whining from alternator

[89SupremeCutty]

i started the car to leave work tonight and it started whining and i figured it was power steering and i would check it when i get home. i ckecked the fluid and it was good. i also checked the tranny fluid to make sure it wasn't the pump inside the trans whining. i still wasn't sure so i got a long screwdriver out and put it on the power steering pump and there was no whining comming from that. so i put it on the alternator and i heard the whining even louder.

 

but my lights don't get any bighter when i accelerate nor do they get dim. the only time they get dim is at night when i put it in reverse while turning the wheel to back up, but they come right back to normal.

 

it's too late for me to get my multimeter out to check the charging voltage on the battery. it just started the whining tonight. if the charging voltage is ok, would it still be wise to go out and get a new one anyways?

[ManicMechanic]

Bearings going bad.

[89SupremeCutty]

that's what i figured. i hope it last till next week when i can get a new one.

[Addicted to eaton]

It sure shuld.. But is check it alot to make sure it does not lock up.

[olds cutlass]

Make sure its not the water pump. I could have sworn last month that my power steering pump was going bad. Used the screw driver deal to see where the whine was coming from. Could have sworn it was the power steering pump. Purchase a new power steering pump and put it on. Fire up the motor and still had the whine. Removed the belt and started spinning pulleys, wound up being the water pump. Water pump is the cheaper of the three.

[89SupremeCutty]

i just replaced the water pump 2 weeks ago. i bought the one with the lifetime warranty. like i said i had put a screwdriver on the alternator and used it as a stethescope and the noise is definately comming from it.

 

i've had really good luck with getting them from a local yard. i don't wanna get one from a yard, but it'll have to do till i can afford a new one.

[MonteCarloDude]

just find a car with somewhat low miles, and the alt looks like its in really good shape, and pray it works.

[89SupremeCutty]

well i've bought starters and alternators from this yard and had them last longer than 10k miles. plus if it turns out to be bad he'll exchange it for no cost which is cool.

[MonteCarloDude]

plus if it turns out to be bad he'll exchange it for no cost which is cool.

that sounds like a good deal to me.

[Garrett Powered]

what car is the alt from? 89 cut?

 

if so then it *might* be the bearings.

 

the one with internal fans (cs130 d) has bigger bearings. unless the regulater is blown, probably just needs a better charge wire and grounds.

 

the whining usually comes from the alt charging. and when it has too much resistance it wants to charge non stop.

[rockfangd]

i have been running on a 20 dollar ebay alternator for 3 years now lol and it works great

[89SupremeCutty]

what car is the alt from? 89 cut?

 

if so then it *might* be the bearings.

 

the one with internal fans (cs130 d) has bigger bearings. unless the regulater is blown, probably just needs a better charge wire and grounds.

 

the whining usually comes from the alt charging. and when it has too much resistance it wants to charge non stop.

 

the whining sounded like i had a ford p/s pump lol. the alt is the original one from when i bought my lumi, which currently has 130k miles. i didn't get a new one yet.

 

i don't remember if it was whining when i left for work, but for sure, the whining didn't happen when i got out at midnight tonight.