[MrRoundel]

@JerryCLunsford , Thanks for your response. I did look at a couple of videos on replacing the alternator; It doesn't look that bad to get to. I'll just jack the car up, pull the tire, and take my time with it.

I put my stethoscope to the PSP and it sounded like the noise was there. When I get a look at the car next, I'll see if I can get the pickup rod on the stethoscope safely to the alternator to verify or eliminate it as the noise-maker.

And I also saw that there is an oil pan just under where the alternator is. If that's what's leaking, I might as well replace that gasket, or RTV if necessary, while I'm down there. In the video I watched on that oil-pan, the engine side didn't look like an engine. There was no visible crank, etc. And while the oil didn't look like ATF, I could have been looking at a valve body. That said, it would seem like the wrong side of the engine for a transmission/transaxle. It must be "an", but maybe not "the", oil-pan.

The image that I am attaching is of the garage floor under the car. I'm sure that it's oil in upper right. I'm not sure about the rusty looking stains. I know that here antifreeze doesn't look like that, so I'm sticking with the exhaust condensation at this point unless someone has another idea. I'll report back once I get a look under the car. Thanks again. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks for your input, gents. I did notice a leak with similar coloring that was coming from what looked like a hard trans cooler line/pipe with a square flange. That worried me. The owner has been good about oil changes and basic maintenance, but I don't believe she has stayed up with the deeper, higher mileage, stuff. I believe I recall asking about whether she had had the ATF changed, and she answered in the negative. FWIW, the car's build sheet shows it has a 4 speed auto trans.

I think that the next time she is going to drive the car is to drive it here, where I have proper tools, jacks, etc. I'll report back with any new info.

As far as the multi-point inspection, I don't know if that was mentioned to her. I'll ask. Regardless, when someone comes in expecting to have a PSP replaced, at the worst ($400 maybe.), and you hit them with a $3,500 on car that might be worth $4,000, the shop shouldn't be surprised that a customer walks out. Especially when the car is certainly driveable. Thanks again, folks. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks, @200_S_AWD and @ggoose .
FWIW, The car has had a coolant change about 7 years ago. It was changed with the proper pink HOAT(?) antifreeze. I will ask the owner if she has added tap water to the system in the past. I always use distilled. Cabin filters were changed about 5 years ago by yours truly. The idler pulley(s), tensioner pulley, and serpentine belt were replaced about 5 years ago as well (Dayco/Gates, IIRC.). I am loathe to think about doing the water pump. I hate doing them on transverse engines. That said, I do have one of those engine-bay bridge supports that perhaps can get me more room to work. I'll look at the book.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure that the motor mounts are original, so that's probably another issue that will come up not too far down the road. And if I have to lift the engine a bit to do the water pump, I might as well do the mounts. All aboard the mission-creep express.

Presently I'm in the process of assembling parts to re-do the cooling system in my '99 Bimmer. I guess I'll have to start a queue. Or perhaps more like a triage. Thanks again, gents. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Greetings, all. I still haven't had a chance to look at my friend's car. Scheduling...

Do the alternator pulleys go bad fairly often in the 140 amp alternators? I didn't know that just the pulley, complete with bearings, was so available to purchase. Since it sounds like a bearing noise, whether it's from the alternator or steering pump, I wonder if the pulley bearing going out is more common than the main alternator bearings. Any input is appreciated. Thanks ahead of time. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Many thanks, @200_S_AWD. That was a great video, and probably gets to the root of the problem with this 200. I'll send the link to the owner, and she can probably say whether the noise is a duplicate, which I believe it is. Thanks again. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Gotcha, thanks, @200_S_AWD . It's a bit different, but I think that it's more than likely the culprit. I put my mechanic's stethoscope on the alternator body and it's almost certainly at the alternator. The question is whether it's the pulley or internal bearings. I'll report back when the job is complete. Thanks again. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

I'm looking at complete alternators, just in case the pulley doesn't fix the noise/problem. According to the build sheet, the car has a 140 amp alternator. I don't understand why it does though. No power or heated seats. Basic stereo. No sunroof. It does have power locks, power windows, security system, and halogen headlights. Does it really require a 140 amp alternator? Many thanks, gents. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks, @JerryCLunsford . That makes sense. 140 amp it is. Cheers.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks, gents. If it was my car, I'd roll for the pulley being bad. It sounds like that design can go south in 50K miles. This car has almost 3 times that. I might have to have the owner leave it with me for a couple of days, just in case. I'm moving slowly under and around cars these days. Old tortured back.

Without the alternator being out, I'm only going on what it says on the Chrysler build sheet, which shows a 140 amp. It does not have a letter prefix on that sheet. While she is not the original owner, she bought the 200LX from a rental agency when it was less than 3 years old, so I'm pretty sure it has what it had from the factory. 100%? Never. Cheers.