Squealing Noise When Warm

[katman]

Never got this squeal to go away.

 

And its become more prominent again in recent days.

 

Funny thing is it disappears when the engine is accelerated; once constant speed is attained, it creeps back in. And it seems loudest when switching off the engine.

 

I'm beginning to suspect a "sticky" tensioner, as some have suggested.

I have exactly the same problem on my 97 2.0 Galaxy :-(

 

Got it just over 3 months ago and occasionally noticed a squeal when it was warm but only on idle, since then it has got worse and now squeals all the time.

 

Just been to two garages, a general garage that is about to MOT my aging Pug 309 GLD (which has reached 274000 miles and still has a bloody good engine!), and the local Ford dealer.

 

Both said that I shouldnt leave it too long before getting it sorted. Ford dealer scared me a bit when mentioning the cost of bits especially when he mentioned the cost of a pulley assembly for the AirCon.

 

Given that the Ford dealers labour charges are probably double that of the other garage, is this a job that can be undertaken easily by any garage or is it preferable to have a Ford dealer who has probably experienced this on many occasions and has the parts easily to hand. (Or is the dealer likely to change too many bits just because they can?).

 

I took one look under the bonnet and cant figure out how the hell anyone can work on it when there is virtually zero space around anything!!!

 

Any advise gratefully received.

 

Thanks

 

Keith