Hi All!


I am enlisting your aid today because I have a problem with my lovely 1993 Saturn SL2 (Gold, Leather, 90,000 miles --anyone wanna buy it? ). Well, I have multiple problems with it, but the one screaming for my attention -- quite literally -- appears to be a belt problem.


The car has screamed like this off and on for 3 years. First it was only in hot weather, and very seldom. A couple of months ago, it started squealing on wet days, mostly right after I would start the car - or if I ran the air conditioner.


A few weeks ago, the screaming became more prevalent. It started screaming during turns and continuing to screech for up to 20 minutes.A couple of days ago, it startedscreaming non-stop, this after I had just washed it. Prior to, it hadn't screamed in a while. Today, the power steering seemed to be giving out, and it was difficult to turn the wheel. The scream seems to subside if I am going over 40-50 mph, but comes back once I slow down.


I dropped by a nearby shop today, and the guy did a quick once-over. He sprayed the belt (fan belt? It was on top left, and running the lengthwise) with Windex, and the sound only got louder. He said it was either the idle belt or the tensioner pulley, and that I should replace one, and if that didn't fix it, it was likely the other. Not liking the idea of paying for process of elimination, I decided to get some advice here first. Any clues from the list of symptoms?


Thanks so much in advance


PS - the gear changes are iffy and the idle is low. The car stalls often when moving slowly. I had been attributing this my bad battery cable, but who knows - maybe not!


Edited by: clhawkins74

 

Based on symptoms:

Could be idler pulley, could be belt tensioner -- use a length of hose as a "stethoscope" to isolate where the noise is coming from.

You also mentioned that the PSteering is going --- that squeal may also be the PSteering pump on its last legs....