serpentine belt squeal?

Toby_Goodmk

Test Fit officianto
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
I have developed a squeel. An ear shrieking one at that. Started as a chip chrip last night and this am omg... sprayed a little windex on the belt as rotating to see if goes away and sure did. Belt has no miles on it...ok maybe 1000. Its not a generic chinese belt either. Tensioner seems nice and tight...bad belt I guess or bad tensioner? Any experience with this? Seems odd.
 
Check the tensioner indicator. Mine did that, too. Belt was too short, tensioner was too tite. Put a slightly longer belt on, that moved the indicator to the center.... No more noise.
 
Was the belt off the engine at any time over those 1K miles? If so and it was flipped from it's original orientation that can cause the belt to squeal. I've learned to put belts on so that the part number and such can be read directly (not upside down). Makes it easy to put the belt back on in the same rotational direction as it was on before.

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
Maybe something seized up. Pull belt and check that all that should spin smoothly does spin smoothly.
As others have said check tensioner indicator.
Either something not spinning freely. Tensioner not tensioning, wrong belt or belt got something on it

For me it is usually idler pulley bearings, tensioner spring, or tensioner pulley bearings.

Other spinning things tend to give warning prior to failure

Good luck and be patient
Joel
 
and if oil or coolant got on it I found can make noise. The quick lube place that we use for the work vans did it to mine a few times.
 
Was the belt off the engine at any time over those 1K miles? If so and it was flipped from it's original orientation that can cause the belt to squeal. I've learned to put belts on so that the part number and such can be read directly (not upside down). Makes it easy to put the belt back on in the same rotational direction as it was on before.

RemoveBeforeFlight
Yes it was removed a couple times to do some minor stuff
 
Was the belt off the engine at any time over those 1K miles? If so and it was flipped from it's original orientation that can cause the belt to squeal. I've learned to put belts on so that the part number and such can be read directly (not upside down). Makes it easy to put the belt back on in the same rotational direction as it was on before.

RemoveBeforeFlight
Yes it was removed a couple times to do some minor stuff
Maybe something seized up. Pull belt and check that all that should spin smoothly does spin smoothly.
As others have said check tensioner indicator.
Either something not spinning freely. Tensioner not tensioning, wrong belt or belt got something on it

For me it is usually idler pulley bearings, tensioner spring, or tensioner pulley bearings.

Other spinning things tend to give warning prior to failure

Good luck and be patient
Joel
Thanks, everything spins normal. This is a shorter belt from a v6 Chrysler that is an inch shorter than original..will just replace belt. Everything else is new and the pulleys are RJC
 
Was the belt off the engine at any time over those 1K miles? If so and it was flipped from it's original orientation that can cause the belt to squeal. I've learned to put belts on so that the part number and such can be read directly (not upside down). Makes it easy to put the belt back on in the same rotational direction as it was on before.

RemoveBeforeFlight
Yes it was removed a couple times to do some minor stuff
Maybe something seized up. Pull belt and check that all that should spin smoothly does spin smoothly.
As others have said check tensioner indicator.
Either something not spinning freely. Tensioner not tensioning, wrong belt or belt got something on it

For me it is usually idler pulley bearings, tensioner spring, or tensioner pulley bearings.

Other spinning things tend to give warning prior to failure

Good luck and be patient
Joel
Thanks, everything spins normal. This is a shorter belt from a v6 Chrysler that is an inch shorter than original..will just replace belt. Everything else is new and the pulleys are RJC
Goodyear Gatorback belts are the only ones that never squeaked for me. I tried all the normal ones, new, different lengths to change the tensioner, didn't matter. Gatorback is the way to go.


Do you have a part number I would like to try them out
 
Check the size of your belt, stock is 1618mm, I have seen replacement belts up to 1642mm, and guess what, they slip like hell when warm!
 
My belt squeal was fixed by going to next smallest belt. The squeal was very annoying. I cleaned all the pulleys and tried a new belt the same size. I checked the alignment too. Think the smaller belt is just 4mm shorter or something like that. Nothing crazy.
 
Well to find out the main accessory bracket top hole for the power steering pump took a crap and needed drilled and re tapped. It appears the pump twisted left and right sometimes and caused that awful squeal. I have two different sized belts...one that Nick recommends and the stock one. I'll run stock for a bit and if it goes back singing I'll replace with shorter
 
Check the size of your belt, stock is 1618mm, I have seen replacement belts up to 1642mm, and guess what, they slip like hell when warm!
Googling 1618mm only amazon shows this belt and its not available-do you have a source or alternate part number?
 
The Gates belt is: K060630.

This belt is 1616mm, but works fine for me.

The original belt for a GN was dis-continued in the early 90's, and the replacement belt was 1620mm.

I have done a lot of dumb things, but I figured I would have T-R's forever but GM would support them only for a few years, so I stocked up on lots of special parts which have been long discontinued.

In my old age I can then have lots of fun with them on e-bay! ;)
 
The Gates belt is: K060630.

This belt is 1616mm, but works fine for me.

The original belt for a GN was dis-continued in the early 90's, and the replacement belt was 1620mm.

I have done a lot of dumb things, but I figured I would have T-R's forever but GM would support them only for a few years, so I stocked up on lots of special parts which have been long discontinued.

In my old age I can then have lots of fun with them on e-bay! ;)
Thanks Nick!
 
I used a Dayco belt it stopped my belt noise.

Same here, no offence Nick but a Dayco 5060640, available at RockAuto for about $16 works on my car every time. Lasts for well over a year in 110+ outside temp driving. And as you are well aware, I have never "Baby'd" her. Never, ever.....
 
Last edited:
I put washers between the crank pulley and balancer to move the crank pulley forward.This cured a squeal that I had for years. I remember GM selling a washer/spacer to move the balancer forward for this very purpose.
 
I put washers between the crank pulley and balancer to move the crank pulley forward.This cured a squeal that I had for years. I remember GM selling a washer/spacer to move the balancer forward for this very purpose.

Do you remember how thick the spacer was?
 
Top