bird chirp -- water pump?

[Rhett]

The F-150 alternator is a GREAT upgrade for the 4.0L. 130 amp and bolts on, however you will have to do one tiny tiny wiring change, its really easy however. The voltage regulator inthe 130 amp unit gets its ground internally so you just have to loop the white/black wire I believe. It took me all of 20 minutes and the $180 alternator from pep boys has a lifetime warranty.

Isn't the Limited (by "Limited" I mean Explorer Limited models) alternator also 130 amp?

Didn't know about F-150's bolting up...good call

 

[Rhett]

However you 0.have alreday spent some $$$ and not found the problem, heck you have a whole new serpentine system on there now!

I know! But I can change the front dressings in my sleep, haha. Imagine shop costs on those jobs, now then you'd be talkin real money.

Been reading the old F-150 alternator threads, and 98+ OHV alternator threads. I'll give the squeek a few more days, and then decide what I'm going to replace next...it's too warm for the squeek to appear right now...
next cold front will do it though.

 

[70GS455]

I'm going through the same with my 97 5.0. It WAS the cam sensor. I ran it without the belt first to isolate. Pulled the sensor, sure enough, squeaks in my hand. Cleaned it with PB blaster and WD-40. Dont try to remove the gear, it's pressed on...very tight . Turned it upside down with some motor oil on the shaft/bushing and let it sit. Now I don't know how to set it when I reinstall it.

 

[70GS455]

Well I fixed it. I used a picture of the cam sensor setting tool posted in this forum and "eyeballed" the CPS after settting it to TDC. I ended up by putting the half-moon closest to the passenger-side fender with the ends parallel to the pass fender. The connector (housing) was positioned toward the front of the car and parallel to the centerline of the vehicle. Seems fine so far. This is for a '97 5.0 . Cost was around $0.

 

[Creager]

The bearings on my 3 month old power steering pump started doing this.

I cant hear it over 1500 rpms though...

When it gets cold, try spraying some WD-40 or spray on lithuim grease behind the pulley, see if that stops the noise.

 

[Rhett]

It's still doing it, in the 5-10 minute window when warming up (that means silent in the first 5 mins, noisy for the next 5, then silent the rest of the day), despite all I have replaced up front...

I plan to spray some lith grease as near to the inside of the alternator pulley as I can get it, next cold morning. I will be sure to cover the outside of the pulley with cardboard so that I don't accidentally grease the outside...

Then if that doesn't do it, the p/s pulley...

I really don't know what else to do,...since it never does it at idle when I could actually USE a stethoscope!

 

[Rhett]

Using a mechanic's stethoscope, I still couldn't pinpoint the source of the bird chirp.

I have found that, if it's tweety birding, I can pull over, pop the hood, then grab the throttle linkage to gun the engine, and it does the bird chirp at a high rpm. That's how I have recently tried to find it....

And just going by ear, I think it's the alternator pulley. It's on that side--I think--, and the only things over there are the idler (brand new) and the tensioner (also brand new)...

Guess the alternator gets removed next. I hate throwing $$ at it but really this thing has got me. But I will find and fix this problem. I've been putting up with it for 2 years.

 

[Rhett]

It is not the alternator bearing. Just put in a new 130 amp alt. and no change, it still bird chirps.

Crank pulley??

 

[Creager]

The haromnic balancer doesnt have a bearing associated with it, nor does the power steering pulley. If it was either of those its the power steering pump itself or a main bearing on the crank, but i dont think a main bearing would associate a bird chirping noise.

The harmonic balancer does have that little sensor next to it, make sure there isnt any dirt or anything that might be between that and the balancer that might make your noise.

My truck was making a bird chirping noise, turned out be my tensioner pulley. Speaking of which, where did you buy your new tensioner pulley? Motorcraft says its not the same as the idler pulley, yet everywhere i look sells the idler pulley as interchangable with the tensioner pulley...

 

[Rhett]

The haromnic balancer doesnt have a bearing associated with it, nor does the power steering pulley. If it was either of those its the power steering pump itself or a main bearing on the crank, but i dont think a main bearing would associate a bird chirping noise.

Hey, that's good to know. So that really rules out those two...plus it doesn't change pitch or frequency with steering action.

The harmonic balancer does have that little sensor next to it, make sure there isnt any dirt or anything that might be between that and the balancer that might make your noise.

I'll check the sensor. You'd think if it was dirt on that sensor, that it would do the noise all the time. It only does it when cold. But you never know.

My truck was making a bird chirping noise, turned out be my tensioner pulley. Speaking of which, where did you buy your new tensioner pulley?

NAPA store. (It's the entire tensioner unit.). To be honest my OEM tensioner was quieter.

Motorcraft says its not the same as the idler pulley, yet everywhere i look sells the idler pulley as interchangable with the tensioner pulley...

The pullies themselves might very well be interchangeable, but I have never really bothered to compare them. Seems to me like the idler pulley is bigger than the tensioner pulley though.

So my question for you is, have you ever heard of a FAN CLUTCH making that kind of noise? And would it vary with rpm?

 

[Creager]

No, i always heard of fan clutches simply dying or 'free-wheeling.' No noise when they go.

My powersteering pump does makes exact noise you descibe (as im sure any belt pulley would if it was having some sort of bearing failure), but it doesnt change pitch when i cycle the steering. It makes the noise at any temp below 50*F. I was able to isolate the problem by spraying lithium grease behind the pulley, where the pump shaft meets the pump. Usually the noise will disapear for a few momments, then return.

Yeah thats true, if there was dirt on it, it would probably make noise all the time, and i would imagin the dirt would simply fall off... that sensor is probably not the case. It is very very close to the harmonic balancer though (1/8")

Have you tried removing the belt and simply turning all the pulleys by hand? Thats how i found out my tensioner pulley bearing is failing

 

[Rhett]

oh yes, I've removed the belt all right, and spun the pulleys, and no chirp. In fact I've now replaced most of the front dress. Not the p/s though.

I will spray some lith behind the p/s pulley as you suggest.

50 degF seems to be the cut-off. If it's warmer than that, it's quiet.

 

[Creager]

You rissue sounds so much like what my powersteering is doing. Stops after 5 minutes, only under 50*F... i wouldnt be surprised...

you ever replaced the power steering pump?

replacing the pump is a cakewalk...

removing the pulley? ahhhh haha, get a 12 pack and get ready to drink ALL of it.

 

[Rhett]

Sprayed lith grease on the backside of the p/s pulley = no effect. Something is still chirping.

You know, I have actually never changed a Ford p/s pump. I've never had a need to...surprisingly all of my Fords have had quiet p/s pumps. (!)

I hate to just change the p/s pump though, not knowing for sure if the pump is making the sound. From what you say though, that could be it.

 

[Creager]

Since you said you sprayed grease back there and it had no effect on the noise, that probably isnt your issue

Power steering pumps are a PINA to replace, just leave that one alone haha. Esspecially since rebuilt units are junk and usually crap out within a couple months (mine sure did, 6 months old and the bearings are failing)

 

[Rhett]

Since you said you sprayed grease back there and it had no effect on the noise, that probably isnt your issue

That means it's prob not the shaft or pulley. But could it be internal to the pump itself?

I'm thinking about pulling off the BBK TB and putting the stocker back on and see what that does. Stranger things have happened...

 

[Creager]

Well the pulley is a press fit on the shaft... which rides on the internal bearings. So technically the pulley, the shaft, and the internals are all closely interconnected which would rule out most of the pump itself. I havent dysected one of these things, im guessing there is at most 2 bearings. Probably only one...

The throttle body? hrmm... i dont see a connection, but like you said stranger things happen! haha... maybe one of your pulleys got gummed up somewhere causing a squeek? are you eating through belts?

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

That means it's prob not the shaft or pulley. But could it be internal to the pump itself?

Yep, it might be the pump itself squeaking. You could try suctioning out and replacing some fluid and see if that had any effect. The cost would only be a couple bucks.

Not much else left to try......?

 

[Rhett]

Yep, it might be the pump itself squeaking. You could try suctioning out and replacing some fluid and see if that had any effect.

I did that a few weeks ago. = no effect.

Good thread though,...I appreciate it...

 

[Rhett]

Well the pulley is a press fit on the shaft... which rides on the internal bearings. So technically the pulley, the shaft, and the internals are all closely interconnected which would rule out most of the pump itself.

It would rule out the pump? If the pulley is press fit on the shaft, then those internal bearings could be the source of the noise, couldn't they? Guess the only way to tell is to replace the p/s pump.

The throttle body? hrmm... i dont see a connection,

Well I have heard of the butterfly getting gummed up and squeeking. And also there is that little hole in the some TB butterflys, I've seen it get dirt in it and make weird noises. But I agree, it's a longshot...but easy to swap in my stock TB...a lot easier than doing a new p/s pump...

are you eating through belts?

Nah it treats the belt nicely. Every belt I put on, makes no difference.

Like ROE said there is not much else to try,...
I appreciate the discussion,...I've owned these trucks (Ranger, Bronco II, Explorer) for almost 15 yrs now and I thought I heard every possible sound they can make---and this one has me going