Greetings, Daughter has a 1997 sidekick 1.6 L engine. When it's cold it makes a sound when it is started. Not a screach like a belt, a little different. We loosened the belt than of course no sound. I felt the Alternator and water pump the bearings/bushings don't feel bad. Wifey and daughter say when I spun the Alternator they heard a squeak, but I'm can't hear it. I put a little oil in the hole in the water pump housing and it didn't made the noise. I guess it could be the bushing where the shaft exists the pump? If the sound is gone when next she starts the car, I'll take it, it was the pump[it doesn't leak] Don't want to pull the pump or Alternator until I know what's what.

Well, that's what I have, any ideas? Thanks guys

Richard
 

The hole in the water pump housing is not an oil hole, it's a "weep hole" - it's where the water comes out if the seal leaks - and it's usually a sealed bearing in there, not a bushing, so lubing it doesn't really do much...

you will have to take all pulleys off and inspect them separate, or try the screwdriver technique to figure which pulley is making the noise.  I just had them same problem and found out that the water pump was making noise at slow revolutions so change it, took tensioner pulley off, spun it and it made noise that wasn't good and crank pulley fell apart so that was making noise too. so now my mule purrs like a kitten again 

Greetings fordem, Thanks for coming by. The belt had been sqealing, I put dressing on a few week ago and that stopped.

Richard

Hi beagle, You found the tensioner, the water pump to be noisy ~And the Crank Pulley Fell apart? That's a wild one. Never heard of a Crank pulley falling l apart.

Well, gives me something to think about. Thank you
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As I said I had the belt off, the noise was gone, with the belt off the timing belt would still be turning so I think that eliminates the tensioner.
The noise happens mostly on start up and when cold.

I'll see if it still there when she gets home from work.





Richard

Beagle has a 2.0 - no timing belt, his tensioner is on the serpentine belt - and yes, the crank pulleys have a rubber isolator between the center and the outer rim - every once in a while they let go, like when someone uses a chain wrench to hold the pulley whilst they break the crank bolt loose, if they would get the proper "pin wrench" which engages two holes in the pulley center, they would be less likely to fail.

I see!

Go to the auto parts store and pick up a cheap stethoscope. when she starts it up cold put it next to each pulley till you get a loud one.

I would think it is the idler or tensioner pulley that is squeaking.  Remove the pulley and check it by hand.  You should be able to feel the bad bearing with your fingers, buy holding the center of the bearing with one hand and turning the pulley with your other hand.

If it is the tensioner pulley, you can buy just the pulley and not with the tensioner.  It will be significantly cheaper.  You can also replace only the bearings.

http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/technical-discussion-beginner-repair/j18-pulley-bearings/

Guys - please look closely - he's got a 1.6 (G16) engine, it's a little different to your J18s. & J20s - the only tensioner pulley is on the inside of the timing belt cover.

Apologies.  I thought I saw that he had a J20.  Definitely not the same.