Mustang Killer

iTrader: (2)

Could anyone help me establish the problem that I'm having with my Z28? I shot a video last night (only time I had a chance , hopefully you can still see the area and hear it enough), and it sounds as if the pulley is squeaking or there is something grinding. I did a bit of searching and read that A/C compressor pulley's tend to squeak and you have to regrease the bearings. However, I'm not certain that's the problem because there is an occasional vibrating at the bottom of the engine bay when I'm sitting at a red light (may not necessarily be related).

You can hear the high pitched squeaking and grinding noise around the belt area over the idle in the video. I uploaded it in HD to help as best as I could with the low light:
http://youtu.be/Ut2HXmj-jRs

Thanks!

Mustang Killer

iTrader: (2)

Anyone? I know it's a dark video and you can't really see anything, but I figured someone out there has dealt with this type of problem before. The belt is fine, no cracks or anything, put it on about a year ago. I've never had this much squeaking going on before.

Unchainedl984

I would say test the pullies out. Take the serpentine belt off and spin them by hand. If it feels really loose/wobbly/keeps spinning, then that pulley may not be good. I'm going through the same thing, except my squeak is very audible at idle and gets higher with rpm's.

That's probably the cheapest fix if that is what the problem is. I cant help ya with the idle engine vibration, but I dont think that would be belt related, my car has always done it and so have alot of others I've seen so I always looked at it as normal. If it vibrates like crazy then you may have an issue, but I think v8's in general tend to shake a bit. If you do find a bad pully, you can either re-grease it like you said or buy a new one. If its not a pully, it could be a water pump/alternator/power steering pump. Its hard to tell from the video, but from what I understand a grinding is usually the water pump/alternator. I dont know much about bad ps pumps so that may make a grinding noise also, but I've never heard of it.

You could be in for a long game of cat and mouse with that squeak, but try as much as you can to diagnose it before you start replacing all those things because it can get expensive when all along a simple $20 pulley would've done the trick.

fastazzls1

start this way turn car no a/c does the car make any noise
2.turn on a/c does the car make any noise if it makes noise remove
a/c belt start engine listen for noise
3. if the noise is still there turn wheels does the noise get louder if not you can most likely rule out power steering if noise has no change take off serpentine belt check if the noise is still present

easiest way to start diagnosis

fastazzls1

also have you had any mods done cam etc to were the front of the engine has had to come apart could be pulley alignment also check your harmonic balancer to see if wobbles i have had this happen to me on vettes the start
to seperate or if you removed to change came it could not be on the cranskaft hub al the way

Mustang Killer

iTrader: (2)

Thanks guys. Seems like it's probably a pulley which is what I was afraid of. I haven't done any major engine mods, just catback. However I did replace my alternator around this time last year. It will make noise regardless of A/C being on. Actually, I'm off today and the car hasn't been started at all yet. Let me go shoot a quick video since it's daytime and maybe you can hear it or see it better.

Mustang Killer

iTrader: (2)

New video. It sounds like the sound gets louder the closer I get to the tensioner, so I'm thinking that may be it. Any thoughts?

http://youtu.be/d__gMbpfpjE

garygnu

you can repack your tensioner puller ,I 've seen a thread about it.also try some belt dressing.how many miles on the motor ?high mileage motor can have a worn crank pulley that allows the belt to slip.

Mustang Killer

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I saw that thread. Might do that next time money allows. The motor has 170,xxx miles on it.

xny1989

iTrader: (1)

That is either an idler or tensioner pulley. They can be repacked, as I've done, or replaced. Do a search here for this as this is how I learned how to do it.

Release each of the belts and turn pulleys by hand. One of mine had a bad bearing and it clicked when I turned it. They should spin freely with no sideways or up/down play.

good luck

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

I just did mine a couple of months ago.. just take off the belt and both pullies... use a small hook pick to remove the seals from both sides and blast the **** out of them with a solvent but do not spin dry them... then just pack with bearing or lithium grease... dont wait to long cause once you scar the bearing race, it will squeal and click no matter what...