2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Belt Chirp

[Diesel&Donuts]

Belt Chirp - NOT

My fan belt doesn't chirp anymore at shut down on my 99. Does this mean I should replace it now?

To answer lschultz:

I have 57,191 miles on it and I see no cracks. If it has stretched, will it hurt anyting?



Harold Gonser

 

[lschultz]

How many miles on the belt now? If it still looks good I would not worry about it now. Any cracks in the belt?

 

[BarryG]

Since you appear to be in California this may not apply to you but my belt only chirps when it is warm outside. Mine rarely if ever chirps if the temp is below about 60 degrees. If it is 5 years old I would go ahead and repalce it unless it is very low miles and keep the old one for a spare just in case. Better to replace it in your garage on your schedule instead of on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in a {insert your worst type weather here} on its schedule.

 

[ProspectorTim]

Ditto on what Barry said about the temperature.



I have found that if the engine is warm enough to engage the fan-clutch, you get the chirp on shutdown as it tries to stop that heavy fan blade in an instant. If it is cool enough that the fan-clutch is not engaged, it allows the fan to free-wheel and does not chirp.



This is one of the things I noticed a couple of months ago when I was trying to determine if my fan-clutch was working or not.

 

[azpete]

I really miss my chirp. Now that it's in the 70's I can bearly get a "chip" out of it. When it was 110 out you could hear it halfway across a WalMart parking lot

 

[Mad Max]

Sans Chirp

I got rid of the chirp way early on in my ownership experience. I purchased a Goodyear lifetime belt (maybe cost $15) and purchased a heavy duty idler pully from Gordon at practical solutions.



Not a peep, ever.



75K miles on the set up/truck and I'll probably replace the belt every 100K miles, maybe the water pump too? Not sure about that one yet, have a year to think about it.



MaX

 

[Diesel&Donuts]

Thanks guys for your posts. I think I'll do as Barry suggest.

Harold

 

[stownsend]

Ever since I installed the Gator Back belt (Auto Zone), my truck hasn't chirped. I thought the chirp was quite irritating. The first time it did it after I bought the truck I thought something was going to fall out from underneath the truck.