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[terry paget]

2000 2.5 petrol estate
Had this car 10 weeks. There is a belt (?)  squeal on start up, but it soon stops. Now I also observe a red light glimmering at bottom of speedo, but by the time I look down It has gone out so I cannot identify it. I suspect it is battery light. Alternator bearings? Possibly water pump or power steering pump bearings? Pleae advise. Mileage is 160,000.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Check your earths and alternator connections.

[Andy B]

2000 2.5 petrol estate
Had this car 10 weeks. There is a belt (?)  squeal on start up, but it soon stops. Now I also observe a red light glimmering at bottom of speedo, but by the time I look down It has gone out so I cannot identify it. I suspect it is battery light. Alternator bearings? Possibly water pump or power steering pump bearings? Pleae advise. Mileage is 160,000.

When the charge light on my V6 started to glimmer, I found that the positive connection to the battery was a bit warm. I managed to borrow a large set of crimps from work, squeezed the connection a little ..... sorted. 

The belt squeal could just be that the belt is old & needs replacing.

[BazaJT]

As Andy B says my first check would be auxiliary belt and tensioner and then go from there.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Either your alternator is on it's way out or the tensioner isn't tense enough and the belt is slipping when cold. 

[terry paget]

Thanks for suggestions, chaps. I have had 3 tensioner pulley bearings fail on Omegas over the years, so I add that to the list of suspects. I suppose I should remove the auxiliary belt and see it I can detect any rough bearings. The car is due a cam belt and coolant change, so I shall look at all these things then.

[dbug]

Either your alternator is on it's way out or the tensioner isn't tense enough and the belt is slipping when cold. 

+1

[JamesV6CDX]

Either your alternator is on it's way out or the tensioner isn't tense enough and the belt is slipping when cold. 

+1

Don't be so sure. Earths, etc, and indeed battery condition, can all play a part....

I had an omega that's always had a glimmer of a battery light at idle. It always charged and never caused an issue. Belt and idler etc were fine

[terry paget]

Correction! Took the car to Bath yesterday afternoon, light glimmered in daylight - it was the brake warning light. Looked at brake fluid level; it's half way up the reservoir. When I changed the fluid a month ago I left it full. Must top it up and watch it, meanwhile looking for leaks. Doesn't explain belt squeal noise though.

[dbug]

Specsavers?   

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Tensioner is dead easy to re-grease (or replace completely, of course) ping it apart with a blade, pack grease in there, bang back on. Practically a 5 minute job. 

[Marks DTM Calib]

When the belts get old they go hard, add a little condensation over night and you get a squeal

[05omegav6]

Tensioner pulley is dead easy to re-grease (or replace completely, of course) ping it apart with a blade, pack grease in there, bang back on. Practically a 5 minute job. 

Fixed for clarity...

Changing the tensioner itself involves removing/refitting two bolts on the side of the block above the alternator. Not exactly complex, but a different proposition to removing/renewing/refurbishing the pulley assembly

[terry paget]

Specsavers?   

Fair comment. Before it only came on at night, and then briefly, so I had not time to read the symbol. By day it was easy.

[terry paget]

Tensioner pulley is dead easy to re-grease (or replace completely, of course) ping it apart with a blade, pack grease in there, bang back on. Practically a 5 minute job. 

Fixed for clarity...

Changing the tensioner itself involves removing/refitting two bolts on the side of the block above the alternator. Not exactly complex, but a different proposition to removing/renewing/refurbishing the pulley assembly

Thanks. It will be coming off Wednesday when I change the cam belt kit. I should have a spare kicking around somewhere, I recently harvested 2 cam belt kits (both now reused) off dead cars, should have kept at least one of the tensioners.