Belt Squeak

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

My current issue is related to belt squeak. The belt squeak is constant, and occurs at idle or during engine load.

Please make note of description #2 below.

1. The belt squeak progressively worsens after a new belt is installed, and may reduce in severity as the engine warms up. However, the problem will worsen to the point that belt squeak is audible from engine start to engine shut off regardless of engine temperature.

2. It may be important to note the following. The vehicle suffered front end damage that caused the driver side frame rail to push against the power steering pump. There seems to be a lot of fore/aft movement in the power steering shaft. Completely removing the pulley results in the same fore/aft movement. See the video below for evidence of this movement. The video is more "audible" since you really can't see the movement.

Power Steering Pump Fore/Aft Movement​

3. While the vehicle was being repaired, the engine was pulled and an 8 rib kit was installed. The belt squeak did not occur before the accident. Again, the power steering pulley was damaged during the accident, and the 8 rib kit was installed during collision repair.

4. Replacing the belt with a new belt, completely eliminates the belt squeak.

5. Completely removing the belt eliminates the noise.

6. Water sprayed on the belt eliminates the squak momentarily.

7. Belt dressing sprayed on the belt actually made the squeak worse.

8. I purchased an automotive stethoscope. However, I'm not able to really listen to the A/C, power steering, crankshaft, alternator, supercharger, and tensioner pulley because the pulley and fasteners all rotate. The remaining pulleys don't make any audible squeak noise.

9. The crankshaft is approximately 0.175 inches from the timing chain cover. The instructions that GI Joe includes with the 8 rib kit reference a need for approximately 0.200 inches.

10. I have replaced factory tensioners, and installed both Kenne Bells tensioner and currently have Thump RRRs tensioner.

11. Increasing tension on the belt does not eliminate the noise. I have adjusted Whipple's sliding idler pulley for maximum tension. I have also applied maximum tension on the tensioner pulley using a lever to increase tension while at idle.

12. Since the squeak can audibly minimize after the engine heats up, I thought I might try using a propane torch and heat the pulleys to see if I could draw any conclusion. If I heated the crankshaft pulley, it would instantly change in sound, but the squeak never went away. Heating any other pulley resulted in no audible change in the squeak.​

 

[Slofoot]

Mine would go "cheep-cheep-cheep....." I replaced my idler pulleys and no more noise.

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

Mine would go "cheep-cheep-cheep....." I replaced my idler pulleys and no more noise.

Well, I guess mine does to, but it's a constant "cheep-cheep-cheep..."

 

[cekim]

Well, I guess mine does to, but it's a constant "cheep-cheep-cheep..."

There are only a few options:
1. pulley/shaft bearing squeaking
2. pulley wobbling squeaking against a belt as it does so...
3. belt slipping

Sounds like either 1 or 2...

If you bent one of them, it would not be surprising to have damaged others in the process - particularly the 2 idlers over by the PS pump...

If you can't "see" the wobble at idle - you might try rotating each idler/pulley by hand against a straight-edge/square to see if they are out-of round.

If you don't find anything there a drill, impact wrench or gas RC car starter motor can come in handy for spinning each pulley/idler fast to see if you can find the squeaker...

The fact that it gets louder when you sprayed it sounds like wobbling more than squeaky bearing to me...

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

There are only a few options:
1. pulley/shaft bearing squeaking
2. pulley wobbling squeaking against a belt as it does so...
3. belt slipping

Sounds like either 1 or 2...

If you bent one of them, it would not be surprising to have damaged others in the process - particularly the 2 idlers over by the PS pump...

If you can't "see" the wobble at idle - you might try rotating each idler/pulley by hand against a straight-edge/square to see if they are out-of round.

If you don't find anything there a drill, impact wrench or gas RC car starter motor can come in handy for spinning each pulley/idler fast to see if you can find the squeaker...

The fact that it gets louder when you sprayed it sounds like wobbling more than squeaky bearing to me...

1. The squeaking only got louder after I sprayed some belt dressing on it. If I used water, the squeak would diminish or eliminate. Not sure if you caught that.

2. Also, I did break two idler pulleys in the past. I posted a thread on that some time ago, but everyone just seemed in awe that it could even happen.

3. Someone mentioned belt length as a probable cause. I'm going to purchase a belt that's 1" shorter and give it a try. After installation of a new belt, the squeak takes a few hundred miles to appear.

 

[psfracer]

I have this same problem when the belt gets old. When I put on a new belt it instantly solves the problem and is absolutely quiet. I thought that once the belt strecthes--perhaps that is when the noise appears. But I did notice something curious though---as you know the belts have the part# stamped on the outside along with the belt brand logo. On one brand that I used, the "cheep, cheep, cheep" coinsided with everytime the part# and brand logo passed by the adjustment pulley. I have also experienced this noise in the past at idle, on cold start up---then once the car warms up after a few minutes the noise goes away. I never did figure it out and now since I always carry spare belts to the track anyway--I just replace the belt when it starts squeaking and save the noisy belt for a spare if needed.

 

[3c673cxao7l9o7u80ag8as1g2]

I have this same problem when the belt gets old. When I put on a new belt it instantly solves the problem and is absolutely quiet. I thought that once the belt strecthes--perhaps that is when the noise appears. But I did notice something curious though---as you know the belts have the part# stamped on the outside along with the belt brand logo. On one brand that I used, the "cheep, cheep, cheep" coinsided with everytime the part# and brand logo passed by the adjustment pulley. I have also experienced this noise in the past at idle, on cold start up---then once the car warms up after a few minutes the noise goes away. I never did figure it out and now since I always carry spare belts to the track anyway--I just replace the belt when it starts squeaking and save the noisy belt for a spare if needed.

As you may or may not know, belt dressing leaves a tacky residue on the surface of the belt. However, I noticed that the location with the part number and brand logo remained slick.