Hello all...newbe here!

I had to replace my serpentine about every year. I switched to napa's belt and I would get about 18 months before the squeal. I just replace the belt about 3 months ago and everyting was fine. Then I took the Blazer to the dealer to do the switch to green from the dexcool. Ever since I got it back it started squealing. I took the belt off and washed it and wipped down the pulleys. I did not think the belt was old enough to squeal then a friend told me he thought it shounded like the idler pulley. I changed the idler pulley....no go...then I changed the pulley on the tensioner....no go....so I changed the whole tensioner assembly with a completely new one....now the squeal just sounds different.

It is real noisey in the morning ~60 degrees. In the afternoon, it almost goes away. At idle or low rpms it is almost gone....but when I accelerate, it gets louder. This afternoon, I waited for the engine to cool. I started it and sprayed a light amount of water on the belt.....no squeal even with reving the engine. Once it dried.....it was back! I then tried the sandpaper idea to the smooth side and it did not seem to help....any thoughts? I do have a new belt on order through napa....should I try the gatorbelt instead....think it's the belt?

Help stop the SQUEAL.... I hate ducking when I am driving!

Thanks all!

 

Don't take this for the Gospel or anything, but I'm hearing NAPA's belts aren't that great. I've been using Goodyears "Gatorback". Love it.

P.S. - What I said is ASSUMING it is just the belt...

 

check and make sure no fluid of any sort is leaking on the pulleys and/or belt.

 

My '91 did the same thing, and it was simply the belt. It had the Goodyear Gatorback till the day I sold it (about 2 years) and not a single squeak. I remember noticing that the belts before the Gatorback were getting chewed up throughout the inside seam (side facing the engine). I might have had a slightly warped pulley, but the Gatorback held up fine.

 

Check the belt, the idler pulley assembly thing, make sure there is nothing leaking on it( not sure what can leak onto the actual belt besides PS fluid MAYBE coolant) Use some WD-40 it will lubricate the belt and pulleys and make the squeel go away.


Now does it just squeel to squeel or does it happen when the wheels are turned?

EDIT- I will also agree with the gatorback belt, I have not run a serpentine gatorback but I have run their V-BELTS and they work great.

 

I have also had good luck with the gotorback serp belts. I have also had good luck with dayco polycog belts. Before you condem the belt try some baby powder on the belt. With the engine off apply the powder to both sides of the belt as best possible, fire it up and hopefully you won't hear the belt.

 

Odd as it sounds,someone told me to rub soap on the belt. Believe it or not soap helps it. Not the liquid soap, you need the bar soap. Just rub it on as the belt is spinning. Try to get both sides. Also helps it from slippage and noise. Just remember BAR SOAP. NOT LIQUID.

 

I've found that putting anything on the belt (belt dressing, water, wd40 etc...) is just a temporary fix.
I've almost always used the belt from the dealer.
When I take off the belt, I rotate all the pulleys to see that they spin easily, check that the tensioner actually applys pressure and when I install the new belt, I try to see that all the pulleys are in alignment.

 

then there are other problems, a belt squuel is usually a dry belt, happens most in the beginning of winter when its REALLY cold out. use WD on the pulleys and not the belt and the noise shouldnt come back unless there are faulty parts.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: DetroitMuscle

Now does it just squeel to squeel or does it happen when the wheels are turned?

Don't think the wheels are involved....It happens at the stoplight when accelerating or just reving it in the driveway.