I drive a 94 Ranger, 2.3 4-cyl, 5-speed. She's just shy of 225,000 miles (almost all easy miles), and has been pretty well maintained.

However, she has developed an squeal, but not full time. I'm almost positive that it's originating under the hood, and seems a whole lot like the old fan belts.

Here's what I've observed.

No noise at start-up, but she starts squealing once I start driving.

No difference noted in the squeal with the AC on/off.

No wobbles in any of the pulleys.

Squeal goes away when I'm coasting (as long as there isn't any back pressure).

Squeal goes away immediately as I'm approaching a stop and have let off the gas and engaged the clutch.

Makes me think that the only time it squeals is when the engine is working.

Any ideas out there on which pulley it might be? Drive or idler?

She's been a good truck and God knows she deserves it, but would like to avoid changing everything on the front of the truck.

Thanks for your help.

Gig

 

Sounds like it could be the water pump going bad.

 

Little test I do with the belts take a bar of soap and lightly put some on the belts, if the squeal goes away it's the belts if it doesn't then you have eliminated that problem and the soap won't hurt your belts.

 

Well you might begin with a look at the belt tensioner indicator marks, to see if the belt tension is within range.

Also the tensioner spring could be tired after 225K miles. I know I would be TARD, if I had to arm wrestle a belt for 225K!!!!! lol

If you suspect a bearing, you could try using a broom handle, or a piece of hose as a stethoscope, if you don't have one, to listen to the various bearings & see if one sounds unusually rough.

I recently had to replace the idler pulley on my 94 Tauus 3.8L.

It had a intermittent "cricket" chirp.

I found the idlers bearings had ever so slight play/wobble, such that you really had to be paying attention when you checked it, to spot the problem.
Not saying yours is bad, just that it doesn't take much play in a bearing like the idler, or tensioner pulley, to get noisey & with the mileage you have on this puppy, imo, EVERYTHING deserves to be on the suspect list, until you do some more elimination troubleshooting!!!!!

Did this problem come about suddenly, after some event, or slowly over time????

 

I had a throw out bearing go out that sounded like a belt slipping if all else fails you might check it since it stops when you use the clutch. Good luck

Jeff

 

Thanks for all of your help. The noise was pretty persistent this morning, but not a peep this afternoon on the way home. I'm a bit suspicious of that. Kind of like the "boss" nagging at you and then suddenly going silent - I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Jeff -
I'm hoping you aren't trying to jinx me - just had the clutch and its friends changed out about 8,000 miles ago. (Then again, I didn't do it myself, so I can't be sure it was done correctly, that is, I'm not sure the mechanic swore enough to threaten it to behave itself.)

sfcwoodret -
Ditto on the water pump (although I did that one myself.) Of course, I got the replacement at the same place that I got my starter last year (and replaced again last weekend - gotta save those receipts, eh?)

monsterbaby -
I'd try the soap thing, but I'm going to assume that my truck is allergic to it. I'm ashamed to say that she doesn't even get washed but when it rains. (But the green paint hides the dirt pretty well, just don't lean against it when you're wearing white clothes.)

pawpaw -
Guess I'll wait for the noise to come back, pull the fan off and check the stethescope against the tensioner and idler.

She's seen some miles, but the body is still in great shape and she runs like a scalded dog. I bought a new Ranger a while back, but didn't like it, so I brought this one back out of retirement. I can't justify $14 - 18K for a new truck, just to mothball it and keep running this one.

Thanks again,

Gig

 

300-6cyl No jinxin here but I may have,, and sorry if i did I dont have the best luck so I hate to pass it on to you.

 

**EDITED** Disregard this post, as for some reason I was thinking you had a 98 3.0

However, removing the belt and seeing if the noise is still present is probably a good idea still!



It's your cam position synchronizer. It goes where the distributor used to. If you replace it make SURE you mark EXACTLY the position of the "distributor" and EXACTLY the position of the "rotor" for the cam position sensor.

You have about a 2 degree of tolerance... if it's off any more than that it will run rough, cut out, and set a check engine light. There is a special tool for getting the timing perfect, but as long as you're really good at marking it you should be o.k.

Want to verify? Remove the serpentine belt. Start er up. Listen for noise.. if present... that's your problem (just don't run it more than a minute or two without a belt)