gms0623

Today i was driving round town and all of a sudden the XJ got very loud. It's a low grumble that seems to come from my center instrument panel like behind the radio. I talked to a guy at pepboys and he looked at it and thought I had air in my coolant system and recommended a radiator flush. He said hebthought it was because of the cold. Is this an accurate diagnosis? Has anyone ever had this problem before? If so how did you fix it? Cheaply I hope

DeathWobble

Air in your coolant system? I'm thinking NOT! Any air just goes to the coolant reservoir and doesn't do anything. Sounds like this guy should stick to cleaning the bathrooms and leave the diagnosing to someone who actually knows

xj_maniac_newb

lol

gms0623

Thought so hahaha. Anyone have any ideas though? Thought it was my belt at first or maybe the water pump that's what it sounds like it's coming from. It's hella loud though. Also, smells really bad, pretty sure that's important...

XJ Joe 1723

Auto parts store guys are the best at diagnosing vehicle issues. Didn't you know they all know how to fix it, I mean, they are the keeper of the parts after all, they surely can diagnose a loud bang, growl or squeel.


Just kidding. No matter how many times I have done this at an auto parts store it still gets me, here goes. I need spark plugs for a 350 chevy in a 91 silverado. Who cares how many doors it has, if it has drum brakes on the rear or if it is 2 or 4 wd, it is the same engine no mater what, just give me the plugs. Rant over, thank you.

As for your noise, maybe a blower issue.

gms0623

I fixed it this morning by just turning my steering wheel all the way back and forth... But it came back and that won't fix it now. Puzzling...

Also while driving today it squealed really loud when I started her and then again while driving. After it did it smelled horrible inside the car, kinda like what you smell when your teeth are being drilled at the dentist... Nasty :/ idk what it could be but it's getting me worried

XJ Joe 1723

What all do you have turned on, such as, defrost, heat, does it do it sitting still, while moving, does it matter, high rpm low rpm, just curious. My rig did this a couple of times and it was the blower fan it self squeling and rumbling, not sure about yours but answer some of these questions for us.

gms0623

Yeah it seems related to rpms seems to get quieter as I rev the engine. Heater and defrost on alike. Still and moving. That sounds Alot like my problem, how did you diagnose and fix it?

XJ Joe 1723

Mine was the blower motor and fan, it would squel when turned on and not when shut off, that narrowed it down for me. The squerel cage fan had a couple of fins missing causing the rumble noise at low fan speeds and squeling in high. Good luck.

XJ Joe 1723

I forgot, check the pulleys and especially the water pump if it follows rpms. Again, good luck.

gms0623

Sounds about right. Is the fan easy to replace? Object the Hanes manual

XJ Joe 1723

I did not think it was terrible but bring your patients, like most things, one time it goes good for someone and bad for you, have fun.

gms0623

Okay just joking. the fan is fine. however..... my pulley on my ac compressor is not. now. i know that some xj's came without ac. do they have a different belt routing? or can i cheat somehow and bypass the compressor? i dont really need the ac. but im not paying 1000$ so some bastards can put a new one in for me.

I think if i cant bypass the pulley...





ill go buy one from a junk yard and put it in myself so the belt has somewhere to go.

anyone ever routed this cheap before? or replaced the compressor? i have the hanes, i know i could do it myself or with help from a buddy.

gms0623

anyone following this, scratch all that. plan A- try replacing the belt. plan B- find the AC compressor pulley at a junkyard and replace mine. if that still dosent fix it, then plan C- buy an AC bypass pulley online and then remove my compressor and install. anyone seen this before and know how easy it is?

XJ Joe 1723

I guess you need to decide if you want ac, or if it worked at all. As for cheating it, I never have done or seen it done, if you get some string and run it around the rest of the pulleys trying stay with the belt routing as close as possible (less ac comp), remove said string and measure it, take measurment to any good auto parts store and find the one guy who actually knows something and give him your measure ment, that will lead to a belt that may fit. Good luck.