idler squeak

[geetarspaz]

With the belt off I spun and wiggled them. The water pump one seemed stiff, though it had the slightest bit of play when I moved(wiggle) it a certain way. Not sure how to describe it.

[planksta]

Yea im not saying replace the pulleys, im just saying to make sure their lined up cause that was what was wrong with mine and my sound was just about exact, but mine was at first only during start-up, then gradually became constant since it took me a while to figure it out

[planksta]

HAHAHA I believe Jess knows best as well, and he gives his honest opinion which is awesome!! by all means listen to him

[cooljess76]

Hey I mess up too. I've broken my share of things and given bad advice before.


I will say that if you remove the water pump pulley(I can't remember if the M42/M44's are plastic, but the S52's are), be careful not to overtorque it as doing so will crack the plastic. Learned that the hard way

Also, if you remove the alternator, make sure you know your radio code(if you're running the factory stereo) and disconnect the battery first.

[3.2TI]

I mentioned this before, I am not saying this is a fix, it is only to eliminate the possibility of the actual belt being the one causing the noise. It can be that your pulley is worn and sliding on the belt, not necessarily the bearing. Just a suggestion...


Obviously these guys are doing it a bit wrong at first but I am sure you get the point.

[geetarspaz]

candle wax on the side of the belt? i guess its a good way to eliminate the belt. it's new belt though, but still.

[3.2TI]

Yes, even if belt is new the noise can come from the worn components. If after putting the wax on the belt you still hear squeaking then you know it is a pulley or alternator.


PS. Not side of belt, do it inside.

[geetarspaz]

Hm. I'll try that right now. Wouldn't candle wax be bad for a belt? Possibly causing slippage?

[3.2TI]

You should just do it for a second or two, the wax will melt off. you can use chalk as well, which was my original suggestion. Both should just wear off unlike wd40 like you were going to do.

[geetarspaz]

that's right i forgot about the chalk thing, woops. i think ill do the chalk instead

[PaulM]

About to delve into a similar issue - in my 95 when I got it it exhibited a moving idler and chirp/squeak etc, (pulled belt - started engine no noise) I changed the old belt - went away. Only 100 or so miles later I have a squeal now - engine speed related. Will pull belt on Saturday and do the usual checks (fairly certain the PO changed all the idlers) - which would then point to Water pump, steering pump, or Alternator.

I'll search or post another thread on water pumps.

Paul

[Jim]

Not sure why: maybe it is a worn belt: thinner thickness on one side, or maybe it is something worn in the idler tensioner puller. But I found the squeal on my 318ti by first replacing the water pump. then still having the squeal, I ran her for a minute with no serp belt. Squeal was gone. I reinstalled the belt, Squeal came back, I sprayed belt dressing on the serp belt. She lost her squeal for a few minutes. Squeal came back.

Now the dangerous testing - I now know (post dangerous testing) that you won't need to do this test I did. You could just do a visual of the tensioner puller tracking of the belt position. That will give you the same results if you too are off tracking on the pulleys. Also chalk of the SIDE of the belt should give you the same diagnosis because the squeal will stop as it caused by the belt side running hard on one of the ribbed pulleys.

(SO DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME - IF YOU STILL HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS)
I took a long extension from my socket set, I put a deep well socket on it and then put my bad hand in far enough to press the socket against the side of the serp belt while it spun. Squeal instantly stopped. I could see the belt was moving to the center of the tensioner pulley. As soon as I released the side push from the belt. I did it again squeal came back. (I did it few more times just to enjoy the joy of my discovery and because I still had some fingers left and had not yet been hit by the flying socket of dunce death)

So I am left to wonder why is my 1 year old belt, starting to track off the crown center of the idler pulley tensioner.

If this was my wood shop band saw I would just turn an adjustment screw and bring it (the blade ie belt) back into line on the crown center of the pulley. But alas i expect this is not that easy.

Do I have a worn belt, or a worn tensioner? Can i bring them back into alined center tracking sync with each other? is there a side to side adjustment in the that tensioner like I have on my band saw?

Joy of her squeal problem being now defined wont last long... But at least it not all the other things I was fearing and planning on dealing with.

Any help appreciated... and I hope I have helped you all with my moving this topic one more space on the game board of facts and fixes.