Technical Fiat Panda 1.1 engine squeaking, frequency varies with engine speed

[andreizabest]

I have an 06 1.1 Panda Active, it's had this problem that's been bothering me for a while. There seems to be a constant squeak/squeal coming from the engine for a while now. It goes away after a bit of driving, the frequency/loudness varies with engine speed.
In the past 1.5ish years it's had a timing belt and water pump, and more recently an alternator belt since that's what I though it was initially. My next guess would be the alternator but I'd like to get a second opinion before I pay to have it replaced. I attached a video below of the noise if it's of any use.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

So difficult to tell without being with you beside the car. Does sound a little like the fan (aux) belt doesn't it? If you're brave, you could try, very very carefully, because you don't want to get your fingers trapped and possibly amputated! take a stick of ordinary blackboard chalk and run it on the inside - so against the V ribs - of the belt while the engine is running. If the belt is slipping slightly that will temporarily quieten it. I accept no responsibility if you hurt yourself and don't try this if you don't think you can do it safely. On the other hand you could just run the engine with the belt removed but that wouldn't narrow it down specifically to the belt - might be alternator bearing, although it doesn't sound particularly like a bearing from your recorded sound.

Being an active it won't have a spring loaded belt tensioner, so it may well just be that the new belt has settled in and needs the alternator moved slightly to get it back to correct tension.

 

[koalar]

Spray a little water on the pulley here and see if it goes away

Doesn't sound particularly bad

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Spray a little water on the pulley here and see if it goes away

View attachment 474051


Doesn't sound particularly bad

Silly me! a much safer recommendation and just as likely to be effective. Just listened to it again and I'm going with a slightly slack belt?

 

[koalar]

Looks to be running straight and true on the alternator pulley

How's it look on the crankshaft pulley

The belt looks burnished on the left side

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Here's an interesting video on multi V belt wear:



Same general principle as the old V belts, but they were easier to asses visually.

 

[koalar]

Silly me! a much safer recommendation and just as likely to be effective. Just listened to it again and I'm going with a slightly slack belt?

Yep people have been using this method for donkey years, simple and quick

Heres a snippet from a chrisfix video

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Yep people have been using this method for donkey years, simple and quick

Heres a snippet from a chrisfix video

View attachment 474054

Sorry, don't want to sound like a "know it all" but, of course I knew about spraying with water and a lot safer way it is to do it - just as effective too. It's just that I learned early on to do it with the chalk and found it easier to keep a couple of sticks of school chalk in the top of my work tool box rather than something with water in it. I just got used to doing it that way, so that's the way my brain thinks! - Teaching old dogs new tricks eh?

 

[koalar]

Sorry, don't want to sound like a "know it all" but, of course I knew about spraying with water and a lot safer way it is to do it - just as effective too. It's just that I learned early on to do it with the chalk and found it easier to keep a couple of sticks of school chalk in the top of my work tool box rather than something with water in it. I just got used to doing it that way, so that's the way my brain thinks! - Teaching old dogs new tricks eh?

Thing are always obvious when you know

Shame as a lot of things are getting lost

When Dads did there own repairs he would show his son or daughter, now things are taken to be repaired or just replaced with new

Owning a 15 year old car is an education in itself

 

[koalar]

Any news, did it quieten down when sprayed