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'99 Contour SE 2.5l; squealing from serp-side + rattling, died, won't turn over

T

thechao

New CEG'er
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Austin, Texas
The noises were a rattling or tapping sound from the serp-side of the motor, squealing, whining, and brushing sound. While waiting at a light (trying to get home), the car stalled out and died. Electric is good, and it tries to start but feels like it won't roll over. Once the car was home I got it to start briefly (with all the noises), but it immediately died again.

The only CEL is a P0420 (cat) which is intermittent due to never getting up to speed.

It *sounds* like a bad belt/pulley issue; I don't even know if its possible for a frozen pulley to prevent the car from starting/idling. From looking around on the forums, the other possibilities are fuel, electrics, or a bad timing chain tensioner.
 
I couldn't find a sticky on removing the serpentine; the best I could find was my Chilton's which said to get a 3/8" drive tool, and loosen the tensioner. The particular tool they show in the picture looks like it has a 3' breaker bar attached to it, so I'm assuming I'll have to use some muscle.

My thought is a bad alternator; I called around and was quoted 2.5 hours (they wanted something crazy like 100$/hr) and $300 for the remfd alternator (assuming that's the problem) which seemed like a lot.
 
use a 3/8 inch breaker bar or ratchet. There is a little square hole inside the belt tensioner. Put the end of the breaker bar or ratchet in that hole and turn to relieve the tension on the belt. Once you do that, you can slide the belt right off with your other hand.

After you get the belt off and removed from the engine bay, try and start it again.
 
Replacing an alternator on a 2.5 is a PITA. While I don't know what the flat rate time for the job is, 2.5 hours in a commercial shop at $100 is not unreasonable.
 
Okay. Got the belt off (I learned that all the sitting inside over the last few years has given me soft, smooth, easily cut/scratched skin, btw); I'll definitely need the custom tool to put that bad boy back on. The status of the pulleys is:

AC/clim: turns from touch
camshaft: doesn't turn =)
power steering: turns from touch
idler: turns with a small rattle
tensioner: turns from touch
alternator: doesn't turn no matter what I do

Once the serp was off the car started up just fine and ran smoothly right in the proper idle RPMs. So: Can the pulley on the alt seize without killing the alt? Are there any signs of a bad alt, other than your car won't start?

On the up-side, I won't need a tow to get to a mechanic to swap an alt.
 
Yes a siezed accessory will stop a motor

Yes a siezed accessory will stop a motor

Hard to believe, but a siezed up alterator or ac compressor will most certainly stop the motor and prevent it from turning over.
 
My total mileage needs on the car are <20 per day (I can get about 35 miles/40 minutes on a single charged battery). I can fully re-charge the battery in 6 hours. I was thinking of just bypassing the alt. and having my very own Hybrid Contour.
 
thechao said:
My total mileage needs on the car are <20 per day (I can get about 35 miles/40 minutes on a single charged battery). I can fully re-charge the battery in 6 hours. I was thinking of just bypassing the alt. and having my very own Hybrid Contour.
Click to expand...
hope you were joking, having no alternator means your coil will get less than 12v with the motor running, even less when using lights and accessories .... so the spark plug voltage will be significantly down .... very poor gas milage.
Could even ruin your cat's with unburnt fuel .....G.
 
Not true

Not true

Gorman, you are painting the worst possible senario.

If the voltage to the coil gets too low to fire the plugs he will notice misfiring right away. He willl get adequate spark until it can no longer jump the gap and at that point he is walking. Unless he is an idiot the rest won't happen.

In my youth I have done exactly what he is suggesting, did it for quite a while until I could afford a different car.

Carry a set of jumper cables.
 
maybe I am.... at least now he knows the worst that could happen ... G.
 
Well, I already did the 'walking thing' when the alt. died; the car completely stalled-out and woudn't turn over. Instead, I'm getting the alt., a few pulleys, and (separately) the waterpump replaced.
 
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