Alternator bearings going?

[lint]

'95 SE with ~120k miles. Belt tension is good and the belts while a couple years old, have ~15k miles on them.

Ever since the recent cold, when I'm idling, and I add a load by turning on the lights, or fan I hear a squeal that sounds like a bad bearing.

I noticed that when I remove the load the squeal goes away. I'll try dressing the belts tomorrow. Do you think the alternator bearings or alternator is going?

 

Weather is getting really nasty here, if it is the alty, how long do you think I've got? The output is a steady 14.4v.

Cheers,

d

[adamzan]

Could be the belt is a little loose even though the tension "feels right". Maybe give it a couple cranks and see if it goes away. When my alty bearings went it sounded like this:

 

[Precise1]

Yes, I suspect that the belt is slipping also.

 

B

[ahardb0dy]

another thing that can cause a squeal is if the belt is sitting down to far in the pulley.

[lint]

Thanks for the advice Adamzan, I snugged up the belt a touch and gave it some mustard.