4000csq belt squeeking at start

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <3.0.3.32.19980101235307.00698494@pop.netaddress.com> Joe Rae writes:

> My belts have started squeeking at start up and sometimes at idle I believe
> that it is the altinator belt.... I do not really thing it is a
> bearing..... I HOPE NOT!!!!! anyway I have tried both tightineing and
> loosening the alt. belt and no good.... so tomorrow I am going to pick up a
> new belt! Just a alt. belt and put it on tomorow. The funny thing is that I
> could have sworn that I put a new alt belt on the car last april or may????
> has anyone else had problems with belt squeeks and squeels??

The turbo cars (especially the ur-quattro) are sometimes afflicted by noisy air 
seals.  What sounds like a belt squeal is in fact air being drawn in to the 
engine past a leaky crankshaft oil seal.
 
The same problem is theoretically possibly on non-turbos, though I've never 
encountered it.  The test is to pull the dipstick with the engine squealing, 
and see if the noise changes.

-- 
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club