Why is it always complicated?

[nooblet]

*sigh*

Something belt driven squeaks like all hell every once and a while. Not constantly. It seems to get worse when the humidity gets higher. It was doing it bad, then a cold front blew through and it went away. Then it got cloudy and rainy and it came back (seems to follow this pattern for months).

I replaced the belt and it stopped. But it has started coming back slowly. The squeaking is much quieter than it was before I replaced the belt.

Any ideas? Is something trashing the belt? I guess its possible there are two unrelated issues, but I doubt it.

What is belt driven that has a bearing? The auto tensioner obviously. Alternator? Clutch fan? A/C compressor? It would have to be one of those right?

Thanks for any help.

Chris

[burnt_servo]

squirt the belt with a little wd 40 ... i mean just one or 2 quick shots

if the squeaking goes away , or reduces , it's a belt problem ......

if it doesn't , myself , i'd give it s few more squirts of wd40 , really really hoping it it a belt problem .

[greasemonkey]

do you have a stethoscope? I find mine to be really handy when you're trying to chase down a mystery noise on a running engine.

does it matter whether or not the A/C compressor is on?(A/C or defrost). any noticeable electrical load that's being put on the alternator? another thing to do is take the belt off and spin everything by hand, see if anything turns slightly slow or feels a little rough.

[flashgordon]

How did the old belt look. was the edge ruff on one side or the other.........if so, i would look at the tensioner.

If WD40 makes it go a way for a minute..............then more then likely you have a thin layer of oil on the belt.
It don't take much to cause you grief.
This could be cause from the slightest leak of the from crank seal to even a A/C compressor seal that is leaking compressor on it.

shut eng off!!!! get a white cloth of some sort and and rub hard on the v groves of the surp belt...................was it dusty or oily?
if it is oily.......That is you squeak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once you have you oil leak fixed........You still have a belt that has exsorbet a lot of oil..........replace it or..........you can do my trick to it.

NOTE: this makes a vary BIG mess under the hood!
Get a hand full of Floor Dry and slowly let i dribble on to the belt before and after you have started it


Flash

[Philip]

Get a hand full of Floor Dry and slowly let i dribble on to the belt before and after you have started it

A bar of soap does the same thing without the mess. I prefer lava soap myself.

[nooblet]

do you have a stethoscope? I find mine to be really handy when you're trying to chase down a mystery noise on a running engine.

does it matter whether or not the A/C compressor is on?(A/C or defrost). any noticeable electrical load that's being put on the alternator? another thing to do is take the belt off and spin everything by hand, see if anything turns slightly slow or feels a little rough.

The squeak changes when I engage the a/c compressor clutch. The squeak becomes more frequent per rotation. I figured that was just because of the extra load the compressor puts on the system?

[nooblet]

How did the old belt look. was the edge ruff on one side or the other.........if so, i would look at the tensioner.

If WD40 makes it go a way for a minute..............then more then likely you have a thin layer of oil on the belt.
It don't take much to cause you grief.
This could be cause from the slightest leak of the from crank seal to even a A/C compressor seal that is leaking compressor on it.

shut eng off!!!! get a white cloth of some sort and and rub hard on the v groves of the surp belt...................was it dusty or oily?
if it is oily.......That is you squeak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once you have you oil leak fixed........You still have a belt that has exsorbet a lot of oil..........replace it or..........you can do my trick to it.

NOTE: this makes a vary BIG mess under the hood!
Get a hand full of Floor Dry and slowly let i dribble on to the belt before and after you have started it


Flash

The old belt looked ok, not cracked or old. There were some wear spots in the middle of the belt on the non-grooved side. That is normal though right? It was just a little discoloration where the belt rides on the tensioner?

My a/c system leaks R12, maybe that is where its leaking it? I just always figured it was at the evaporator core like every other Cummins I've fixed an a/c on Don't get me started...

[ford69557ci]

my truck did the same thing. it turned out to be the tensioner. i replaced the belt and it would stay quiet for a bit but after a rain or a humid day it would go back to squeakin. I went out and bought a new tensioner and replaced the belt again and i have not had anymore problems and that was 6 months ago

[nooblet]

my truck did the same thing. it turned out to be the tensioner. i replaced the belt and it would stay quiet for a bit but after a rain or a humid day it would go back to squeakin. I went out and bought a new tensioner and replaced the belt again and i have not had anymore problems and that was 6 months ago

I'm hoping that is what it is. It sure would be the cheapest thing to replace, other than the belt. I have tomorrow off, so I will be replacing a window motor (I HATE drilling those ^$%#ing rivets out ), some soft brake lines, and trouble shooting this some more. I'll let you guys know what happens.

Chris

[LOGANSTANFORTH]

its a problem in the radio, turn the radio up, and the noise goes away, works every time........

mine has the same type of squeak and it comes from the alternator, just comes and goes randomly, truck charges fine and ive never had a problem with it keeping a charge.....

[nooblet]

its a problem in the radio, turn the radio up, and the noise goes away, works every time........

mine has the same type of squeak and it comes from the alternator, just comes and goes randomly, truck charges fine and ive never had a problem with it keeping a charge.....

The radio fix works to a point, but my sound is LOUD. I'd need after market speakers and an amp to drown out this noise. You can hear it over the engine/exhaust all the way up to about 2k rpms

I found this on auto zone. Anyone know if it will actually work?

http://www.autozone.com/R,APP821780/veh ... Detail.htm

Its the pulley only. I just don't know if its the correct pulley. Its not available from the stores, I'd have to order it, so I want to make sure its the right one if at all possible.

Chris

[flashgordon]

its a problem in the radio, turn the radio up, and the noise goes away, works every time........

mine has the same type of squeak and it comes from the alternator, just comes and goes randomly, truck charges fine and ive never had a problem with it keeping a charge.....

The radio fix works to a point, but my sound is LOUD. I'd need after market speakers and an amp to drown out this noise. You can hear it over the engine/exhaust all the way up to about 2k rpms

I found this on auto zone. Anyone know if it will actually work?

http://www.autozone.com/R,APP821780/veh ... Detail.htm

Its the pulley only. I just don't know if its the correct pulley. Its not available from the stores, I'd have to order it, so I want to make sure its the right one if at all possible.

Chris

do you thing its the pulley or the tentioner.................I would get then both as ONE UNIT, if thats what your going to replace.

Flash

[PToombs]

Don't screw around with just a pulley. Get the unit. There is a plastic bushing in the unit that holds it straight. This wears, throwing the belt out of alignment. If yours is original, it's due for replacement!

[nooblet]

Whole assembly it is. Thanks guys.