On a fresh start my car will often squeal for about 30 seconds. I did a little research and thought it could be the water pump so I took off the belts and moved the water pump pulley by hand, it felt like the bearing was stuffed or at least on its way out.

I replaced the water pump and timing belt while I was at it, put it all together again and started it up only to find it squealing again. My brother put some sort of v-belt spray on the belts and that stopped it squealing but that was about 3-4 days ago and the squealing has started up again.

I don't know if this is related but the A/C compressor is jammed, it was jammed before I bought it. After inspecting it I found melted plastic on the pulley that must have been from the v-belt. Right now the car has a shorter belt that doesn't go around the A/C compressor.

Also, again probably not related, my car only starts on the second start up. I attempt to start the car for a split second then let it rest, I hear what sounds like the fuel pump turning on, then the car will start after the noise stops (about 3 seconds). However the car doesn't idle properly when pulling away in first or reverse, it stutters and cuts out if I don't keep the revs past 2-3 thousand. If I don't keep the revs high enough it will fall fast down under 1 thousand revs then either stutter a lot then recover or just cut out completely.


If anyone has any advice or suggestions please reply!
Thanks!!

 

There is a lot of information on squealing Mazdas. It basically means that Mazdas are related to the species "sus scrofa". You look that up.
The drive belt(s) must be tightened to spec (Haynes manual). What also happens is that the pulleys get polished by the belts to the point where they have no sufficient friction and the belts slip. Belt dressing helps only a few times. Some have taken sand paper to the pulley grooves to roughen them a bit.
Find out which pulley the belt slips on and give that pulley the sandpaper treatment.

 

I just worked on my 03' belt squelling problem.Pretty sure it was the Altenator pulley/belt.Found belt dust built up on Alt and in grooves of pulley.Belts had been replaced and problem had went away and come back so I took the belt off and use emory paper in grooves and turned pulley by hand.Tightened belt back up and it is quiet now.Hope it does not come back, but I'm not too confident.Pulley was pretty well polished from slipping.

 

There ya go. If the problem returns take the belt off and spin the alternator by hand while you listen and feel for a bad bearing.

 

I've taken the alternator off already as I thought this was the initial source of the problem. After playing with the pulley though it felt fine. I am starting to think it is just slipping on the alternator pulley so I'll take the belt off and sand paper the pulley a bit.

I'll get back to you guys if this fixes it.

 

Can you give me some tips on pulling the Alt?Looks like a p[ain to pull and I may wan't to pull mine.thanks

 

I had the same problem and so did a friend of mine. Cause ended up being a bad idler pulley and tensioner.

 

pull as in replace? I just loosened the bolts holding it in place and the tensioner bolt to remove the belt. Easy to take off. The problem is if you need to replace it trying to get it out of from under the bonnet. You cannot simply pull it out from the top, I had to get underneath the car and take it out from bellow which was a pain.

 

OK-thanks, I thought it may need to come out the bottom.Did you sand papper the pulley yet?Mine has not started to squell again yet since sanding it.

 

My Mazda has the exact same behavior, It's intermittent aswell, some times I start it and it will be fine for a week of so. Then the sporadic rpms will come back with vengeance. Usually makes it undrivable for like 10 mins after start.

you ever get to the bottom of this? What was the route cause?