The Mach is making a chirping noise now, any ideas?

"03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST" (03mach1)
08/15/2014 at 23:22 • Filed to: None

So I started up the Mach today and it started making a chirping noise. It speeds up as the RPM's raise, so it's engine related. The serpentine belt and idler pulley were replaced a few weeks ago. So I think it comes down to these, the tensioner pulley, water pump or AC compressor. I say the AC because it made some weird clunking noise yesterday. I also have a question about the water pump, how can you tell if it's the water pump going bad? Thanks for any help!

DISCUSSION (49)

JGrabowMSt > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:26

AC Compressor could be doing it. When they get really bad, they can basically freeze. The bearing for the AC clutch could be starting to go. In my experience, tensioners don't usually make much noise, but water pump or AC Compressor could be causing the belt to slip and thus chip.

For the water pump, the second best way to tell is if the temps start to be abnormal. The best way to check is to pull it off and check the impeller and see if it still exists.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:31

best way is to remove the belt, and find what doesn't roll smoothly. You could also go to Harbor Freight or whatever and buy a stethoscope for automotive purposes.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:31

It could be that the belts need breaking in. Just wait a week or two, If it doesnt get better, then it could be the AC compressor like Jgrabow said

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > JGrabowMSt
08/15/2014 at 23:33

That's interesting, thanks. How can you tell if the bearing is bad? The AC has been working great lately.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
08/15/2014 at 23:35

Ya,I plan to try that also. That's how I found out the idler was going bad.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/15/2014 at 23:37

I replaced the belt about a month ago. I wouldn't think they need breaking in. I also drove it a lot yesterday.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:39

So, maybe not the belts then

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/15/2014 at 23:41

Ya, I'm leaning on AC compressor. I just have to figure out how to diagnose the AC compressor going bad.

His Stigness > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/15/2014 at 23:43

Modern belts need no break in period. If all the components in the system are good, then there should be no noises.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:43

Does the A/C smell or blow with less power?

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:46

It's very easy to tell if it's the AC compressor: with the engine making the noises, turn off the AC. If it goes away, it's the AC, if it doesn't, it's not the compressor.

It could also be the AC compressor pulley, which is separate from the AC compressor, as in its always spinning even if the AC is turned off. The AC compressor has a magnetic clutch that engages and disengaged the AC compressor when needed. On the front of the pulley is the hub, which grabs onto the pulley and therfore turns the compressor.

And the best ways to check for a bad water part are either loosen the best and feel the bearings, if they're not completely smooth, it's bad. Also there's usually a weep hole on the bottom of it behind the pulley, you can use a mirror to check it and if there's any coolant, or dried up coolant you know it's about to fail.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/15/2014 at 23:48

It blows fine. There is a smell. Kind of hard to describe. Not a bad one, nor is it really strong. The car is 11 years old.

offroadkarter > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:49

Does it do it with the AC on or off? On my friends 302 explorer with the AC off it would chirp because the pulley sat crooked and scraped at a certain point in the rotation.

Also I'm pretty sure on modulars, but not 100% sure, that the water pump has a weep hole that will start seeping coolant if the pump is going bad. I know this is true on windsor engines

How many miles are on your car?

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:51

Might be the compressor. Is the compressor original? If it is, it might be a good idea to replace it regardless if it immediately needs it or not, it might even improve performance

JGrabowMSt > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/15/2014 at 23:56

The AC will just cause a bit of a jolt when you start it, and get progressively worse, until you go to turn it on, and all you hear is your engine shrieking at the mere thought of it. In general AC will do that, it will just feel more and more noticeable over time. The compressor will work, and should blow no differently than "usual" but there will be more noise.

One of my girlfriend's friends has a Jeep, and turning the AC on in any capacity will cause a lot of squealing noises. I think the compressor is just frozen and needs to be replaced.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/15/2014 at 23:59

Wow, thanks. It happens with the AC off. So that rules out the compressor. The pulley on the other hand.... How hard is getting to the water pump ?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > offroadkarter
08/16/2014 at 00:00

It does it with it off. So maybe that pully. And yes, it does have a weep hole, so I'll have to look. I'm nearing 102K.

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:02

I'd still be suspicious of the AC pulley because they're usually more prone to high pitched squeals, bad water pumps make more of a growling noise because the bearing is inside the housing, it's not like the AC pulley bearing which is just a regular bearing.

The water pump should be fairly easy to get to though since it's RWD and if I remember there's a fair amount of room, but I've never inspected one so I can't provide any details.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:02

The noise happens when the AC is off. Another thing worth mentioning is the idle acts funny with it on. I haven't noticed this with other cars, but I'm not sure if that's normal or not.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:02

Also, I'm not sure if it's original. I'm sure it is.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:03

It sounds like its dying, is it like a grinding noise?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > JGrabowMSt
08/16/2014 at 00:06

There's kind of a clunk when you start it, the engine does idle strangely with it on.

JGrabowMSt > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:08

What year, and how many miles?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/16/2014 at 00:12

Ya, I'm going to look at the AC pulley. So I can test the water pump the same way I did the idler pulley, taking off the belt and spinning it to see if it's loose?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:14

If it sounds like it's dying? I'm not sure. It's not like a grinding noise. The engine just tends to drop and go up a few hundred RPM's when the AC is on.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > JGrabowMSt
08/16/2014 at 00:15

03, nearing 102K miles.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:16

Well, from what you've told me it sounds like the A/C is malfunctioning, something in that system needs replacing

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:21

I'm going to look at the AC pulley. That is always spinning, so maybe the AC issues are a side effect of that.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:22

Maybe

JGrabowMSt > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:29

That doesn't seem like a whole lot of miles, but admittedly, my DD actually went a solid close to 30k with the AC actually never being used (because I don't have the HP to spare anyway), but regardless, if you constantly use AC a lot, then it's possible that it's getting up there and may need to be replaced soon.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:32

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > JGrabowMSt
08/16/2014 at 00:33

I don't use it a ton, I'm sure the previous owner did though being a Texas car its whole life. Thanks for your help!

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:34

No problem, gotta do something with this information right? I research this kinda stuff for fun, and I forget very little due to my visual memory. I dont have a car of my own.

JGrabowMSt > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:35

That would definitely explain it. I don't claim to be 100% right, but it's a start and something to look at, at the very least.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/16/2014 at 00:40

Well it all came in handy. Oppo is a great place for advice like this!

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 00:42

Indeed it is

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > JGrabowMSt
08/16/2014 at 00:43

It's where I'll first look when I get the chance. It seems to be the more likely option,

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 01:21

You're not really checking if it's loose, just if there's lateral movement. You'll be able to tell really easily if the bearing is bad or not on both the AC pulley and the water pump.

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 01:25

The rpm will drop a little bit, and sometimes raise back up when you engage the AC because you're putting a load on it, so the demand changes. If it's surging though that's not good, and you want to check the compressor itself, not just the pulley. They way to do that is to spin the hub, the thing in front of the pulley. If you can spin that freely and there's no noise in the compressor then it's probably fine, if not, then the compressor has to be replaced, and the whole ac system will have to be flushed, and you'll need a new accumulator, and probably condenser depending on what kind is installed.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/16/2014 at 02:08

It raises and drops, but I don't know what is really normal. I've never really been in a car like this, so it's hard to judge. Either way though, I'll be looking down there. I'm not to worried if it's the compressor because I got a good warranty. I really appreciate the help, it's given me more to look in to.

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 10:36

It no problem. I work on cars all day and love diagnosing, and especially love helping out people on Oppo. If you ever have any more questions feel free to ask me on Oppo, or of you're on Twitter ask me there @HisStigness

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 10:41

Oh and if you could take a video of either the noise, or of the idle fluctuating with the AC on I could provide further help. The idle could be fluctuating because the AC is turning on and off, which it's supposed to do.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/16/2014 at 13:05

So we figured it out. I'm going to do my best to keep it short. My dad and I took off the belt and went through all of the pullies this morning, nothing. AC was fine, no surging and blew cold. We decided to leave it. So I moved my car and it did nothing, no chirp. I took it around the block and it came back at around 1500 RPM's. Went to Firestone to let them see since we don't have a lot of tools at our disposal. Dropped it off, went back and there's a few things...

The idler we replaced a month ago is already bad, so I'm not happy with autozone. The tensioner is also probably going bad. There's an oil leak, not bad and there was no drip on my driveway. So not happy with the Ford dealer for not noticing this a few weeks ago. Then some other things, the lower ball joints are bad and the diff has a slight leak. Best part? Covered under warranty. Since they are doing all of this they are looking at the throw out bearing to. Now looking at clutches to get this done in one go. The gaskets and seals are also covered. I should get my car back early next week. I really appreciate the help everyone gave, it was definitely informative and I learned quite a bit.

Zerofret > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 13:45

My GT had this problem last year. Turned out it was the tensioner pulley

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Zerofret
08/16/2014 at 14:05

Ya, that sort of ended up being my problem to.

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 14:47

How many miles on the car?

And how much is all this going to cost you? I know you said it's covered under warranty but are they trying to sell you on other stuff too that will cost you? The reason I ask is because Firestone (and Pepboys, and dealerships, and almost everyone) will try and sell you on the slightest things, and they also diagnose stuff wrong all the time.

The leaks are easy to diagnose, just look at the leaks and see if they're actually leaking or if what they're seeing is reside from some fluid change. The throw out bearing is easy to diagnose too, with the clutch pedal engaged (you're pushing the clutch pedal in), there will be a noise coming from the clutch area.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/16/2014 at 15:23

Somewhere around 100 bucks not including the clutch if I do that. We've already gone over what they're putting in my car. They showed us everything that was wrong. My dad and I actually ended up diagnosing it with them. And ya, the TOB has been making noise for awhile now, we're just throwing it in so everything is done. The manager there is a gearhead and does his best to get people good deals. The techs were actually doing a pretty good job checking the car. So I'm pretty happy.

His Stigness > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
08/16/2014 at 15:40

Oh okay good. I'm just wary of those types of places, but there are good techs who work there, it's just that most aren't very good, which is really sad.

If they're going to replace the throw out bearing and you can afford it, I would definitely replace the clutch at the same time. Unless the clutch has 2 miles on it (I'm guess it doesn't), then it's always a good idea to just throw a new one in there.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > His Stigness
08/16/2014 at 15:50

Ya, I was worried about the techs to but they seem to know what they're doing. And I have no idea how many miles this clutch has on it, could even be the stock one for all I know. I'm just glad this is all getting down now so there's not much to worry about later.