How To Tell If Alternator Bearing Is Bad. You can quickly diagnose a bad alternator bearing by a handful of symptoms: A knocking noise can be caused by one of several things relating to the alternator.
How long you can drive with a bad alternator bearing is really dependent on how far gone the problem with the bearing is or not. Some of the most common symptoms associated with a problem with your car’s alternator bearings include: Usually, the bearing is loose when this occurs.
If the bearings are in good working order, the belt should not move. A progressive squealing sound, or a sound that gets louder and makes a squealing noise, is a sign of alternator bearing problems. It'll help you to diagnose a bad alternator in a pinch.
Start the car and tell someone to check the headlights. Though they make different noises, the alternator whine is the most common one. If the alternator is starting to go bad, it cannot charge the battery as efficiently.
A whining or grinding sound coming from your alternator while your car is in operation is a bad sign. Know what causes an alternator to go bad if your car is making a whining noise and it’s coming from the engine, you could be dealing with a bad alternator. This is really obvious when headlights are on at night, but also noticeable in dash lights and the center dome light.
A mechanic will charge you between $500 and $700 to install a new one. A bad alternator pulley initially will cause excessive tensioner movement. It is because of the worn out bearing and it can cause further damage to the belt.
Usually, the bearing is loose when this occurs. Push up and down on the fan. How long you can drive with a bad alternator bearing is really dependent on how far gone the problem with the bearing is or not.