Chirp Chirp Chirp

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Matthew Runals

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Okay so thanks for all the help with the steering vibration. I think i got it but haven't been able to do a decent road test yet, and yes I think it was just a bad well balance issue.



Of course the joys of ownership keep coming with this ST. I now have a chirping noise coming from the engine. My first thought is the serpentine belt is old, yet I have changed it about a year ago. The other issue is that when I drove through a rather large puddle I lost all steering and my check engine light came on. So my thought was the power steering pulley could be bad or the bearings are worn on the pump...IDK. I opened up the hood and I was able to pull the PS pulley in and out a little bit. I can not wobble the pulley at all, no left to right motion just front and back and only about a 1/4 of an inch...not much but a noticeable amount. So my question is how can you test to see if its the PS pulley, the bearings within the mount, or the actual PS pump?



05 ST, 137k miles, 2 wd
 
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Remove the belt and inspect ALL pulleys for binding. You could also run the engine less than one minute to hear if the chirping persists.

 
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My guess is when you went through the large puddle your belt slipped from it being really wet and a worn out tensioner like Bryan mentioned. The belt slipped enough to turn your CEL on. Most likely from it slipping on the engines crank pully which is constintly being monitored setting a code thinking there was a problem. What was/is the code(s)? I wouldn't be too concered with that just yet. When a belt is slipping you will lose ps for a sec..I recall a slight in and out on the ps pully is normal. Not a 1/4 in. though. Maybe an 1/8. Do as sws suggested. Your chirpping could be coming from any one of the pulleys. I would start with replacing the complete tensioner assm and idler if it hasn't been done ...in the mean time get the codes and clear them(autozone if you don't have a reader) or diconnect the batt for 15min to clear the CEL and drive it for a few days to see if the CEL returns. Also allowing everything to dry out really well. Then see where your at. Let us know. ..only thing I've found to cause a new(ish) belt to chirp is coolant getting on it. So there is that possible issue as well. But check the belt closely for damage. ..I was tracking a slight chirp for days until I realized my upper rad hose screw clamp had loosened just a bit to mist coolant onto the belt. Tightend the clamp and washed the belt with dawn and warm water. Good to go.

.. (For Steve, I thought my chirp was from the shorter belt. But, it was the coolant mist. Everythings been a-ok. Yours ok? I think I remember you thinking you were having an issue with the shorter belt)
 
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I will do as all suggested. The thing that gets me is when the I turn the wheel the chirping would increase, hence my though to check the ps pulley.
 
alright so I went out this morning to check the belt and the pulleys. None of the pulleys squeaked, the tension pulley wasn't hard to move or anything and you could definitely hear it turn as if the inside bearings were dry. I actually measured the PE pulley in and out play and yes I was wrong, it was not 1/4 inch but close to 1/8. The belt really didn't look that bad. what really concerned me was when I saw my main crank shaft pulley had a few dings and nicks on it...here are the pics:



From the the diver side, there is about an inch of a ding in the front pulley

<a href="http://s1065.photobucket.com/user/nobouncecap/media/IMAG0570_zps1a4229d4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u386/nobouncecap/IMAG0570_zps1a4229d4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMAG0570_zps1a4229d4.jpg"/></a>



From the passenger side, the ding is smaller than the other side but still a nick

<a href="http://s1065.photobucket.com/user/nobouncecap/media/IMAG0569_zps9d26b02f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u386/nobouncecap/IMAG0569_zps9d26b02f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMAG0569_zps9d26b02f.jpg"/></a>
 
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Well today I know that it is not the tension pulley, belt, or the PS pulley because I have replaced them all and sadly the noise is still there. I even bought a poly-rib belt that was .5 inch smaller and the noise was worse. However, what I did learn is that when I took off the PS pulley and turned the triangle mount hard it almost sounded as if it was slipping. Is that the PS pump right behind the pulley because I think that is the issue.
 
Did you replace the tensioner itself? Not the refering to the tensioner pulley. There is a spring inside the tensioner that can wear out and not hold the tension on the belt tight enough causing chirpping/slipping. Also there is the pulley on the alternator to consider. Sorry I cannot comment on the PS pump or PS pulley or crankshaft pulley. I have not encounterd those issues personally. Your crackshaft pulley looks different than mine(03) I have only one set of grooves on mine. Your looks like it has two? weird. Only thing else I can think of is I always clean all the pulleys with a green scotchbrite pad and some throttle body cleaner before installing a belt. Yours look kinda gunked up.(the black one) Good luck. You'll find it eventually:supercool:
 
Glad you found it before it let go, could have been MUCH worse. Searching harmonic balancer, you're not the first. GL
 
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The solution to my problem was the PS pump. The funny thing was that I replaced the faulty harmonic balance and now my ST feels so slow. The inner ring was acting like a underdrive system hahaha
 
Yep. Balancer failure at the pressed-fit inner to outer section. I caught mine in March just as it broke the seal. Chirp was my indication to look further, as yours was. Had it done at the Ford dealer with new, improved part number for 210.00 dollars. The 4.0 and Tracs are notorious for this!
 
I have the same issue on my 2001, chirp, chirp.... squeeeeeeeeeeel

I ordered the new updated part number 8L2Z-6B321-A for the balancer but was also informed it required an updated crank position sensor. I haven't read anywhere else on this site or the Explorer forum that said that anyone replaced the sensor as well. If I can get away without needlessly spending another $60 it would be a good thing. Anyone have any experience on this one?
 

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