Alternator Help!
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,135
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From: NAS Patuxent River, MD
Vehicle: 2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Ok i made this video to illustrate and so people can hear what im talking about

as you can hear in video, i am getting this lound pitch noise with a load on the car (headlights cuz of HIDS, AC and even when i turn the wheel), I recently changed out my Alternator belt as well as Power Steering and including the OBX Power steering pulley i had on there, now its back to stock and yet i am getting this noise.
Could it be the pulley on the alternator, or the alernator it self and time to rebuild it?
Im at a complete losted with this and its making it annoying to drive...
alright guys help me out

as you can hear in video, i am getting this lound pitch noise with a load on the car (headlights cuz of HIDS, AC and even when i turn the wheel), I recently changed out my Alternator belt as well as Power Steering and including the OBX Power steering pulley i had on there, now its back to stock and yet i am getting this noise.
Could it be the pulley on the alternator, or the alernator it self and time to rebuild it?
Im at a complete losted with this and its making it annoying to drive...
alright guys help me out
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,135
Likes: 0
From: NAS Patuxent River, MD
Vehicle: 2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
well i just got back from autozone and had them check it ON THE CAR and it failed the output charge...
so what im going to do is take it off again and take it back to have them test it in their machine and go from there...
im also thinking it could be water pump going
so what im going to do is take it off again and take it back to have them test it in their machine and go from there...
im also thinking it could be water pump going
sounds like a belt slipping at first,or a pully not seated right,but my guess is the altenator not charging/holding a charge..also when you take it off(altenater) check all your connections battery posts,chassis ground etc for solid rust free contact..Ps a bad alt will kill a battery quick!..usually if its a bad waterpump,you'll see it leak out first b4 a noise is heard..usually.., what does the altenator do if you dissconect the battery whilst running?
if the belt is loose or it's not grounded properly it could be keeping it from charging. Just b/c there is no charge doesn't mean it's a bad alternator.
Just as an easy test, add a ground wire going from negative terminal to the alternator. Mine made weird noises when a bolt came loose that grounded it to the engine.
Just as an easy test, add a ground wire going from negative terminal to the alternator. Mine made weird noises when a bolt came loose that grounded it to the engine.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
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From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
First (next) step is getting it checked, when off the car. It is easy enough to tell if bearings are failing, just spin the rotor by hand. It should spin smoothly but with some minor resistance. If it spins very freely, that's bad. Any noise besides a very slight hiss from bearings spinning in grease is probably bad. Any tactile crunching or grinding is bad.
If it fails the electrical output tests also, you've a good candidate for a core return. 02.gif
If it fails the electrical output tests also, you've a good candidate for a core return. 02.gif
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,135
Likes: 0
From: NAS Patuxent River, MD
Vehicle: 2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
ok guys thanks...going to start this morning...hopefully i can just take oil filter off with out all my oil coming out to get it off



