Belt squeek when cold
Belt squeek when cold Just got my 98 WS6 last week. After startup mainly(only?)when the engine is cold the belt squeaks loud and gets louder under acceleration. The belt looks new with no defects, could it be the tension pulley?
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Cave Creek, AZ- Canada Also.
untill they warm up they can squeek as they get old.Gator back's are ridged and work well. The pully will have a bearing sound when they start going. They really don't squeek. To test the pully squirt some lube on the bearing part ( crawl under the car to do it ) and see if that is it. most ikely its the belt. Keep your old one in the trunk for " just in case "
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If the belt is not cracking, I wouldnt necessarily replace it. The squeak usually comes from the idler pulley or the tensioner pulley. They are both easy to replace, I actually replaced the tensioner assembly a few minutes ago. Theres a write-up for the idler pulley at installuniversity.com
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Guys, when the pulley squeeks it's due to a bad bearing. Greesing it is only a cover up. If the bearing seizes you'll have a big mess on your hands. Don't cheap out, buy a new tensioner. As I said, they are cheap and easy to swap out.
12 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Cave Creek, AZ- Canada Also.
That was my earlier point. If you spray it ( wheel bearing )and the noise goes away then the bearings are bad.
I just bought a 2000 WS.6 last month. Same thing with mine, When I started it up it would squeak until it warmed up (took about 20min of driving for it to stop squeakin). The belt looked brand new so I had no reason to suspect it. I decided to replace it anyway, went to kragen, bought the serpentine belt, threw it on in 5 min, stated the car, and no more squeak! Been a month and its as quiet as a mouse. Just tellin you my story, sure it could be other stuff but thats how it went for me.
12 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 680
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From: Cave Creek, AZ- Canada Also.
I just bought a 2000 WS.6 last month. Same thing with mine, When I started it up it would squeak until it warmed up (took about 20min of driving for it to stop squeakin). The belt looked brand new so I had no reason to suspect it. I decided to replace it anyway, went to kragen, bought the serpentine belt, threw it on in 5 min, stated the car, and no more squeak! Been a month and its as quiet as a mouse. Just tellin you my story, sure it could be other stuff but thats how it went for me.
Ok..so far I
1.replaced tensioner pulley with a new one from Autozone($17.99)-DID NOTHING....returned...put old one back in a little greased up.
2.replaced belt with a Goodyear Gatorback($25.99)-a little quieter but squeak is still there!
Haven't had the chance to drive the car yet...so I don't know if it drives quieter.
Is it possibly another pulley?
1.replaced tensioner pulley with a new one from Autozone($17.99)-DID NOTHING....returned...put old one back in a little greased up.
2.replaced belt with a Goodyear Gatorback($25.99)-a little quieter but squeak is still there!
Haven't had the chance to drive the car yet...so I don't know if it drives quieter.
Is it possibly another pulley?
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 206
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From: Tampa
Exactly. Chances of the tensioner squeaking are lower then a pulley. Regrease. Pull all of the pulleys off and regrease them all. Don't listen to these people on hear about buying new unless you want to do that every 2 years.
I grease most of my non greasable fittings including lower ball joint. It's called a grease needle.
I grease most of my non greasable fittings including lower ball joint. It's called a grease needle.
Update-I found the culpprit....it was the small ac pulley making all the squeeking...since my ac stopped blowing cold the day after I bought the car last month, and shouldn't really need it till atleast March... I removed the ac belt....quiet as a mouse now. 
I am having the same issue. Have replaced the tensioner and the idler pulley. I seriously think that the belt is squeaking on the water pump pulley. The surface of that thing is almost polished just due to normal contact with the belt. It does go away after a few minutes though. Now if I can just find a water pump!
