harmonic balancer noise?
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Wichita, KS
harmonic balancer noise?
I have a 2000 mountaineer 5.0 that has a chirp/squeek when its cold and goes away once warmed up good occasionally. I have replaced the belt, alternator and manually spun all the idler pullies, water pump, ac and tensioner. Nothing squeeks. Is it possible for the harmonic balancer to make this noise?
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: PNW
Did you have the noise before you replaced the alternator? Have you replaced anything else (PS pump?) with a pulley? You could have a pulley alignment issue.
I had this problem on two of my Fords. It was worse on damp mornings, which is 10 months out of the year where I live. I replaced the belt and that only fixed the problem for a few months. Then I replaced the belt and tensioner and the problem was solved. The problem wasn't with the bearings in the tensioner, it was with the tensioner spring. The spring in the tensioners relax over time. Not saying it's definitely the tensioner, but something to consider.
I had this problem on two of my Fords. It was worse on damp mornings, which is 10 months out of the year where I live. I replaced the belt and that only fixed the problem for a few months. Then I replaced the belt and tensioner and the problem was solved. The problem wasn't with the bearings in the tensioner, it was with the tensioner spring. The spring in the tensioners relax over time. Not saying it's definitely the tensioner, but something to consider.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2003
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Still sounds like a bad idler pulley.
When you spun the idler pulleys, did they stop spinning right away, or keep freewheeling? If they freewheel, then there is not enough grease in them.
Had this happen multiple times on many different brands of vehicles. They won't squeak when you spin them, but put tension and a load on them, they will squeak. Noise goes away when they warm up because little bit of grease left in there loosens up.
Had this happen multiple times on many different brands of vehicles. They won't squeak when you spin them, but put tension and a load on them, they will squeak. Noise goes away when they warm up because little bit of grease left in there loosens up.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Wichita, KS
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2003
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Something else to consider is the Alternator. My Explorer started squeaking recently and I thought it was my idler pulleys again. Turns out they were fine. I spun my alternator and it spun very freely.
I took the alternator apart and got a bit of grease in the bearings and it is better but I suspect I will be replacing it soon.
It's just my snowplow at the moment, if it was a daily driver I would probably get another alternator.
I took the alternator apart and got a bit of grease in the bearings and it is better but I suspect I will be replacing it soon.
It's just my snowplow at the moment, if it was a daily driver I would probably get another alternator.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Wichita, KS
Well thats what i thought it was initially so i replaced it. Still did it. Last nite i replaced the tensioner pulley and both idler pulleys. Still does it. Water pump is new so all that is left is balancer and ac and i know its not the ac. When i replaced the water pump the kit came with a collar to put on the balancer for the wear from the front main seal. Im wondering if that thing is spinning on the balancer. Im pulling it tonite to check
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Wichita, KS
OK boys and girls, basically the whole front of the motor is replaced. I replaced the timing gears and chain along with the water pump about 5 months ago. about a month ago I started getting this horrible squeak like a belt. it started with a real long constant squeal one morning and stopped and proceeded to make a very on beat squeak until warmed up. I replaced the alternator, belt, all idler pulleys, tensioner pulley and ac clutch. still squeeks so I took off the belt and it still squeeks so that leaves the harmonic balancer. so I pulled it off and it seems fine. So then I proceeded to turn over the engine with the crank bolt with the balancer off and I can still here the squeak. Now I am baffled. What in the world is in the engine that would squeak like that until its warm? bearings, rods and lifters usually knock. oil pressure is great, doesn't overheat or leak and it runs perfectly. any thoughts are greatly appreciated. I hate to tear it down to find it but am also afraid if I ignore it the engine will eventually just have a complete catastrophic disaster.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2003
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Good for you for sticking to it, must have been somewhat discouraging replacing all that stuff and it was still squeaking.
How hard is it to change the sychronizer? My exploder is the OHV engine, so I'm not familiar with that.
How did you determine this to be the problem?
How hard is it to change the sychronizer? My exploder is the OHV engine, so I'm not familiar with that.
How did you determine this to be the problem?
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Wichita, KS
I did a google search for 5.0 chirping and i guess it is a fairly common failure on the v8s around 80-100k. And every story i read was the same as mine. Replacing everything until nothing was left to replace. I guess its a poor oiling system on them and the bearing burns out. You remove the coil packs on the 5.0 and its where the distributor usually is. Popped it out and turned it and sure enough its squeeky as hell. Got one ordered. Also read not to get the doorman replacement due to poor quality.
New User
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seems to be common, wish ford would step up to the plate on this one
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