Hi All, New to me '81 308. Have driven probably 500 miles. When I bought the car there was a squeal from the engine compartment (kind of a lighter version of a slipping belt) and I was assured it was the air pump and "they all do that" and that it goes away once warm. From what little I can find I've seen many people talk about it enough that I assume all (or most) do. Also it has only ever lasted a couple min and went away once warm. Well over the weekend I was out with my wife at a friends and we left quite late. So Cal so its been warm for all my driving so far and maybe it was as cold as the high 50's when we left. Squeal started and I assured my wife that it only does it on start up and is gone in a min or 2. Wouldn't you know it lasted the 10 min/5 mile drive home just to make me look like a liar. Of course now its daytime and I cannot get it to repeat. Can anyone enlighten me a) do they all do this? b) what is the trick so they don't? c) is it something inside the pump or is it belt related? Please enlighten me! Thanks Jay
They do not all squeal. I had to replace my air pump because of internal damage in the air pump. Loud crunching sounds. I went on ebay and found a rebuilt air pump for my year to replace my noisy one. Squealing bad, a clicking sound is okay.
Mine does not. Mine has been replaced. I thought I replaced it with a bolt-on American make/model from the archives. But my Quicken says it came from GT Car parts. Pull your belt off & see if the squeal stops. If it does, bingo.
Are you sure the squealing isn't the alternator belt? I think that's more common. And the part where you left late and so the headlights were on puts a bigger load on the alternator makes me think it might be that belt. As squealing smog belt would scare me. You want no extra stress on the cam belt.
No I'm not sure its not the alternator but I will try and check that out today. I just replaced the AC compressor while I was doing my suspension bushings and QA1's and the alt belt is TIGHT! If it is the alt would that mean I need a new one? I am putting in a birdman fuse box so I wonder if that would reduce the draw on it at all??? Thanks, Jay
Pretty sure that all of the always-running, belt-driven F air pumps are essentially "American" in original origin (so good chance that you can match things up at a US parts store even if now from a different vendor -- except for them getting so old now that US auto parts stores might not even carry them anymore).
From my own experience I'd suggest looking at the idler pulley for the A/C belt. It's a small pulley that uses a double bearing to set the tension on the belt and if it turns out to be that when you replace the bearings there is a spacer shim between the two. Don't lose that or it won't work. Ask me how I know...
Brian Harper for the win. Got out my mechanics stethoscope and listened to the air pump. Gentle whir. With my son giving a little gas I could hear it was definitely coming from the alt/AC area. Much worse with headlights on as well. Jacked it up to take a better look and the AC belt is nice and tight but the Alt/water pump belt is no where near as tight as I now know it needs to be. From what I hear tightening the alt is not a fun job. Hope the adjustment bolt is not siezed…
