Hey Guys:

Not sure where to turn, so hopefully I can catch en extra set of options.

2002 Blazer, bought 2 months ago, loud squeal belt when I got it (but it was well taken care of). Put the gatorback on it, quiet as can be. Sweet. RIght?

400-500 miles later the chirp/squeal came back, not as bad though. So I thought it could not be the belt as it was only 3 weeks old, replaced the tensioner assembly and the pulley. Also put a new alternator in (for other reasons). Still the squeal persists. Not on start up or at idle, only on acceleration.

I have ready every post, I also checked the intake boot and line, for blockage (as I saw that fixed someone elses).

So that leaves the fan clutch, ps, water pump maybe??? Not sure where I should look now, I have someone accelerate in nuetral when Im under the hood, I have a hard time pin pointing.

Could that gatorback could have been toast already. ANY HELP, would be very helpful, I am going crazy cause I love my Blazer

 

Sounds like the belt is slipping from what you have told.

Two things come to mind.

1) The new tensioner you installed isn't providing enough tension allowing the belt to slip when accellerating.

2) The new belt you installed was just a bit to long, but just right when first installed, and has stretched in the past three weeks.

OR...the new alternator you installed, providing it came with a new pulley, may be just undersized.

Yes, I know that is three but I didn't think about the alternator replacement until after I wrote the other two.

Might be kind of tough to nail it down to which one it may be, or something completely different, but some food for thought about what to start looking at for your squealing.

 

Thanks for your reply. The belt stretching (I guess that makes some sense) but how much tighter can I go?

The reason I do not think that it is the tensioner or alternator, as the squeak came back with all the original parts After that 300-400 mile period.

I am typing this from work, before I got here, I pulled the belt, took some fine sand paper and coursed of the pulley by the water pump. Put the belt back on, was loud still. When I started driving to work, it quieted right up for all 13 miles. I am sure its just a temp fix, guess I will look at a slightly tighter belt.

I was thinking the ac compressor is going bad, the new gatorback had enough grab to get it moving for only so long....

Ahh the fun continues.

Thanks a bunch for your suggestions, I will match up the tensioner toinght when I get home

 

Make sure all the grooves in the pulleys are clean. Wire brush the crank pulley. If there is crude in the grooves then the belt wont ride where it belongs.

DO NOT use belt dressing!!

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply guys.

This morning, I pulled the belt, tensioner etc. Got surgical with every single pulley, the crank pulley looked pretty good, but I brushed it and wiped it to be safe. I did notice (which I must of overlooked all three times before) a small piece of worn out belt on the ps pulley, about 1 inch long chunk of sh%& on one run. Cleaned that. Also cleaned the ps pulley over again to be safe. Sounds good as of now, will find out in a little bit when I do some running around.

Dear baby Jebus, let that small chunk of old belt on the ps pulley be it


And on a side note, I would not use belt dressing, soap, etc. Its just hides the problem. I stitch the wound, not put a band aid on it.. Thanks though!!

Well the chirp returned on the drive to work today

It took until the truck was fully warmed up. My pulleys are spic and span clean. Also there is not abnormal ware or movement on any of them, they look perfect. Instead of throwing money at other parts (because the chirp is not all that bad).

Could I get another gatorback that is 5MM shorter, would this work? Or would that put to much strain on the pulleys and parts?

Not sure what to look at next...

 

My 97 and 98 use a diffent size belt. I believe its due to the alternator. If you can find one that will still clear then tensioner, that would be my next step.

 

kristoph, thanks for your help buddy!!


Well it looks like it is the AC Compressor/or AC Compressor Clutch. It was hot here in Wisco, so I had the air on for a while yesterday. The chirp became a lot louder on acceleration, and it did it more frequently. This leads me to believe its the AC Compressor, well I think.

My question is, I will not have time to do it until next week, is there anything I can do to possibly quiet it down (tighten, lubricate, etc)? Just curious if anyone has shut up a chirping ac comp,

Thanks for your help guys!

 

Try putting in some pag 150 oil you can get it in can like the 134a can it could lubricate compressor so its not so hard to turn and make belt quit chirping

 

Vegie_2, hey thanks alot, I guess if I am going to do the compressor eventually having the oil is one step already.

I have been searching and reading the threads on AC/compressor replacement already. My simple question is..

Do I have to decompress to add the pag oil or anything in particular? Or do I just add it to the high side of the compressor, I saw a manual that Kyle posted (2 ounces I believe). Sorry I can turn the wrench pretty well, but AC is pretty new to me.

Thanks for your reply

 

If the compressor is chirping its not internal. There is a bearing (Sealed) on the front of the compressor. Adding oil to the refrigerant system wont quiet the chirp. The bearing is located in the clutch and cannot be seen.

Since the chirp gets louder when the AC is on, that kinda tells me it isnt the compressor.

How close to the end of travel is the tensioner? Im curious if there is a one size smaller belt that would fit and still clear the tensioner housing.