In cars, a strange whistle is sometimes heard from the engine compartment. It occurs due to problems with the alternator belt. The reasons for such a whistle may be different, and replacing this belt or tightening it will help to eliminate it.
Why did the alternator belt whistle?
When the belt begins to stretch, it loses its tension and tight fit against the flywheel of the engine and generator. This can cause water to enter the generator. The fluid interferes with the tight fit of the alternator belt, and it begins to slip a little, losing its tight grip on the flywheels. The whistle is the result of a wet rubber belt slipping over the iron cavities of the flywheels.
As a rule, belts stretch due to the fact that they are made of poor quality material. Cheap belts not only often stretch, but also break at the most inopportune moment, therefore, before buying such a spare part, you need to carefully check its quality.
Another reason for the stretching of the alternator belt can be its age. Old belts stretch more often than new ones. They are not very durable. A good, high quality and new belt lasts long enough without the need for a tightening or replacement, and won't cause you anxiety sooner than is required by the maintenance schedule.
How to get rid of the whistling of the alternator belt
There are several ways to get rid of whistles that are annoying, uncomfortable and distracting for the driver, making driving less safe.
To get rid of the whistling of the alternator belt, you can go to a car service or replace it yourself if you have the skills and tools for this. In this case, you save yourself from whistling problems for a long time and you can be absolutely sure that your alternator belt will not let you down on a trip.
The next option is suitable for more advanced technicians. If you do not want to change the alternator belt in the car, you can tighten it, because it has the ability to stretch. To do this, you need to arm yourself with a wrench of the required size, look under the hood and twist the bolt on the generator flywheel. Your belt will automatically begin to tighten and the whistle will go out of the engine compartment.
And one more method that is suitable for lazy and moneyless car owners. If you can't get a good belt, or don't know how to tighten it, just try increasing the engine speed. Thus, you will warm up the car and the rubber belt itself faster. After the engine temperature rises, the moisture will evaporate and the alternator belt will stop slipping. But this method is only a temporary elimination of the problem, because it does not guarantee you the reliability of the car's functioning. In addition, if moisture gets in, the whistle may reappear, although it will disappear faster, since the water will evaporate from the high engine temperature.
