351W - engine screeching

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
60
Reaction score
27
Hi all,

My bronco has always made a screeching sound when it starts. It’s similar to what it sounds like when power steering fluid is low and I turn the wheel left or right. After the engine warms up it will still screech when I step on the accelerator or use the throttle at the carb. All fluids are full... it’s a new water pump, new power steering pump and new engine in 2017. As I said, it has always done this even before the new engine. Is it related to the steering somehow?

Any thoughts?

I have a video but can’t attach it here.

Thank you
 

Tiha

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
995
Reaction score
1,031
Location
Midwest
Try taking the belts off and run the engine, see if the noise is gone.

that will at least narrow it down. Pulleys get polished and won't hold belts if they are run loose too long. Or just plain worn out.

Could be alternator bearing? What about air pump does it still have one?
 
OP
OP
M
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
60
Reaction score
27
Try taking the belts off and run the engine, see if the noise is gone.

that will at least narrow it down. Pulleys get polished and won't hold belts if they are run loose too long. Or just plain worn out.

Could be alternator bearing? What about air pump does it still have one?
Hi,

Thank you that's good advice.

I started it without belts and no screeching. I have always heard screeching near/below the water pump. Smog pump and alternator are new with new pulleys. All belts are new. Water pump and power steering pump are also new. I did transfer over the crankshaft, water pump, and power steering pump pulleys from the old engine. Time for some new pulleys.

Thanks a lot!

David
 

Motech

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 21, 2021
Messages
494
Reaction score
576
Location
Santa Cruz, CA:
Might just be misaligned pulley. It's easy to not press the power steering pulley on all the way, and the edge of the belt will ride up against the edge of the pulley and make that noise.
 
OP
OP
M
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
60
Reaction score
27
To end this out... I replaced the water pump pulley and power steering pulley and cleaned/stripped the crank shaft pulley. New belts. I also replaced the harmonic balancer since I have an issue with the timing mark not flashing at the timing pointer. Anyway, no more squealing.
 

johnnyreb

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
2,428
Reaction score
1,071
Location
West Virginia
To end this out... I replaced the water pump pulley and power steering pulley and cleaned/stripped the crank shaft pulley. New belts. I also replaced the harmonic balancer since I have an issue with the timing mark not flashing at the timing pointer. Anyway, no more squealing.
Thank you for telling us you found the problem and got it fixed.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
22,521
Messages
135,985
Members
25,125
Latest member
ReturnToHangar
Top