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AU XR8 · 07-13-2004, 19:38

I have a Jul 2001 XR8 manual and in the past say 2 months there has been a high pitched squeal on start up that lasts for about 1 second only when it is cold ie: sitting 10-14 hrs over night but it will not do it when it is at operating temp???
It has been back to FORD twice and they have replaced the belt and on the next adventure they have repalced the idler pulley and today it is back there again.
Got the wife to start it with my head under the bonnet and to me it sounds like it is coming from the P/S pump or A/C compressor - would it be the beginnings of a bearing starting to collapse on one of the pulleys and another matter at idle you can hear the power steer fluid being sucked thru the pump and pipes quite loud I actually thought it was the air being sucked into the engine thru the intake until the bonnet was up and took a closer look??? The fluid level is with in the 2 marks on the dipstick.
FORD did a power steer flush on the last service and replaced the fluid.
Told the FORD tech this this morning and he did not seem too interested

barry_v · 07-14-2004, 01:07

could it be the starter motor disengaging?

svo347 · 07-14-2004, 01:21

Steering might not have been bled for air properly..

07-14-2004, 03:28

Could almost bet that it's the alt pulley slipping on the belt just after startup cold, batt pulls the most out of the alt at this time, seen couple EF 6 cyls do this, new belt no fix, new tensioner and alt pulley fixed it. Probably tensioner spring is a bit pissweak. Get someone to hold extra tension on belt at cold startup. Also try new higher capacity batt will not discharge as much on startup keeping less load on alt

AU2XLSV8 · 07-14-2004, 04:34

i think it's probably your belt slipping.

ebxr8240 · 07-14-2004, 05:04

Is your battery in good nick ??? I had similar probs with an EB with over charging and belt squeel on start up..Apparently in this case one battery cell was down causing alternator to over charge...Is there any coolant etc getting onto serpintine belt ??

AU2XLSV8 · 07-14-2004, 05:08

Ford mechanics aren't reknown for sympathy or their ability to fix things first or second time around.

ebxr8240 · 07-14-2004, 05:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU2XLSV8

Ford mechanics aren't reknown for sympathy or their ability to fix things first or second time around.

I second that !!!!!

philstoj · 07-14-2004, 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU2XLSV8

Ford mechanics aren't reknown for sympathy or their ability to fix things first or second time around.

or even after the 10th time...
its just your belt slipping, mine done it too, but after i replaced the water pump, and refitted the belt, it dont squeel no more...

AU XR8 · 07-14-2004, 05:48

Cool thanks for the heads up

Starter motor seems fine and dis-engaging properly
The battery seems fine it may be the original one - but I will check it out
As for the belt it is new only about 1000kms old - FORD did this last time to try to fix it
Idler pulley & tensioner is new only about 1200kms old - there first attempt to fix it
It is spending the night at FORD to try to replacte the cold start squeal in the morning - PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BRISBANE SUCKS!!!!!! took me over an 1 1/2 hrs to get home usually I can do it in 30 mins in peak hour traffic
Im betting it will be the power steer pulley / pump as it had its major 60k sevice in March where they "SERVICED , FLUSHED AND REPLACED THE FLUID" and it had gone down hill from there..
Hopefully FORD will have an answer for me tomorrow