Belt squeal on acceleration 06 Ram

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Mar 9, 2012
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I replaced my 06 Ram 3.7 v6 ac compressor a couple weeks ago and installed a new oreilly’s serpentine belt. All was well. We’ve had a lot of rain the last couple days so it’s been squealing. Typical belt squeak noise. It is quiet at idle but while driving or revving the engine it makes noise. The pulleys all spin smooth and feel good. Tensioner seems to work fine and feels plenty strong. I did notice a little wobble at the fan. Not the water pump but at the clutch fan itself. Not sure if a little side to side wobble is acceptable on these or even if that could possibly cause the issue? When vehicle is cold fan has resistance and doesn’t spin but maybe 1/4-1/2 a revolution by hand. Watching the fan when the truck gets shut off it spins a couple revolutions not sure exactly how many but probably about 3-4 before it stops. I’ve never had an issue with oreilly’s belts on other cars in the past. Not sure what to do with it. I tried a bar of soap on the belt. Sprayed a little brake cleaner on it while running to see if a fluid would make it stop temporarily and it had no affect. What do you guys think?
 
OK. Here I go again for about the tenth time. I have cured this problem MANY times in people's vehicles over the years by waiting until the belt is dry and then applying several peas size lumps of SILICONE based grease to the ribbed side of the belt at different locations. Works wonders. I had one friend who had been to the dealer several times and spent hundreds on new belts, pulleys and tensioners only to have the squeal keep returning. This solved it.

Do not use petroleum based grease. Silicone grease is used, for example, to lube spark plug boots. It is usually clear.
 
I would avoid spraying brake cleaner on a rubber component like a belt. I’d be concerned with it drying the rubber out and cracking.

I’d make sure your belt tensioner isn’t bad and all the pulleys are aligned. Then put some belt dressing or silicone grease like @Boomer suggested.

Just my $0.02
 
OK. Here I go again for about the tenth time. I have cured this problem MANY times in people's vehicles over the years by waiting until the belt is dry and then applying several peas size lumps of SILICONE based grease to the ribbed side of the belt at different locations. Works wonders. I had one friend who had been to the dealer several times and spent hundreds on new belts, pulleys and tensioners only to have the squeal keep returning. This solved it.

Do not use petroleum based grease. Silicone grease is used, for example, to lube spark plug boots. It is usually clear.
This worked like a charm. I cleaned the pulleys and the belt double checked everything and it still squeaked. So used a little silicone grease and it disappeared immediately and hasn’t come back yet.
 
OK. Here I go again for about the tenth time. I have cured this problem MANY times in people's vehicles over the years by waiting until the belt is dry and then applying several peas size lumps of SILICONE based grease to the ribbed side of the belt at different locations. Works wonders. I had one friend who had been to the dealer several times and spent hundreds on new belts, pulleys and tensioners only to have the squeal keep returning. This solved it.

Do not use petroleum based grease. Silicone grease is used, for example, to lube spark plug boots. It is usually clear.

Quality Belts, Free of contamination, In alignment & properly tensioned do not squeak/squeal.
 
OK. Here I go again for about the tenth time. I have cured this problem MANY times in people's vehicles over the years by waiting until the belt is dry and then applying several peas size lumps of SILICONE based grease to the ribbed side of the belt at different locations. Works wonders. I had one friend who had been to the dealer several times and spent hundreds on new belts, pulleys and tensioners only to have the squeal keep returning. This solved it.

Do not use petroleum based grease. Silicone grease is used, for example, to lube spark plug boots. It is usually clear.
If you were here I'd hug you.

I just completed water pump replacement in a 2000 Ram as part of a saga of a failed AC Delco pump after 4000 miles.

I started it up to burp the system and after a couple minutes running I began to get a weird squeak. It was an intermittent high pitched squeal/squeak that could, IMO, be passed off as a failing bearing or a belt.

I tried to isolate all the accessory bearings with a stethoscope of sorts, but all sounded very reasonable.

I finally decided to swap the belt 180 as it was "used" and I've always wondered if they kinda take a set for spinning one direction, similar to the theory on tires.

Flipping the belt reduced the noise probably 60%, so I figured I was on to something. I remembered comments about some sort of grease on belts here so searched the forum and dug this up.

I applied a bit of Mission silicone grease (purchased because @Trav seems to like it) to three spots where I could easily reach the ribs and voila! NOISE CURED!!
 

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Glad it worked for you!

As i said in the post, I have cured this problem many times with silicone grease.
 
If you were here I'd hug you.

I just completed water pump replacement in a 2000 Ram as part of a saga of a failed AC Delco pump after 4000 miles.

I started it up to burp the system and after a couple minutes running I began to get a weird squeak. It was an intermittent high pitched squeal/squeak that could, IMO, be passed off as a failing bearing or a belt.

I tried to isolate all the accessory bearings with a stethoscope of sorts, but all sounded very reasonable.

I finally decided to swap the belt 180 as it was "used" and I've always wondered if they kinda take a set for spinning one direction, similar to the theory on tires.

Flipping the belt reduced the noise probably 60%, so I figured I was on to something. I remembered comments about some sort of grease on belts here so searched the forum and dug this up.

I applied a bit of Mission silicone grease (purchased because @Trav seems to like it) to three spots where I could easily reach the ribs and voila! NOISE CURED!!
I do use if for all sorts of stuff where silicone grease is needed but I cant see putting it on a belt. IMO this statement is true, I would see if you can see the slippage with a white mark and timing light.

Belt chirping and squealing are from the belt slipping, using silicone lube will just make it slip silently, maybe more than it did before.
 
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