12 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHAlternator pulley going?
Leading reported evidence
Replace alternator or something else altogether
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion · Original poster
Does this sound ok or do I need to replace the alternator or something else altogether?
Leading evidence: 'Replace alternator or something else altogether' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace alternator or something else altogether' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
If it is, you may only need to replace the clutch unit.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Yes, remove and the test both the pulley and the alternator for noise.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
12 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Pelican Parts: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T183130Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Got a squeak on start up. I took out the air cleaner and sprayed WD-40 on the tensioner pulley. Nothing. Sprayed it on the alternator pully and squeak went away. Does this sound ok or do I need to replace the alternator or something else altogether?
Jeff,
If I understand it correctly, all manual transmission cars have the declutching pulley correct? How would you determine if it was indeed the pulley making noise or the alternator?
I'm in a similar place as the OP. Mine makes a bit of a noise. I removed the belt and hand rolled all the idler pulley and other bits, and only one that felt ever remotely rough was the alternator. I was about to replace or rebuild it, but it would be nice to know it might just be the pulley.
Correct. The pulley is actually a ratcheting over speed device built into the pulley bearing, which costs about $40 at retail:
You will also need a special tool to remove it:
Thanks! Is there a way to determine if a noise is from the pulley or the alternator itself? In my case, mine is still charging fine, just making a bit of a noise.
I can't seem to find the tool for my 2006 C4. Do I need to buy the entire kit here for $230 or does someone know a part number for the tool for the '06 C4? Thanks in advance.
Amazon sell it for around $23
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OH0LU8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00AGWEUKI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=7D41MNRWXR9B37AQ4X4F
