Is my fan clutch going out?

[ABNPayne]

I have been hearing a sporadic noise which sounds like a squeaky hamster wheel and lasts for less than 1 second. It's coming from the front engine bay. Happens mostly when I start moving in 1st or reverse from a stop but yesterday I heard it on startup for the first time.

I'm running my stock fan w/ an upgraded rad. Belts are correct tension. Any ideas if its fan clutch? Is there a way to test it?

 

[D.J.T.]

Squeaky can mean anything. Id go ahead & replace Alternator tensioner bearing. When theres a Squeak we find & change the bearings. Especially on our Ford, Replaced them twice already & squeak seized well for the mean time, noise starts again when it fails early or normally after a long time & needs to be replaced again. & have you checked Timing Belt Tensioner? Mine was WORN, i replaced that asap. I don't believe it will happen on a 7M but ive seen other engines destroyed all because timing tensioner failed & the timing chains came out of their place & broke the timing cover & block. Heck, theres a V8 sitting in the garage with the valve cover broken & chain showing.... Good luck with this issue.

 

[Asterix]

It the squeak related to engine or vehicle speed? It's unlikely that the fan coupling would squeak. With the engine off, turn the fan by hand and see how the bearing feels. On cold startup, the coupling is "locked" so the fan should be roaring for about 30 seconds until the oil inside is redistributed to "unlocked".

I just replaced my distributor because it wore so the rotor was pushing against the cap and squeaking, but since this is in the GTE section, you probably can't have that problem.

One squeak that drove me nuts for the longest time turned out to be the speedometer cable. It was squeaking right up where it went into the back of the gauge cluster. I tried front wheel bearings and the tranny output seal before figuring that out.

There are several things on the front of the engine that can squeak: PS pump, water pump, alternator, AC compressor, AC belt tension pulley. The belts we have aren't prone to squeaking, but check them anyway. Pull the belts off and spin things by hand and see if they make noise.

 

[mkiii222]

One squeak that drove me nuts for the longest time turned out to be the speedometer cable. It was squeaking right up where it went into the back of the gauge cluster. I tried front wheel bearings and the tranny output seal before figuring that out.

OT but how did you fix this??? I think I'm having the same thing because when it's cold I have a squeal that's speed related. Sounds like the front passenger bearing but I have already replaced it once (along with the hub) trying to fix it and the sound is exactly the same. Only happens on cold (50f or less) mornings and sometimes doesn't go away for 5+ miles.

And to the OP, it sounds like the belt is slipping. Even if they are the correct tension they can still slip if they're worn. It's either going to be the belts or a pulley.
I used to have a similar 'squeak' whenever I engaged the A/C for the longest time. It would squeak hard for half a second then go away. Replacing the belts cleared it right up.

A good way to rule out the belts is to just get some 'belt conditioner' spray at the parts store. Spray it on the inside of the belts at idle. If it comes back the same day then it's probably a pulley.

 

[radiod]

By chance did you see if there's any moisture on any of the pulleys/belts? My thermostat housing had a very tiny leak and would do that once in a while if it got even a couple drops on the water pump pulley beneath it.

 

[Asterix]

OT but how did you fix this??? I think I'm having the same thing because when it's cold I have a squeal that's speed related. Sounds like the front passenger bearing but I have already replaced it once (along with the hub) trying to fix it and the sound is exactly the same. Only happens on cold (50f or less) mornings and sometimes doesn't go away for 5+ miles.

I put in a new upper cable. While the cluster was out, I moved the grease around at the input to the speedometer trying to push it gently in. That probably helped. What finally tipped me off was I noticed that the needle would bounce (classic sign of a worn cable) and squeak in time. As in, as the needle went "bounce bounce bounce" it went "squeak squeak squeak." With a new cable, there's no bounce and no squeak.

It happened more when the car was cold, so that may be your problem, too.

 

[ABNPayne]

thanks for all of the suggestions guys, supposed to be sunny tomorrow and I plan on figuring it out

 

[jetjock]

http://tinyurl.com/zgtcl

http://tinyurl.com/23k3hdp

Cheap and very effective....and if you remove the rod you can listen to your neighbors a block away. Not that I would ever do that

 

[Chaingun]

i replaced the end on my speedo cable and it bounces very lightly now until about 35 Mph, it didn't do that before the end was replaced, though, should i just replace the whole cable instead? ($8 repair vs. $100 replacement)

 

[D.J.T.]

Speaking of speedo cables mine was broke & the original gauge faces where gone so i got some from an SM member & installed them. now the speedometer doesn't move until im like 10mph & with my GPS i can tell its 5MPH off & it bounces a lot. Is it because i removed the needle off the gauge & installed it back wrong? or is it the used cable i got. IDK im thinking its both..

 

[ABNPayne]

I installed my eFans this week, noise persists... Alt belt was a little loose, too. I'll continue to hunt it down, feeling more motivated now that it's not 20 effin degrees!

 

[Devin LeBlanc]

Take a long flat head screw driver and put it on one thing at a time and hold it up to your ear.. It will amplify the sounds quite a bit.. Check the alternator, water pump, ect