How To Temporarily Stop Squealing Idler Pulley?

[Jelly]

Well, I'm up here at the dorm and don't want to fix this is the parking lot by myself in the freezing cold this week, so I'll do it this weekend when I'm back home.

Home's about 100 miles away though, and starting yesterday, the idler pulley started squealing pretty bad. No warnings, just started. Highly embarrassing!

It does it all the time except at hot idle.

I have immediate access to WD40 and 3-in-One and could pick something else up if you think another product might work better as a temporary solution.

Thanks.

 

[T-Keith]

Try the WD-40, it will probably work for a little while, something better like PB or JB-80 would work for longer.

 

[ZR2RANDO]

If the idler is squealing because it is getting a little dry on grease, the wd-40 may thin the grease out. May be a very short-term temporary fix only...It is time to either press out/replace the bearing, or just replace the idler itself.

 

[kenw]

you are assuming it is the bearing, it could just as easily be the belt itself. Go to a decent parts store and get a spray can of belt dressing and spray it on the side of the belt that goes against that pulley. Often the results are dramatic and permanent.

And if it IS the bearing, the belt dressing won't have hurt anything.

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by kenw:
you are assuming it is the bearing, it could just as easily be the belt itself. Go to a decent parts store and get a spray can of belt dressing and spray it on the side of the belt that goes against that pulley. Often the results are dramatic and permanent.

And if it IS the bearing, the belt dressing won't have hurt anything.

---

That's what I was thinkin; tensioner is worn out. The GM ones have a little gauge on them. Probably need a serpentine as well if it's fairly old and stretched.

 

[1 FMF]

before buying the belt dressing drip some water on the belt, away from the squeaking pulley. If the noise doesn't stop, then I don't think belt dressing might not be worth buying.

 

[Schmoe]

If this is stupid, ignore it. Are you turning on your defroster as soon as you crank up your car? In some cars, the AC compressor turns on when the defroster is on. That squeaking sound would be coming from the compressor pulley because of the load on a frozen belt.

 

[Jelly]

quote:

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Originally posted by Schmoe:
If this is stupid, ignore it. Are you turning on your defroster as soon as you crank up your car? In some cars, the AC compressor turns on when the defroster is on. That squeaking sound would be coming from the compressor pulley because of the load on a frozen belt.

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My truck doesn't have A/C and defroster is off upon startup.

It's most certainly the idler pulley, but I won't say I'm absolutely sure as I haven't gone out in a few days. I will tomorrow morning though and at this time will remove the belt to determine what is the culprit.

Will also "bite the bullet" and change out whatever's not operating properly while up here instead of waiting until I get back home...

 

[cousincletus]

You're probably going to need a new tensioner. Like Drew said, look at the mark on the tensioner and see if the belt is stretched too much. If not, the tensioner isn't putting enough pressure on the belt and there's not much you can do except replace the tensioner. The noise is most likely just a nuisance for now and I wouldn't do anything to stop it. Just replace the tensioner whenever you get a chance. I have been in a situation where I was on the road and needed to replace a belt and the parts store let me borrow the tools needed to replace the belt. That saved me a lot because I was in the middle of nowhere (Raphine, VA) and the mobile mechanics are pretty expensive.

 

[Jelly]

Cletus,

Thanks for the reply. As soon as the sun comes up (around 8:00), I'm gonna go outside and get a better look at things.

When the noise first started up the other day, I had some WD40 in the truck and gave the idler (not the tensioner) pulley a good squirt and the noise did go away for quite awhile.

The belt is about a year or so old.

I'm oh so looking forward to doing this in the 28F temperatures...

 

[yenool]

I currently have a 97 GMC 3/4 ton pick up. I have went through the same issue. One option you might consider is checking the alignment of the belt. I have replaced idler/tensioner, belt & used several lubricants with no success, then I checked the alignment, yeppers the belt was out of alignment.

Food for thought,

yenool

 

[Jelly]

Yenool,

Thanks for the reply.

Not remembering I have my tools with me, I went down to AutoZone to rent a serpentine belt tool.

Well, they didn't have it, so the guy tried to sell me one for $20. After getting ****** off and making a scene, I left out of there (I applied for a job there once...thank goodness I didn't get it!), only after purchasing some white lithium spray.

Sprayed the tensioner pulley (not the idler pulley) and the noise went away and has stayed away!

When I got back here to school, I took the belt off, but I can't detect where the problem is...

Maybe it'll start making some noise again tomorrow??

 

[Bret Chase]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jelly:

I'm oh so looking forward to doing this in the 28F temperatures...

---

if it were 28F here I'd be outside in shorts! currently it's 6F, 60mph mind gusts and 2ft of snow on my porch. yeehaw!

-Bret

 

[Alan]

Repack that tensioner bearing if it's not shot.I just recently repacked mine on my VW

,worked like a charm.

 

[nemir]

wd40 is a good cleaner but it has a very short life as s lubricant, after using it go over the same bearing or bushing with oil. This is my experence for industral bearings and bushing under dusty conditions. If the bearing or bushing was tight from need of lubracant and is not lose from wear, this could be fixed.