1996 Impala SS - Team LoPrep's Challenge entry!

Just sounds like a pulley noise.  With all 3 engine driven accessories there it could be any of them.  My first inclination would be to spray the alternator behind the fan with a little lube 

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

Like some light machine oil or something more like silicone spray, or something else?  Never tried to quiet bearings/pulleys on an engine before.  Usually, just replaced the offending part.

I need to grab a new mechanics stethoscope sometime soon, so I can isolate where it is coming from.

I had an alternator squeak/chirp like that and wd40 shot at the shaft behind the pulley made it stop for a month at a time.  I don't think I ever had to replace it

Thanks, I’ll give it a shot and see what happens.

Took it for a very short drive tonight - would have been out longer but don't feel like test driving in the dark, at least not yet.

WD40 behind the alternator fan did not cure the squeaking noise, so it would not surprise me if it is coming from the PS pump bearings.  Tempted to just drive it for a while, and hope it all holds together.  Also, started making a whining noise that I think may be the transmission.  I'll need to check the fluid level on the next test drive, but I think it is pretty close, and it was shifting firmly.  There's also the noise the exhaust makes scraping the rear axle.  I'm not sure if there is anything I can do about that, though, except cut it off and try to dump it before the rear wheels.

Parking brake no longer holds the car on my driveway, but I think it does on my street.  I should probably adjust it, but I'm not pulling the rear brakes apart again until I absolutely have to.

I'll try to take it for a longer drive tomorrow after work, and will make sure to bring some extra power steering fluid and transmission fluid with me.  If I get the time, going to tackle swapping out the lock cylinder, replacing the window guides, and getting the interior door panel trim and wiring reassembled.

Leaning more towards trying to trailer it down, even if getting it on and off a trailer is going to be a little nerve wracking.

Got it out for a 10 mile drive today.  Needed to add a small amount of transmission fluid over what I already had added back into it.  The chirping noise went away, so either the WD40 did the trick a bit more slowly, or it's possible there was a bit of corrosion somewhere that just needed to be wiped away.  Now that I think about it, I seem to recall hearing that noise in a few other cars that have sat for a while. 

Tomorrow, I'll check underneath, and hope for no more leaks (or at least no major ones).  If I get out of work with enough daylight, I'll tackle the lock cylinder swap, and getting the door back together.

I did need to add some coolant to the reservoir before going on the drive, too.  I didn't think it had been that low before, so I'll want to keep an eye on it.  No signs of it leaking or burning it, as far as I can tell.

My confidence is high enough at this point that I need to start figuring out the wheel/tire situation.  For budget purposes, I'll run the stock 17" wheels, but haven't decided if I'll go for race rubber, and get a separate set of 15" street wheels, or if I'll get some 200TW tires, or go gastropod and get some 250TW+ tires, and if that, decide between summer or all season tires.  In any case, I think the date codes on the current tires are 2011/2012, so even though they have some decent tread life left, I don't want to be driving on them too far.

I may have some cheapish 245/45/17 A7's soon

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I may have some cheapish 245/45/17 A7's soon

I didn’t need to know that.  

Right now, I am leaning towards Riken Raptor ZR A/S tires, since I could just buy one set, no need for another set of wheels, and they are still a UHP tire, so hopefully will have some decent traction.  Likely would still pick up a spare wheel at the junkyard, in case of a flat.

That's a better idea.  

I know it probably isn't feasible for the challenge budget but  275/40R17 square set up will fit and it would look awesome. 

Swapped the lock cylinder this evening.  Tried to remove the old regulator guides by drifting them off the regulator channel with a punch and a small hammer.  Turned out to be a big mistake.  Broke it, and jammed a piece of it at the end of the channel.  Couldn’t even remove it with a 3 lb sledge.  I had assumed old brittle plastic would come apart, but no such luck.  Got a few ideas for fixing it, but was running out of daylight.  May have to put it back in the garage to work on it, as it looks like rain for the next few days.

Also, power steering is still leaking.  Not yet sure if it is as bad as before, or if it is any better.  Can’t tell where it is coming from, either, so not sure if a line is leaking, or if I damaged the new o-ring during the install.  I did lube it with some oil, but maybe I should have used petroleum jelly instead.  At least it appears the transmission is no longer leaking.

OjaiM5 said:

I know it probably isn't feasible for the challenge budget but  275/40R17 square set up will fit and it would look awesome. 

 Am I correct in assuming that setup needs wider wheels, too?

In reply to eastsideTim :

From what I read it is not necessary.  But, can you imaginesome 9.5" corvette wheels or similar? 

eastsideTim said:

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I may have some cheapish 245/45/17 A7's soon

I didn’t need to know that.  

Right now, I am leaning towards Riken Raptor ZR A/S tires, since I could just buy one set, no need for another set of wheels, and they are still a UHP tire, so hopefully will have some decent traction.  Likely would still pick up a spare wheel at the junkyard, in case of a flat.

Buddy of mine put a set of those raptors on his Miata 20-25k miles ago, still plenty of life but they have gotten louder with the miles.

"Terrible in snow, okay in wet, good in dry"

I remember him hating them when he first got them, but he said they got better with the miles.

"I will warn when I first got them they handled really weird.  They felt like they flexed a ton so for something like an aggressive lane change they had a lot of "lag" to them.  But they've gotten better with age"

He autocrosses on re71s so he's only driven them on the street.

Thanks!  I'm leaning towards those even more.  While it's likely I'll drive the Impala over the winter, assuming I still have it, I doubt I will drive it when there is snow on the ground.

Took a bit of finagling, and going through several sets of pliers and clamps, but the window regulator guides are in.  Also lubricated the channel with some white lithium grease, so they should not give me any problems.  Afterwards, routed the wiring harness, and reinstalled the door trim.  Was missing some fasteners, so it's not perfect, but it is functional again.  One thing I did not do, was replace the door handle, so I now have 3 black door handles, and 1 chrome door handle.  Might leave it that way for the hell of it, or might paint it.

Not sure what to do about the PS leak.  I think I will just keep driving for a while, and make sure to keep the fluid topped off.  May pick up some stop leak, and hope that does the trick, but I kind of doubt it.  Also going to look for some cheap seat covers when I run errands tomorrow, see if I can keep the seats from deteriorating much more.  If they push my budget too far, I can always remove them at the challenge.

Prior budget:  $1553.74

+$7.69/10 * 2 = $1.54 - used 2 regulator guides out of a ten pack I bought.   Anyone need some regulator guides for their B-body?

Current Budget:  $1555.28

One trick I saw for figuring out squeaky belt is to get a little spray bottle with water and spray each belt with a little bit of water and if the squeak goes away you know it's the belt. If you spray the bearing of the pulley and it goes away it's that device. Idler pulley, alternator, power steering pump etc.

Minor budget update from the weekend, not interesting enough to take any photos for:

Prior budget:  $1555.28

+$19.99 - Cheap seat covers.

Current Budget:  $1575.27

Got off work a bit early and took the Impala for a longer test drive, including on the interstate.  Ended up in a downpour.  The wipers work. Other observations:

1. The squeak in the accessory drive is back.  Hoping another hit of WD40 or something similar will quiet it down.
2. Was able to concentrate on the alignment a bit more.  It pulls a bit to the right on level surfaces, but once there is a crown on the road, it gets worse quickly.  Will have to research the likely issue and see if there is anything I can do to try to make it less bad.  Don't want to pay a shop for an alignment, but not overly confident in my own skills with a double a-arm front suspension and shims. 
3. The whining noise is still there, and only when the throttle is on.  Doesn't happen in park.  Wondering if I have a u-joint in the early stages of failing.  If so, I hope it survives through the challenge.  Will just keep listening and hope that noise does not get worse.
4. At steady speeds on the highway, it felt like I was having the occasional misfire.  Or maybe the torque convertor is coming unlocked occasionally.  Didn't seem to be a problem while accelerating, or just driving around on the surface streets, so I am not sure what to make of it.  I haven't checked the plugs yet, and am really hoping the optispark isn't starting to go out.
5. The exhaust/rear axle rubbing is really annoying.  Might see if I can change it to exit in front of the wheels, but I am not sure there is enough ground clearance for it to exit out the sides.

Going to try to get some more road time this weekend, start in on figuring out the speaker wiring, cleaning out the trunk, and reinstalling trim panels I've removed.

In reply to eastsideTim :

Something I discovered about exhaust in front of the wheel is that it makes trailering (and untrailering) a bit more difficult.

Did you want to check out the feasibility of docking the yacht on the trailer just in case there is an issue that would be exacerbated with a long drive?

wae said:

In reply to eastsideTim :

Something I discovered about exhaust in front of the wheel is that it makes trailering (and untrailering) a bit more difficult.

Did you want to check out the feasibility of docking the yacht on the trailer just in case there is an issue that would be exacerbated with a long drive?

I am thinking it would be good to at least try to test it.  Even better, it might be wise to beg/borrow a different trailer with no side rails.

Dump the mufflers at the axle ?  I had mine like that for 9 years, still have the new dynomax over the axle pipes i never put on even though the car is gone now

In reply to eastsideTim :

Everything is clamped together, so I may just be able to unbolt right after the mufflers.  Need to see where the hangers are.  I am little concerned about breaking any rules about where the exhaust exits the body.  I know a lot of that crap tends not to get enforced, but I'm the guy who tends to get busted for minor things...

In reply to eastsideTim :

I was referring to the trailer :)

wae said:

In reply to eastsideTim :

I was referring to the trailer :)

Ahh. - might want to do a little math, and make sure the frame is hefty enough that it doesn't need the railing...