A few weekends ago it was time to replace the radiator. 1993 is an oddball year for the Fleetwood. A number of components are one year only production, not having been used on any other GM vehicles. A great local radiator shop ordered a new unit from Performance Radiator and then had to replace the oil cooler tank with one that has the proper size fittings. Cost was about $250.
I installed the radiator and started the car to the most annoying squeaking. It don't squeal, it squeaked. And down the road to part replacement Lollipolusa I went. It was very hard to tell whether it was coming from the idler tension pulley, water pump or AC compressor. Everything has original parts, so everything is past its useful life.
Replaced the pulley with no improvement. Replaced the water pump. That created its own challenges. No change. Replaced the AC compressor with a used one from Pic A Parts. No improvement but my wallet was a $100 lighter by now and I used the last ounce of my jug of R134.
Doing the troubleshooting I should have done in the first place, I started the car and used a wrench to change the load on the idler pulley. I actually moved it in the less tension direction. Sound went away. I pulled the pulley back off and inspected it and did not find a place where it was rubbing. Reinstalled the pulley and shot some WD40 into it. The squeak went away temporarily. Pulling my hair out by this time.
So now the only thing left is the serpentine belt. The belt just didn't make sense as the cause. It was squeaking not squealing. Why would shooting WD40 on the bearing effect the belt? The belt tension indicator was showing it was getting to the "too stretched" point. I put the wrench on the pulley while the car was running and this time created tension. Yep, stopped the noise.
The Gates website says most noises are the belts themselves. Sure they say that, they need to sell new belts. I guess they know what they are talking about. A new belt and this saga was complete, for now...
$150 down but cognizant that everything I replaced was past it's lifetime. Money today or money tomorrow.
Still have to chase down the fuel gauge not reading correct since I changed the fuel pump. I have to recharge the AC as it has a leak in the high port valve. It never ends with classic cars.
