My '94 had 150,000 something and was good for lots more before my GF wrecked it. It can do 194,000 without much effort or expense.

Issue 1, starter? Or maybe a bad flywheel but only if the noise changes from start to start.
Only do this following if you have an automatic trans! Spray some tri flow or some good lubricant where the starter goes into the engine, soak it good. Get it inside where the starter touches the engine. if the noise changes, its the starter.
If you have a manual trans, spray some windex in there instead, it wont hurt it. You are looking for the noise to change or not. Just drive it afterwards to get the windex off.

2 . Belts, maybe your pulleys are dirty, squeak is caused by friction after all. So try cleaning the pulleys with a toothbrush and some cleaner that wont hurt rubber like brake cleaner. DONT use belt dressing, it attacks the rubber. And spray just a little silicone spray on the belt, this is good for it and if you dont use too much it wont slip.

3. Your brakes squeak? You didnt leave out any shims did you? If they shims weren't there when you took it apart maybe it doesnt use them. But take the brakes apart again and coat the BACK of the pads, with the blue goo you get when you buy some pads. Or buy it seperately.
If that doesnt work, maybe your rotors need turning or changing. I just buy new ones, Chinese cheapo rotors are like $25 -30 now. (And turning removes a lot of metal and they can warp afterwards because there's not as much metal to bear the heat.)