A squeal I need help with.

[BGoodale]

My truck has only 44000 miles on it but this last fall when I was washing the engine I noticed a squeal when started that I hadn't noticed before. Now it is intermittent. Sounds like a tensioner or idler puller. The engine warranty will not cover this so I'll do it myself if not too hard. Any ideas or clues would be helpful. I see that Genos has the parts that I'll probably need.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Probably a idler or tension-er pulley but if it's intermittent it is really difficult to isolate. The stethoscopes are great for isolating something like this but I don't know if you will be able to get the probe down in there around the fan blade. A piece of hose like a heater hose makes a pretty good poor mans stethoscope. bg

 

[Berrigan]

My truck has only 44000 miles on it but this last fall when I was washing the engine I noticed a squeal when started that I hadn't noticed before. Now it is intermittent. Sounds like a tensioner or idler puller. The engine warranty will not cover this so I'll do it myself if not too hard. Any ideas or clues would be helpful. I see that Genos has the parts that I'll probably need.

I had a similar issue on my 98. It was intermittent and did it worse with the ac on. I looked everything over and determined it was coming from the ac compressor area. I took it to the dealer thinking it was the compressor. They called me about 30 minutes latter saying my truck was ready to pick up. They changed the serpentine belt. I said no way that belt was only a year old. He said they heard the noise and sprayed a little silicon on the belt as the engine was running and the noise stopped immediately. The noise never came back. I would never have thought a belt could make the type of noise I was hearing, but it did. Ironically I had cleaned the engine just before the noise started. You might try that first, especially after washing an engine.

 

[Grizzly]

I agree with Berrigan. I had a similar situation with my 95 (now sold). Serpentine belt dressing sovled the problem.

 

[BGoodale]

Thank you guys for your help. I'll try that today. I was looking at the situation yesterday and if I need to replace the idler pulley it looks like a big job. I hope that your idea pays off. I let you know. Thanks, Brett

 

[tp0d]

Not sure about your truck, but my old '10 ate thru water pumps every 60k. First was at 58k, second at 121k. Traded it in at 172k last saturday, so i duno how long the latest pump will last.

The pump made squealing noises and the one at 121k was slinging coolant inside the bay. Still could be the tensioner, but give the pump a check for any shaft play

-j

 

[BGoodale]

Hi Guys; Tried the belt dressing and atleast for now the problem went away. Thanks again, Brett

 

[Grizzly]

Hi Guys; Tried the belt dressing and atleast for now the problem went away. Thanks again, Brett

Happy to hear the good news. At some point in time in the near future you may still need a new belt however.

 

[B.G. Smith]

I hope the belt dressing has been improved since the old "V" belt days. You could put it on a slipping belt and it would quieten it foer a short time then the squeal would return, only worse. bg

 

[6speed]

I used the belt dressing to calm a noisy belt. Oh yeah it worked for a very short period and then got worse. Will never use belt dressing again. Took the belt off cleaned with Dawn Dish soup. Help tremendously but it was on the pulleys and in the grooves. Even took it back off cleaned the pulleys the best I could and still does it but not as bad. Been using a bar of Dial soap and it is progressively getting quieter.