Aggravating loud noise coming from engine during idle. Goes away when i steady rev around 1500 rpm at a light. Sounds like a hamster wheel..Squeek , squeek , squeek...ect..Pretty loud when a car is next to me LOL...Would an alternator with bad bearings do this or would the tensioner wheel be going bad...125K on the odometer , I had it running in the driveway yesterday and sprayed some water in the direction of the alternator area and the noise stopped for about 5 min...dont like driving it now with all that squeaking. sounds like a junker...the belt is only about 2 yrs old and I dont really put my foot into it anymore....Tried spraying a little bit of WD inbetween the housing and pully of the alternator but that didnt help.....Driving me crazy... any help would be appreciated

 

Aren't these cars powered by hamsters? I think this is normal.

All kidding aside, you are on the right track. My guess would be the tensioner wheel bearing. Not too bad to replace on an R50. I use a mechanics stethescope to narrow down the origin of these sounds. I can't tell you how many tensioner pulleys I've replaced for noise (and self-destruction - thanks Saab). I have never replaced an alternator or waterpump for noise, though. Doesn't mean you don't have a bad one. Just the law of averages in my experience leads me to suspect the idler.

 

My suggestion...remove the belt, and check all the pullies....find the right one...replace...could be the idler...alternator, tennsioner, ac, or in some cases the oil leaks out of the sc/waterpump pto, the gears run dry, and it squeels as it selfdestructs on an s...
Find the issue...then fix it.
And 2 years on the belt (non oem) is about howlong they last of you have a pully reduction due to the smaller diameter of the contact are....

 

Ps...
Most suggest a new bely YEARLY with a 17%.
Might ne just the belt....

 

Thanks guys it was the tensioner after all ....a litle WD and its gone for a day or two...but will change ASAP....THANKS