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Squeak. Bearings maybe?

RoadTrippin

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Denver, CO
I thought I had this one nailed but I guess not. Today the front of the XJ started to squeak again. Everyone told me belt, I thought so too so I replaced it; didnt go away. I cant get it to make the noise by revving the engine putting it in 2wd or 4wd doesnt make a difference. It seems like the cold just makes it worse as this hasnt happened on the warmer days. I read about angry sparrows but to me it doesnt sound like its the DS or the CV joint, as the squeak comes more from the passenger side of the vehicle possibly in the engine bay.

A buddy of mine suggested that maybe I should have the A/C system recharged as that could maybe cause a squeak if it wasnt properly charged.

I need some educated guesses here, I know its not the belt, brake pads and rotors are fine. I should mention that the noise will only come from about 25mph on up then go away after about 15 mins of driving.

Im taking a 3k trip in this thing next week and I wanna make sure I wont die along the way, so any suggestions would be great.
 
If the engine is relatively high mileage, you might want to check the belt tensioner. Minehad the same symptoms a few weeks ago and a new belt tensioner cured them.
 
Sounds like its drivetrain, NOT engine.

Belts, tensioner, bearings on idler wheels would make noise as you revved the motor or when the motor hit a particular RPM as you went thru all the gears, not just at a single speed. Getting the noise at one single vehicle speed, but not at the same engine rpm in different gears or at idle, is most likely something with the drivetrain past the engine/trans.

A/C level can create some noises, but that would be engine speed and Temp/AC load related, not speed related. The clutch can slip and screech, but again, engine speed and temp/AC load related, not vehicle speed.

Have you tried taking the vehicle out of gear and coasting when the noise occurs. Or down shifting to a lower gear at that speed, i.e. change engine speed but not wheel speed, if the noise stays the same, its something outside the engine/trans.

Also don't limit yourself to just the front of the vehicle, plenty of sounds can come from something wrong in the rear, and just because of the floor of the vehicle, windows, seat position, etc, it can sound like its coming from the front.

Inspecting all your U-Joints can't hurt either.
 
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I'd bet it's the AC Compressor Bearing. Use a steth or the old long screwdriver in the ear trick to isolate the squeek. I had same prob and it was intermittent at different temps too.
 
I checked the U-joints last week, no play at all. Ive put it in neutral the times that the noise has occured and it is still there, dropping it to 3rd and the noise is still there.

One thing I did notice this morning is that it started squeaking almost immediatley after moving, maybe 15mph. It was still there doing 60, but after about 5 mins of driving the noise would only start at around 35 mph, after 10 mins maybe 40-45mph, then at around 15mins it would pretty much entirely go away. As it was going away the squeak became less constant. As mentioned when I first started to move this morning it would be pretty constant all the time, but as the noise started to diminish it would be somewhat irratic, then less noisy and eventually disappear all together.

I think Ive ruled out wheel bearings or something along those lines as if it were a bearing it would get louder as it got hotter instead of the other way around.

The one reason Im somewhat sure its coming from the front is with both windows down the squeak was more pronounced coming from the front passenger side, though I know it could be most anything, that is just where I hear it coming from.

Its kind of hard to diagnose exactly where as i cant really run along side or something, just sit inside and listen.
 
Is it possible that a bad alignment could cause this noise? I only started to notice the noise last month after I had new tires put on and had all wheels aligned, it eventually went away for a while. I just had the Jeep realigned yesterday as it was out due to the extreme washboard conditions that existed due to 4in layer of ice on the road followed by pot holes, and it obviously started making the squeak again today.
 
I have a very tiny intermittent squeak.....I'm guessing it's the A/C pully or the idler pully to the right of it.

If I notice the squeaking and I rev the engine, It'll squeak faster. So I know it's something related to a pully :)

EDIT - While in park.....not moving......
 
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I had a noise similar to this over the last month or so. It ended up being U-joints front and rear. Just because they're tight to the feel doesn't mean they're not bad. It could just be 1 bad cap, and you most likely wouldn't be able to feel that. Could also be the centering yolk in the front DS.
If you can find a BIG "EMPTY" parking lot you can always hang out the door a little while someone else drives and try to narrow down where it's comming from that way. Chris
 
So I replaced the front U-joints yesterday as they were pretty bad. Drove it around for a while and everything seemed ok. Get in first thing this morning to go get some gas and believe it or not it still squeaks. It will go away quicker now and seems to only happen once I reach 45mph but it is still there, any ideas? I was pretty sure it was driveline related as it only happens when the wheels are spinning but could it possibly be something engine related?

Possible that a diff fluid change would help?
 
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pull the front driveshaft.
Check for play in the pinion yoke
CHeck the wheel bearings again.
Does the noise change in pitch when you turn?
Does it appear or disappear when you turn?
When you replaced the fron u-joints did you take the axle shaft nut off? If so, did you tighten it back to spec? It sets bearing preload, so if you had a bad bearing then changing the torque on that nut might make it behave differently.
 
87manche said:
pull the front driveshaft.
Check for play in the pinion yoke
CHeck the wheel bearings again.
Does the noise change in pitch when you turn?
Does it appear or disappear when you turn?
When you replaced the fron u-joints did you take the axle shaft nut off? If so, did you tighten it back to spec? It sets bearing preload, so if you had a bad bearing then changing the torque on that nut might make it behave differently.

Pinion yoke is fine, wheel bearings are fine, stays the same in turns, the few times it has actually happend while turning, axle shaft nut should be fine too as it was torqued back to spec.
 
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