on a 87 560sl.At start loud squel that lasts for under 1 min.and just stops.After the car sits for a few hours does the same thing.Tried water on the belts,to rule out belts,squel does not stop.Please help

the outer ring may be slippping on the inner crankshaft mount because of a deteriorated rubber core. For some other brands, that would be a sure answer, but it's not always the case with M-B's, I gather.

Water on the belts may tell you something, but I am not sure what. Does this happen with the ac on or off, or both? Have you visually inspected the belt, and pulleys? Had squeals like this over the years, some were belts, some were pulleys, some were bearings,(including the bearing bracket on my 87 300e) some were oil, coolant or other fluid leaks that get burnt away after a minute, so they squeal disappears. I suggest you look and listen closer to the engine to narrower down the area of the noise.

Does not matter if AC on,squel or loud EEEEEEEEEEE,noise comming from the front,belts and everything else visually look OK.Noise stops very abruptly almost as if turning a switch.Almost like a bearing noise,but it just stops to quickly......

I am not sure this help, but my alternator did squeal for about a week then seized. It broke the alt belt. At first, I thought it was the power steering.

John

Use a "sounding stick". Get a long stick of some kind, hold one end near your ear and put the other end different places (carefully). Maybe you can find it that way.

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

It might be safer to use a short length (about 3 foot) of garden hose put to your ear.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K