Alternator or just me?

Hey there everyone. I've got an 06 Legacy GT with 101600 on the clock and I'm hearing a whine from the alternator. I think that's what it is anyways.

I can hear it when warming up from cold and only through the front with the hood closed or open. No noise in the passenger cabin unless it's warming up. You can hear it outside the car. Not very loud, but noticable. With it warmed up the noise deminishes to near nothing and there's no whine noise under throttle or in the cabin.

I've changed the belts with Gates Racing ones a year and a half ago through a trusted shop and the last ones to touch the settings were a Subaru dealer when the timing service was done. I added a GrimmSpeed Alternator cover in spring 2015. I replaced the battery two years ago and plan a replacement in December.

I got the WRX OEM mount for the cover in the kit and that made me remove the driver's side alternator bolt to get that on. The alternator didn't move during that install. I've never had any issues until now. No belt slippage and they're on really tight. I did the sound check on the alternator and no gravely sound. Even held a screwdriver to it and listened. Just a whine.

Is this sound just me being over sensitive to a normal noise or really a sign of something? Could I have done something?

Any info is always much appreciated. Thanks for reading my long post.

We sure it's not the power steering o ring going bad? Cheaper fix than the alternator.

Either one is not very common.

 

can you record the sound ?

 

How is the fluid level in the PS tank ?

I'll upload the video in a bit. My phone doesn't want to. Halfway warmed up from a cold start this morning. No power steering pump leaks or leaks in the lines. It's always used Dexron ATF and the pump was replaced with a new Subaru OEM part in late 2013. Seems like it's getting a little bit louder. Steering is fine too, no noticable issues.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=533688726796476&id=100004660600888&ref=bookmarks

Let's see if this link works.

Pull the alternator belt off and start the car and see if the noise goes away. Turn it with your hand while the belt is off (car NOT running) and see if it feels like the bearings are full of grit. If so, it's alternator time.

 

Also, while the belt is off, turn the PS pump too. See how it feels. If it's smooth, you're good to go there.

 

And yes, the car will run without the alternator being hooked up. So many people can't seem to grasp that the alternator is simply the small supply that fills the big reservoir called the BATTERY and that's what actually runs the car.

 

Give it a try. Will take 2 minutes to remove the belt and it will answer your question immediately. If the noise persists, remove the A/C belt too and check the idler pulley on the tensioner for a bad bearing.

The video link works, but it's hard to tell where the sound is coming from. I agree with what JmP said, that should help narrow things down.

Update: I took my car into my Subaru specialist and they gave it a clear bill of health. Alternator charges, the belts are good and tight, tensioners are good too, and theres no real issue at all at the moment. Nothing for now, but I'll post if something happens.

If you take your car in to "your Subaru specialist" anyway, then why did you even ask your question? It appears that you are incapable of removing a belt on your own car?

 

If you weren't going to do anything to diagnose it anyway, and already knew you were going to take it in to "your Subaru specialist", then why even waste our time in asking the questions about a "phantom" noise that obviously must not be there seeing as how "your Subaru specialist" gave it a clean bill of health?

 

This is the kind of thing that pisses everyone off and the next time you come and ask questions about issues that you aren't going to do anything about anyway, no one is going to take you seriously, and with good reason.

 

Just take the car to "your Subaru specialist" from now on when there is an issue and you'll be good to go.

Woah there. Hey, I wanted to ask just to make sure it wasn't just me first and if it was something I could accurately diagnose and take care of before going into the shop for.

Excuse me for asking a question. I honestly did not mean to upset anyone from the beginning.

If you weren't going to do anything to diagnose it anyway, and already knew you were going to take it in to "your Subaru specialist", then why even waste our time in asking the questions about a "phantom" noise that obviously must not be there seeing as how "your Subaru specialist" gave it a clean bill of health?

 

It might be there but the "Subaru specialist" doesn't know what they're looking at either. I see no mention of the specialist removing the belt to see what the bearings felt like.

 

These cars aren't getting any younger and quite frankly, I'd say that a 10 year run on an alternator is pretty good. The bearings in my alternator are obviously getting a bit dry because it's making noise and didn't feel the greatest last time I had the belt off. Thankfully I have a spare sitting on the floor of the shop.