Noises problem
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Manual 105000 miles

Every time I start my car, there's a loud squealing noise from under the hood. It only lasts from 5 to 15 seconds and will often stop if I press the gas pedal quickly while the car is in neutral. It RARELY squeals after I first start the car and am able to get it to stop. In other words, it only seems to do it when the car has been sitting for a while and the engine is cold.

My brother, who is a mechanic, has replaced all three of the belts under the hood and last week he replaced the power steering motor because he thought it might be sticking a little when the car was first started, causing the belt to squeal. It seemed like it was fixed because it didn't squeal for the next couple of days but now it's squealing longer than before he replaced the power steering motor.

A friend suggested that it might be the water pump. Would that be a possiblity? How can I troubleshoot this problem?

I appreciate your input!

Thanks,
Linda