by "CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
Published 02/28/2017 at 12:05
by "CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
Published 02/28/2017 at 12:05
Tags: Forest
STARS: 0
Forest has been shrieking loudly on start up lately and at idle until warmed up.
The power steering fluid in the reservoir was grey so I flushed the system as much as I could and replaced it. It is now a bright cheery orange. This seemed to help but it actually didn’t.
Since I’ve noticed the lights dim when the squeal starts I’m pretty certain the alternator belt is slipping. I could smell the belt when I started it up, but I couldn’t get too close because it’s so loud. The belt looks good to me but I’ll try to tighten it up and see if that helps
"vicali" (vicali)
02/28/2017 at 12:11, STARS: 0
Super easy to change, EJ25 right?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
10mm wrench and 15 minutes, both belts. 1/2 banana.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
02/28/2017 at 12:36, STARS: 0
And a 12mm
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/28/2017 at 12:46, STARS: 0
That’s the turbo.
"vicali" (vicali)
02/28/2017 at 13:26, STARS: 0
I want a tattoo now..
"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
02/28/2017 at 16:05, STARS: 0
I had the same symptoms on my 2001 Outback. Accessory belt (both PS and alternator are on the same belt) was fubar’d. Looked fine (though it felt slightly loose) but every time you would turn at low speeds it would start slipping on the crank pulley and squealed like a pig being torn in half. Every time this happened the steering would get really heavy and the dash lights would dim. Took about 10 minutes to replace. I wouldn’t bother tightening it as that only made the problem worse for me.
While we are talking issues I had that you may have, there’s a tiny little fuel line right above the #1 cylinder which likes to leak when it gets old and cold. The line is only about 3" long but it contracts just enough to start leaking in the winter. You will notice the gas smell and the top of the cylinder will be clean (there may even be a small puddle if the leak is bad enough). It started on my car (which has been a NE car it’s entire life) when it was about 13 years old. Tightening the clamps would get you through the winter but it would come back the next year. Finally got around to digging the hose out and replacing it this year. The worst part is that in the Outback the fumes leak out the back of the hood and then get sucked right into the cabin. There were a couple of occasions where I had a gnarly head ache by the time I got to school.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
02/28/2017 at 16:17, STARS: 0
All the belts in the car are <14k miles old. I tightened the belt and it appears to have taken care of the squeal. I’ll report back after I put some miles on it.
"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
02/28/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 0
Odd, maybe it wasn’t tightened properly when it was installed?
Sometimes cars do strange things. There was a period of about 2 weeks 2 years ago where if you started the Outback after it had been raining it would go straight to 2400rpm and misfire to the point it shook the car violently. Oddly it never threw a CEL or anything. One day it was fine and we still haven’t figured out why it did that.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/01/2017 at 06:29, STARS: 0
Yeah, I’m not sure. Maybe it was shaken loose of the belt stretched just enough to throw it off.