battery charge fault

[D9406]

Hi, my car threw a wobbly today and started beeping at me with the battery light coming on and off with the mfd stating it had a charging fault. There was also a metallic screeching noise from the alternator. I gave it a spray with wd 40 and it remained the same, but an hour later I tried it again and no noise. No charging light and no faults being announced. Would I be right in suspecting the freewheel pulley? Car is a 99 2.0 hdi with gen 64k.

[Doggy]

Possibly, but it can also indicate a problem with the dual-mass crank pulley, power steering pump or a/c compressor making the belt slip.

An aux belt failure can lead to bits of belt tangling in the timing belt with disastrous cosequences. I recommend removing the belt and checking all the pulleys / tensioner etc for a cause. Mark the belt first so it goes back on running in the same direction, or replace if in any doubt.
You can safely run the engine without the aux belt - this could help eliminate the dual mass crank pulley. Also look for any signs of rust or metal filing deposits around this area.

[D9406]

I don't think belt slippage is a problem, when it was making the metal on metal screeching sound if you looked at the altenator the insides weren't rotating smoothly, they were kind of stuttering. Now that the noise has gone everything is rotating smoothly and faster than before. I had the tensioner and bottom pulley checked about 4k ago when I had the new cambelt kit fitted, new aux belt also.
Does anybody know how to check the freewheel pulley? Otherwise I may take the unit off and take it to a garage to check and replace if necessary as I don't have the extractor to remove the pulley.

[teamster1975]

Are you sure the alternator is ok? You can use a metal rod as a sounding bar to pinpoint the noise.
As Doggy says I would take the aux belt off and turn everything by hand; if a bearing is giving up the ghost you should be able to feel the resistance when you rotate the offending article.

[scotty73]

There's a thread on here from me a few weeks back i had the belt slip off the alternator but it had stayed on the shaft luckily because the ecu box was stopping the shaft falling off it turned out the bearings in the alternator were shot so i had it reconditioned at a cost of £65 they changed the bearing and the shaft that holds the belt on... I'm thinking your bearings are on their way out have a check to see how much play is in your shaft (oh err ) i'd imagine you could move it side to side.

I could be totally wrong though.

[jasper5]

I don't think belt slippage is a problem, when it was making the metal on metal screeching sound if you looked at the altenator the insides weren't rotating smoothly, they were kind of stuttering. Now that the noise has gone everything is rotating smoothly and faster than before. I had the tensioner and bottom pulley checked about 4k ago when I had the new cambelt kit fitted, new aux belt also.
Does anybody know how to check the freewheel pulley? Otherwise I may take the unit off and take it to a garage to check and replace if necessary as I don't have the extractor to remove the pulley.

To check the alternator pulley disconnect the battery and lock the internal fan on the alternator with a screwdriver then try to turn the pulley by hand.....in one direction it will be slack, clockwise if I remember correctly and the other direction it should be solid, any slippage or noise indicates a faulty pulley.

Don't put a screwdriver inside your alternator without first disconnecting the battery.