My setpentine belt is making a noise. Has been for a couple years, but worse not. If I spray a WD 40 type product on the pulley side of the belt it quiets down for a day and then the noise comes back. Could the belt be shot? I have 126,000 miles, but had the belt replaced at 85,000 miles for preventive maintenance. I really can't describe the noise as it is a chirppy squeeky type noise (pretty loud too as I can hear it while driving), and I always thought it was a bearing in the power steering since the noise seemed strongest in that area.
Serpentine Belt Noisy
- Thread starter TallPaul
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That's already 40,000 on this belt. I had to replace the belt at fewer miles than that on the Jeep due to noise.
When my daughter picked up a '99 Ford Ranger, I did some research into noisy belts. There was a recommendation on the Ranger forums to clean the belt with Bleche-Wite, a tire product. I didn't end up trying it , as it quieted down as she used it a little bit.
On a Dodge Caravan, I diagnosed a noisy belt by spraying it with a belt dressing.... was quiet for about half a minute, then the belt flew completely off. Belt dressing "Not for serpentine belts." I agree.
When my daughter picked up a '99 Ford Ranger, I did some research into noisy belts. There was a recommendation on the Ranger forums to clean the belt with Bleche-Wite, a tire product. I didn't end up trying it , as it quieted down as she used it a little bit.
On a Dodge Caravan, I diagnosed a noisy belt by spraying it with a belt dressing.... was quiet for about half a minute, then the belt flew completely off. Belt dressing "Not for serpentine belts." I agree.
TallPaul: Sounds like you need to hunt down the source of the noise with a stethoscope. What you describe sounds more like metal than rubber.
try dayco polly cog belts alot better then gator backs...you can get these at advance auto...also, gates
I have the dreaded Ford Ranger Belt Chirp also. It's annoying. It only does it when its wet, humid and cold/humid outside. It goes away when the belt drys out. I have a gatorback on right now. Maybe I can get another year out of it and then try the dayco belt. I heard on Ranger Forums that this a problem with most to all Ford Rangers and theres nothing one can do to fix it. Oh well if it gets any worse I may try replacing the belt prematurly the dayco just to see out that works out.
Belt noise (slippage) could be caused be either the belt being worn or a worn pulley. If you suspect a worn out bearing in either of your belt drive components, remove the belt entirely and spin the pulley manually to see if it makes the sound you describe. Plus move the pully from side to side to see if there is any play in it. Shouldn't be much if any.
you'll generally get more noise with a cheaper belt.
i put a el-cheapo on my explorer and it started to chirp when it got colder, then it did it in warmer weather fora few min. after startup.
switched to a Gates Green Stripe.....no more noise.
i put a el-cheapo on my explorer and it started to chirp when it got colder, then it did it in warmer weather fora few min. after startup.
switched to a Gates Green Stripe.....no more noise.
I always change serp belts every 30k miles, then keep the old one as a spare in the truck w/ the tools to change it.
My Ranger never did it when stock. Then with underdrive pulley I got a little chirp. I decided it had to do with the lousy pulley design more than anything else. I changed to a different underdrive pulley, one that looked like a better design, and the noise never came back. With the right belt on there it makes no noise.
I currently am using a ASP pulley with a Gatorback belt.
My Ranger never did it when stock. Then with underdrive pulley I got a little chirp. I decided it had to do with the lousy pulley design more than anything else. I changed to a different underdrive pulley, one that looked like a better design, and the noise never came back. With the right belt on there it makes no noise.
I currently am using a ASP pulley with a Gatorback belt.
Is the pulley easy to swap out. Is it as easy as taking off the old the one and tightening down the new one? ie. idler pulley
The idler pully is next to the power steering. I wonder if enough overspray got to the idler pulley to quiet it. Next time I will spray directly at the bearing on the idler pully and see what happens. After that, the makeshift stethoscope (flexible plastic tubing). Good idea to inspect the belt too. Thanks.
They have a kind of wheel that's spring loaded (not a grooved pully, it doesn't "hold" the belt), it's just a kind of tensioner. The one on a Ranger V-6 4WD I use for work-stuff had the bearing go dry, and they had to replace it. It gives you some warning, and the trouble on mine started when I had the serpentine belt replaced.
I just went through this on my 96 crown vic. Kept having noise, chirping, etc on a 3 month old NAPA belt.
I changed the pulley bearings out with no difference, so I took the belt back to NAPA and they traded me a new one - no more noise. I would say that you have enough miles on the belt that it could very well be the culprit.
Some comments:
- When you have the belt off, take a scotchbrite pad and clean up the pulley grooves - they can get debris in there that can contribute to belt slippage and noise.
- Don't buy a whole pulley if you can just swap out the bearing in the pulley. No need to pay $20 and up when a new bearing is $4 and very easy to get out. My CV has the same pulleys for tensioner and idler and they both take a 6203 sealed bearing. $8 and 10 minutes worth of work got me two "new" pulleys. Just look at the number on the bearing itself and see how the bearing is installed. Most times it's just pressed in there, but easy to remove/install with a socket and some careful hammer taps, a breeze with a small press.
- Agree that the cheaper belts seem to get glazed/harder quickly and don't seem to last as long as a better quality version.
- Kudos to our small town NAPA - they didn't even care about a receipt, just said that customer satisfaction was the priority and handed me a new belt. I like that.
I changed the pulley bearings out with no difference, so I took the belt back to NAPA and they traded me a new one - no more noise. I would say that you have enough miles on the belt that it could very well be the culprit.
Some comments:
- When you have the belt off, take a scotchbrite pad and clean up the pulley grooves - they can get debris in there that can contribute to belt slippage and noise.
- Don't buy a whole pulley if you can just swap out the bearing in the pulley. No need to pay $20 and up when a new bearing is $4 and very easy to get out. My CV has the same pulleys for tensioner and idler and they both take a 6203 sealed bearing. $8 and 10 minutes worth of work got me two "new" pulleys. Just look at the number on the bearing itself and see how the bearing is installed. Most times it's just pressed in there, but easy to remove/install with a socket and some careful hammer taps, a breeze with a small press.
- Agree that the cheaper belts seem to get glazed/harder quickly and don't seem to last as long as a better quality version.
- Kudos to our small town NAPA - they didn't even care about a receipt, just said that customer satisfaction was the priority and handed me a new belt. I like that.
Sometimes heat and expansion of components can change the tolerance enough to either start or stop a noise, like the chirp. If the grease inside the bearing is old or minimal, then it would need some heat generated to flow and stop the initial noise.
Or, if the belt has hardened and glazed, it would also need some heat to stretch out a bit and grab a little better.
The paint coming off the pulley(s) is normal.
Or, if the belt has hardened and glazed, it would also need some heat to stretch out a bit and grab a little better.
The paint coming off the pulley(s) is normal.
Then I think I am going in the right direction by starting with the plain old idler pulley. It wobbles a little bit when i rock it back and forth. I think its on its way out.
It sure seems like the belt on mine. I can stop the noise instantly with a couple drops of oil on the pulley. CRC Power Lube does not last more than a few miles, nor does belt dressing. I just put about 20 drops of an ester lube on it. Quieted down nicely. Well see if it lasts any longer.
But I need a new belt. So it's that simple, just cock back the idler pulley, pop it off, then un-snake it from the other pulleys, and reverse for install? (Yep, mine has a picture of the routing under the hood.)
But I need a new belt. So it's that simple, just cock back the idler pulley, pop it off, then un-snake it from the other pulleys, and reverse for install? (Yep, mine has a picture of the routing under the hood.)
Careful how you "cock back" the tensioner pully. I don't think you can do it by hand, and they're easy to break if you use a pry-bar or big screwdriver. Some of them have a fat nut you can get onto with a socket and breaker bar, which will allow you to maintain proper alignment when you retract that thang!
G.L.!
G.L.!
What would cause the belt chirp to go away after a little driving say 30 min to an hour? I think my plan of attack is going to be 1)Replace Idler Pulley and New Belt. I don't think it has anything to do with the tensioner/tensioner pulley. Its a 2000 with only 43000 miles on it. The idler pulley used to be black painted and now its starting to wear off and show it silver color underneath. I am assuming its because of the belt.
Thanks. I went out and looked at it and the idler bracket has a 3/8" drive hole for a socket. I have a 16-inch breaker bar that ought to make it easy to pull back.
on my fords the tensioners(motorcraft) are built tuff this one is a dayco brand..i know the chevys are really easy to break
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