How To Fix A Noisy Altinator?

[lachlanj]

My current car as well as my previous car (02 ba xr6 ute) has a noise comming from the altinator. It is like a loud electircal whine. It is far more noticable when the headlights are on and gets louder the faster you go. People have commented that they can hear it out of the car as I drive past them on the other side of the road.

Ford has advised me that although it is quite loud.... it is quite acceptable.

I remember reading here a while back that you could fit something to the altinator to stop this but I was unable to find it when I did a search.

Any help would be much appreciated

[ZAP]

Lachlan,

There are 2 types of noise that you may be hearing.

Electrical noise through the audio system or mechanical noise.

The Audio noise is common in the BA range and is usually cause by poor quality wiring. Apparently running better earthing cables from the engine to the chassis and also from the battery to the chassis can reduce it.

Mechanical noise from the alternator is mostly caused by bad bearings and will get worse. My car is making a whine from under the bonnet, but I think my power steering pump is having issues.

The best way to check is:

Start the car and while idling, put a long screwdrive on the alternator casing (careful not to hit the belts) and put your ear against the handle. You will be able to hear the noise better and also isolate it. You may find its the powersteering pump as they seem to be the most common problem with under bonnet noise.

Either way Ford should replace it under warranty as there is a chance the unit will seize and cause more problems.

[Benny]

I can see the headlines now. Man was admited to hospital today with a large screwdriver lodged in his skull. The incident occured while the man was trying to listen to a noisey alternator bearing and got the tool caught in the engines belt system.

[cqae]

you can also get what we call 'charging noise' this is a noise created when the alternator charges. It is caused as a result of charging & tends to get louder the more the alternator is charging, so if lights & a big stereo are on noise is louder. However, when a rectifier diode fails or is failing a slight diode knowck can be present & can create a similar sound, as can internal alternator fan blades or minor imbalances in the rotor assembly, but these do not tend to amplify when charging harder. Earth cables have no affect on this & neither will bearings, so be careful when replacing bits for this reason. Chargin noises are fairly normal, just depends on how loud they are, overly loud can indicate a fault, I dont find my BA all that loud although I can definately hear it still.

[lachlanj]

I too thought it was the power stearing pump for a while but it has been confirmed that it is the altinator. I can have the sterio off and it if still there, just as loud. The boys at ford had a look and said that they couldnt find where in the altinator it was comming from but nobody denied that it is there or that it is bloody loud. They compared it to another vehicle and while mine was a little louder, there was no need for concern.

[AWW XR6T UTE]

Unless you are driving the car every day!

[GOLDIE]

I fixed the whine in the stereo that was caused by the altenator by fitting a noise suppressor to the altenator like they used to use a few years back but have stopped doing it now.

I have no noise in my stereo it was worse after I fitted all the amps etc but the suppressor fixed it all.

Ian

[lachlanj]

Went in and had a few other problems fixed yesterday afternoon and asked about the altinator again, they said they doubt anything would be done about it. When I picked the car up, I was told that they had another look at it and had a fiddle and now it is much quieter. I don't know what they did but it is nowhere near as bad as it was before. I can live with it now.

I will keep the noise supressor in mind as I am planning to beef up the speakers and amps in the near future.

Thanks for your imput guys.

[jetute]

could also be engine whine/howl caused by pulley tensioners.... It increases as the RPM increases. The noise will emanate from the front end accesory drive (FEAD). The noise is caused by heat sinks located around the circumference of the pulley wheel..... This is from the ford TSB.

I have the same noise and will get them to check it out.