Hello Gang:
Here's a new one I'm fighting with. And yes, I know it's sacrilegious to
have A/C in a Tiger.
I've got my fan belt (routes across the crank pulley, the alternator and
the water pump pulleys) and my A/C belt around the water pump pulley
(it's a double pulley from a Ford Fairmont, as recommended by Tiger
Tom). I've got both belts on as tight as they'll go (maybe too tight??).
When I turn on the A/C, I often get a sudden squaling noise from around
the water pump pulley area. It eventually goes away when I play with the
gas pedal a bit. Gradual acceleration (with A/C on) doesn't cause the
squeal, but when I hit the pedal suddenly, it squeals as long as I'm "on
it". If I gradually accelerate (with A/C on), no squeal.
With the A/C off, everything's as quiet as a mouse (driving a Tiger,
anyway).
The A/C compressor puts a lot of torque out, and sends it over to the
water pump pulley that it spins off of. The water pump pulley itself is
"powered" off of the crank pulley.
I don't think the belts are slipping around the water pump pulley (of
course I could be wrong), but that's where the squeal seems to come
from. Would the water pump itself make that noise, when it's under more
torque from the A/C compressor when it's on? Maybe I've got the belts on
there too tight, and they're exerting too much pull on the water pump
pulley and bearing.
I've got a new water pump ordered from Sunbeam Specialties to take on
the trip to Tigers United, just in case, but I don't look forward to the
fun job of changing it, if I end up having to.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Steve Sage
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