It sounds like worn out brakes or sand on the pads BUT it is not the brakes from what I can tell.

I assume this means the wheel bearings are shot on one of the 4 sides which I still cannot determine since the problem just barely started.

Also, another L27 question....

on cold days, 5* or less the car stumbles or idles really low like it is trying to quit whn I put it into gear even when the temp is half of normal. It starts up fine and idles high fine and then slows down but when it is put into gear the idle drops quite a bit. New plugs,wires, and airfilter have been installed.

Are you sure the squeal isn't the 'squeakers' on the front pads? They're designed to make that noise when the pads have worn enough.

Or belt squeal? Or is it only in motion? If it does it at idle, spray a SMALL amount of WD-40 on the belt inner surface while it'* running. See if that helps.

But if it'* only when rolling, check those squeakers.

The pads are fairly new and not abused (5,000 miles) so I did not think it was causing the screeching noise. When I put new wheels on last week they looked like they had at least 3/4 life left.

It has a similar sound to pads going out however. The noise is constant when driving and appears to be comming from the front passenger side of the car. It could also be the rear though. Seems to be noticeable at 20mph+ but only with a window down.

The belt is 3 months old. To make sure it was not a bearing in an alt or something I checked the engine and nothing.

I have never done a hub assembly before. Obviously the car has ABS so that has me a little nervous working near the brakes.
It looks like if it is the front I just take off the nut off, take off caliper bolts, take rotor off, remove speed sensor. From there I would need to take off the dust shield and bolts that hold the unit in there. Then using a "hub spindle tool" pull 'er off.


DO I NEED TO remove the steering knuckle on this car???

Also if it is not the hub assembly, what else if anything would cause a sqeal/screech/high pitch sound???

Slow down there a minute. Don't start making plans to do a hub until you know.

Jack up the right front, and try to 'wobble' the wheel around. What do you notice?

Seat spring up the anus will produce a high pitched squeal.

LMAO........

Okay, Bills right, when it comes to the front end....Make absolutley as sure as you can that is your prooblem....because you messing around with more than just changin the wheel bearing. You're gonna end up screwing your alignment.......I don't think you need to remove the knuckle assembly to change out the wheel bearing....But may need to, I know you can leave it on with a Grand Am. I'd ventrue to guess the GM cars would be the same way generally.

20mph on a bad wheel bearing will not produce a high pitched sqeal.

And don't assume a new belt is not the problem.

When the bearings went on the '93, I'd call it more of a groaning sound, not a high pitched squeal. It did have the squeal problem too, however (not at the same time). You could only hear it with the passenger side window down, and when you went past something that would reflect the sound back toward the car. The rotors were slightly warped, so I replaced those, and because I didn't want to have to replace the pads again later, I replaced those too even though they probably had half their life left. When I was done, the squeal was no longer there.

it is barely possible to hear it even with the windows down. Yes it is there at all speeds,....but under 25...sccccrech....scrreech

again it is barely possible to hear it at all with the hvac fan off.

At any rate I will check it out more tomorrow after work/school, spin wheels freely to determine problem. I hope it is just warped rotors or sand in the brake drums, etc.

And bill I did exactly as you said just to check and the problem is still there. NO PLANS are made yet I am just checking to see what the worst case could be (plus i have read several posts on here of failed hub and bearings, although usually involved grinding noises) I am not the one to throw money at the car for no reason, the only things I have added is a new belt, oil changes, filters, audio upgrades, and magnaflow cat, oh and 1/2 quart of ATF.

and still think it could be the rear as well. hopefully tomorrow I will figure it out when I take off the calipers and drums.