Hello,

I encountered a recent problem this morning with my 1991 245. Any time I push the gas pedal I hear a terrible screeching sound and the car will barely accelerate (lack of power). I checked the tension of the belts and all are O.K. The voltage on my gauge also remains constant at 14V when I hear the noise (telling me the belts aren't slipping). I should tell you the car is a 5spd. I have replaced several clutches over the years on volkswagons but have near heard a sound like this. Could the sound be my clutch slipping?

Any help is muchly appreciated.

Cheers,

Greg

You may be hearing a failing harmonic balancer. Easy to test to be sure:

With the engine off, make a white line in a radial direction from the edge of the balancer towards the center.

Use Wite-out or whatever is handy. The line will cross the outer ring (has the two belt groves in it), the rubber ring (about 1/8 inch or 2mm thick) and some of the center part.

After driving and hearing the noise, have a look a the line. If it is separated into 2 or 3 segments, the balancer is failing.

Another brickster recently posted a fix that seems logical ato me and worked OK for him.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

I've never heard a balancer screech but I guess anything is possible. If the balancer was 'slipping' would it not be reasonably easy to move the outer ring by hand? If the balancer is truly moving I would be very worried about driving it. I've seen what a balancer did to a friend's Buick when it left the engine.

And it doesn't really explain the loss of power.

I've never heard a slipping clutch make a loud screech, but I guess it's possible. More likely, though, it is a belt slipping. If you've got a seized compressor or PS pump it would cause the symptoms that you describe.

If the sound happens in neutral, it's probably not a clutch problem. In this case, get under the hood and rev the engine while in neutral to listen for where the sound is coming from.

Could the sound be my clutch slipping?

Does the engine speed increase but not the car? You left that part out. If you hammer on the gas and the engine revs up but the car doesn't go any faster, than yes your clutch is slipping. Clutch slipping is more noticable in the higher gears first. Does the sound go away when you depress the clutch? That's a big clue.

I hear a terrible screeching sound

Does it screech just by reving the engine in neutral? If so you should be able to isolate the sound a bit and gives us a better indication of where it's coming from (the front, under the car, the speakers, the kids in the back seat, the squirrels in the trunk, etc., ...)

when I hear the noise (telling me the belts aren't slipping).

It tells you the alternator is spinning. Assuming for a moment the screech is even belt-related, do you know the power steering pump or water pump are not seized?