2014 Chevy Cruze turbo belt driven bearing squeaking 100K miles

[JP]

Make

Chevy

Model

Cruze

Year

2014

Miles

100K

Engine

1.4l turbo

Right, so this is a distance diagnostic. Son sent video from across the country; bearing squeak coming from under the hood, one of the components running off the serpentine belt, can't tell which bearing is going from the video:

Alternator
Belt tensioner
Water Pump
A/C compressor

My GUESS is that it's the belt tensioner, based on my quick internet survey those have been reported to go bad with that engine. They look like they were engineered by a third-grader, cheap as hell.

Anyway, yes, I know what I'd do to diagnose the problem and I told him to get a cheapo stethescope to localize the noise for a start. No weeping noticed from the water pump, but water/coolant evaporates quickly in Phoenix.

So...based on the wisdom of experience of the mechanics here on the forum with this engine, if you were to GUESS what would be the most likely bearing to fail, which would it be? He will go (hopefully) about diagnosing it properly, but I'm curious about your experiences.

 

[JP]

I suppose it could be also the Turbo bearing?

 

[billr]

Is the squeak there all the time? If so, have him take off the serp belt and run the engine; see if the noise goes away. If the engine is cold, it can be run without those accessories driven for a minute or two. While the belt is off (and engine stopped!) turn and wiggle each of those driven pulleys to see if any have obvious noise or looseness. Oh, and try spraying some water on the belt while it is running and squeaking. If the noise temporarily changes or goes away, the belt may be just slipping. That is usually from a bad tensioner; the "tensioning" action, not its pulley bearing.

PS: I doubt it is the turbo bearing.

 

[grcauto]

Have him look at the belt and see if it bounces. If so, it's the tensioner.

 

[JP]

Is the squeak there all the time? If so, have him take off the serp belt and run the engine; see if the noise goes away. If the engine is cold, it can be run without those accessories driven for a minute or two. While the belt is off (and engine stopped!) turn and wiggle each of those driven pulleys to see if any have obvious noise or looseness. Oh, and try spraying some water on the belt while it is running and squeaking. If the noise temporarily changes or goes away, the belt may be just slipping. That is usually from a bad tensioner; the "tensioning" action, not its pulley bearing.

PS: I doubt it is the turbo bearing.

Apparently not bouncing, sounds like it's always there.

 

[grcauto]

Need to use a stethoscope maybe.

 

[JP]

Need to use a stethoscope maybe.

I advised him to get one; there's a couple cheapos on Amazon.

 

[JP]

Just learned the car is throwing a P0171 code.

 

[billr]

Maybe it is a vacuum-leak "squeal", not a bearing or other mechanical squeak??? Gotta love long-distance-3rd-party diagnosis!

 

[JP]

Exactly. Kid sends this video. No accompanying email or message. I just summon up my dad powers to *assume* that he wants to know what it is, how to fix it, and how much it will cost. That, and "is it safe to drive and is this an urgent problem?"

Sounds like a bearing going south on the video and it's from the belt side of the engine. I think he's going to get a stethescope and see if he can localize it. But what I think, as a logical, slightly-older-than-middle-aged who's worked on his own vehicles since teenagerhood dad may or may not be objective realty. As far as I know, he's going to wait and see if it goes away on it's own.

Kids.

 

[Mobile Dan]

On that engine, PCV system failure creates extreme vacuum in the engine. The front crank seal will whistle/squeal and many have mistaken it for a belt/pulley noise. If you pull the dipstick with the engine running and you hear a brief whoosh of vacuum, you need a new valve cover and intake manifold. Let me look for a video...

 

[Mobile Dan]

You can also put your fingertip at one spot on top of the valve cover if you remove the "sight shield" that clips onto the valve cover and listen for the change in sound.

 

[JP]

The plot thickens....

So now the squeaky noise has disappeared. But, we've got some more codes to deal with:

P0171 is still there
P1101 was thrown, but the OBD reader was connected while he shut the car on and off
P2270 seems new

Got some decent looks and listens over the iphone camera.

Also odd, when the ac is turned on, the ac compressor clutch engages like it should, but it doesn't seem to cycle...just stays engaged. Low refrigerant, perhaps?

As well, when the AC is on, the engine noise is notably louder, but not in the area of the belt driven parts, it's over near the Oil filler cap. I'm quite confident it's not AC compressor noise.

Incidentally, the coolant return line to the coolant reservoir seems to have been leaking (didn't see steam or active leaking when the engine was running, but there is some residue). I told him to replace that, it's an easy fix. He and a friend has replaced the POS water outlet a few months ago; that was the source of his previous coolant loss.

 

[grcauto]

That vehicle probably has a variable valve compressor. They don't cycle. Does it cool?

 

[JP]

Good to know, I thought they all cycled.

Yes, seems to be cooling to the best of my knowledge. The answer I got to that from the kid is "I think so".