Audi 80 alternator

[Huw Powell]

> I have a 1990 Audi 80 non-quattro.  I notice that at statup i get a bad
> squeal for the first few minutes until the car is completley warm.  It gets
> worse when i turn on accesories such as the defroster or headlights.  It's
> not a belt squeal, but it sounds similar.  It seems to be coming from the
> alternator, so i'm guessing that the bearings are goin out.  Does this
> assumption sound correct or is it something else? After the car runs for a
> few minutes, everything is quiet as can be.

How do you know it's not belt squeal?  Try tightening the belt?  How old
is it?

I only say this because I've never seen these alts go "really bad".  The
one in my coupe, for instance, has about 310,000 miles on the bearings.

Another thing to check of course is the voltage regulator brush length. 
Though that shouldn't make noise, just low voltage at higher rpms when
they are barely long enough to work, IME.

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/