Questions and Answers

Buick Regal GS Making A Grinding Noise Q. I have a 1997.5 Buick Regal GS with a 3800 Series II, 3.8 liter with a supercharger. It has 210,000 miles on the body, over 100,000on the engine, ABS, P/S, A/C, cruise control, rack-and-pinion steering and automatic transmission. I am hearing a grinding noise from under the hood and it's near the supercharger and the alternator.

It started about two months ago. I am not 100% sure, but I think it could be a bad bearing in the supercharger. When I'm at a stop, the noise increases. The noise subsides a little when I turn the A/C on, but it could be that it places tension on it through the belt. Should I replace the supercharger with my other one, about 70,000 miles on it, or is there a way to replace the bearing? If it's not the supercharger, then could it be the alternator? Help! If you need more details, let me know.

Thank You For Your Help...

A. You need to get under there and listen with a piece of garden hose or a stethoscope to see if you can isolate the noise. ALL pulleys and spinning objects are suspect. Then remove the serpentine belt and spin all the pulleys by hand and, if it's as bad as you say it is, you will be able to find the source. Could be the supercharger, alternator, A/C compressor, belt tensioner or bearings in an idler pulley.