Squeaking!!! Help! Belt? Tensioner? What is it?!

[Lee's05GT]

Well from hearing the video i cant hear the squeaking all i can hear is the s/c but it seems like every time the tensioner moves it squeaks! I dont know what to do! The belt looks ok, it was new when i put it on there. I just know that it is loud and annoying. The tensioner is the Thump rrr with v10 w/p pulley 3.2 pulley and thump 76mm idler pulley and all the other pulleys are stock. Im wondering if I should just change belts? The belt im using is a gates belt # K061075 Micro-V At Premium OE V-Ribbed Belt. If that helps.

 

[tmcolegr]

all the other pulleys are stock.

Surely you're not still running the Saleen supplied 76mm plastic guided idler pulley next to the P/S pump???

If so, check that idler pulley. They are known to fail.

 

[Redfire281]

^^^+1. My idler squeaked on hard deceleration after WOT. The tensioner pulled back and warped the plastic idler and took it out of round, which caused it to squeal like a stuck pig.

 

[94tbird]

check what they said. if you have replaced that pulley, then take a damp rag and let the belt ribbed side run along it. if the belt gets wet and the noise goes away its probably the belt.

 

[Lee's05GT]

No plastic idlers on the car, as far as the wet rag goes ill give that a try

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[Lee's05GT]

I tried to get in between everything could get my big add hand in there I had it on the top part of the belt it went away at points but was still squeaking I guess I can just change the belt. Anybody recommend a belt or should I just get the same one?

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[07VistaChicago]

My car was squealing bad and I thought it was the belt but it was the water pump taking a poop. Maybe that's your culprit?

 

[Lee's05GT]

Hmm... how would I know, I just got it back yesterday and before that it was never doing that

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[Lee's05GT]

I just noticed that the thump 76 mm idler pulley that I wanted to be behind the alternator bracket is not there....There is one of the stock idlers behind there and the thump 76 mm one is on the car but not behind the bracket, would that make a difference?

 

[jmn444]

Interesting....

I've developed a squeak too, and it goes away if I apply a little pressure on the thump Tensioner arm TOWARDS the engine... IE I'm not adding tension to the belt... Sent them a video of me doing that and only got a response that my belt was loose.... Now fuck me if I'm wrong, but a belt with 4k miles or so on it isn't likely to be the issue. I bought a new belt and will be trying that this weekend, but I wanted to throw my two pennies in that I really suspect the Tensioner in my case...

 

[pacettr]

Sub'd

 

[94tbird]

Interesting....

I've developed a squeak too, and it goes away if I apply a little pressure on the thump Tensioner arm TOWARDS the engine... IE I'm not adding tension to the belt... Sent them a video of me doing that and only got a response that my belt was loose.... Now fuck me if I'm wrong, but a belt with 4k miles or so on it isn't likely to be the issue. I bought a new belt and will be trying that this weekend, but I wanted to throw my two pennies in that I really suspect the Tensioner in my case...

Actually it depends on WHAT belt you are using. Its been my experience that regular Gates bets, AC Delco Belts, Goodyear Gator back belts, and a few others, stretch like a motherfucker and it happens very quickly on a thum_RRR tensioner due to the increased tension it provides over a stock tensioner. They developed their own spring for the unit specifically designed to add tension to the belt.

That being said 4k miles or not, if your using a belt like the ones described you've more than likely stretched the belt and its loose.

Now what belts have i found to work? Well the Gates Green Stripe belts resist stretch at least 2-3x longer than the aforementioned belts. But they will stretch over time.

The Gates HD series belts (the actual green belts, and yes the entire belt is green) have NEVER stretched on me. not once. and they last FOREVER.

My advice is to find a gates HD belt.

example part numbers:

K081213 - regular gates belt
K081213 Green Stripe - Green Stripe Belt
K081213HD - HD series fleet runner belt. This is what you want. Just find one in your size.

 

[jmn444]

I'm heading out there right now but I think they are standard gates belts... I guess I would have expected the stronger spring to maintain tension even on a stretched belt though... It doesn't make sense to me that a stiffer Tensioner would just wear out the belts faster.... I'm not getting ANY belt slip either, which I took as a fairly good sign that the belt is ok... Guess I will find out soon enough!!

 

[jmn444]

Well.... New standard gates belt, and no more squeak.... Guess I need to look for one of the stronger belts sometime in the next 4k miles or so... Kinda sucks that I'm still replacing belts even though I got the solution for shreded belts right away... But I'll just go for a ride and let the boost make me forget about that little issue...

Hope your squeak is as simple as a new belt too! I would have NEVER guessed such a short life span on a new belt!!!

 

[94tbird]

they stretch out a bit at rest and normal driving however under hard acceleration and such, when the tensioner is really applying more tension then when your looking at it at idle, the belt will stretch and contract a little. its rubber. think of a rubber band. tug it it gets longer, let go it goes back to normal size.

 

[94tbird]

Well.... New standard gates belt, and no more squeak.... Guess I need to look for one of the stronger belts sometime in the next 4k miles or so... Kinda sucks that I'm still replacing belts even though I got the solution for shreded belts right away... But I'll just go for a ride and let the boost make me forget about that little issue...

Hope your squeak is as simple as a new belt too! I would have NEVER guessed such a short life span on a new belt!!!

see? told ya. Get yourself a Gates HD fleetrunner belt and you'll never have a problem again

 

[jmn444]

I don't know that I could live with a green belt under the hood though, I'm picky about the look too... Does the green wear off like other markings do?

Would I be smart to take tension off the belt when it's in storage for the winter?

Thanks for the info!

 

[94tbird]

the green belt isn't sao bad by any means. I, personally, love it, and the fact that i never have to worry about it is nice as well. not the greatest pic in the world, but here it is

No the green doesn't wear off, at least it hasn't on mine yet.

The belts stretch fast and once stretched they will never get back to size again. by the time winter rolls around the damage is done. You can either replace the belt whenever the squeaks return, or bit he bullet and go green. tell people it saves gas and thats how you choose to go green, lol

 

[94tbird]

heres one on stkjocks car

 

[94tbird]

psfracer as well, well before the big build haha