Vacuum Leak

[bjl4776]

Im pretty sure there is a vacuum leak somewhere in my engine compartment. My question is there an easy way to pinpoint exactly were the leak is coming from. It isn't hindering performance but is making a really annoying whistling noise that is that last thing keeping my baby purring

[Mr Project]

Are you really sure it's a vacuum leak? If it is, the car probably will not run real great, and there's a pretty good chance you'd get a Check Engine light with the air leak code.

A whistle can be a bearing noise, too, like an alternator bearing, or an idler pulley. Open the hood and follow your ears carefully... you should be able to get in the general area and find it.

[bjl4776]

Im not really sure. Everybody told me thats what it probably was but the car runs pretty much fine, its rough in low rpm's sometimes but not too bad. I had my alternater replaced, unfortunately it had to be done and i wasn't around and it cost 800 and it started whistling shortly after. The general area is around the alternatar and idler pulley, is there any way to grease the bearings or something like that to get it to stop, its so damn aggrevating to have a whistling car.

[Mr Project]

If it is a bearing, chances are pretty slim it can be re-greased, most of the bearings you run accross are not servicable, they just have to be replaced.

What engine do you have? You said you do have an idler pulley, so I assume it's not an M30.

To find out for sure, you could get a 'mechanic's stethoscope', which is a long metal rod with earbuds attached to it. You put the earbuds on, and then touch the metal rod to the various pulleys. This should make it pretty obvious which pulley is bad, if any. Those stethoscopes aren't very expensive.

[bjl4776]

Its the M50 engine. That pisses me off because if its the alternator i won't be able to get it fixed because i just moved across country from were it was replaced, damn dealerships charging to much for ****. Could i get one of these stethoscopes from pep boys? Can the bearings be replaced easily or do i have to change the whole alternator and or idler pulley?

[Mr Project]

I bet you could find a stethoscope at a pep boys or sears or something.

If it is the alternator, it might be possible to replace just the bearing, I don't know for sure. A local shop might be able/willing to do that. (And to be honest, it sounds to me like the shop put a cheapo reman alternator in your car and the bearing is bad)

If it's the idler pulley, that's about a $48 part from BMA, and there's not much to it besides the bearing, so you might as well just replace the whole part.

[bjl4776]

thanks for the help, ill probably be goin down to sears tomorow, and orderin the parts if i need them, just pisses me off the charged me that much just to replace a damn alternator that is already broken. Oh well, you win some and lose some.