Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Belt Squeaking

[Devil Black Diesel]

For the last few years my serpentine belt is squeaking on my 2001. I've had it replaced and it still continues to squeak while it's running. It's more of an intermittent squishing sound that a loud chirp/squeak, and it obviously increases with RPM. Is there something I'm missing that would cause the belt to squeak like this? Is there a pulley that needs to be greased or something? I can drive the truck for hours and it still squeaks after the long drive...it never used to do this.

Let me know what to look for. Thanks.

 

[SnoKing]

For the last few years my serpentine belt is squeaking on my 2001. I've had it replaced and it still continues to squeak while it's running. It's more of an intermittent squishing sound that a loud chirp/squeak, and it obviously increases with RPM. Is there something I'm missing that would cause the belt to squeak like this? Is there a pulley that needs to be greased or something? I can drive the truck for hours and it still squeaks after the long drive...it never used to do this.

Let me know what to look for. Thanks.

Is the spring in the belt tensioner getting weak, or is the bearing in it failing. It should take a man power and a half to lift the tensioner off the belt., in like a LONG handled breaker to to get the belt off. Or an issue with alternator, water pump or AC compressor.

 

[Devil Black Diesel]

Thanks Snoking, I think it's the belt tensioner. I just looked and my tensioner appears to be stock and my truck has 250k miles. The water pump and AC compressor are relatively new, so if it's not the belt tensioner then it's the alternator.

Does anyone have any issues with the gates belt and tensioner for my 2001?

Amazon product ASIN B001C9C02O
Amazon product ASIN B000C2WIWO
Thanks again. Will be nice to get rid of the belt squeak/squishing. Looks like the stock tensioner takes a 3/8" breaker bar and the gates tensioner takes a 1/2" breaker bar.

 

[NIsaacs]

I prefer the steel tensioner.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBH38157?impressionRank=1

 

[BigPapa]

As mentioned, check the pulleys, tensioner and idler, and while the belt’s off, feel the alternator and see if it spins smoothly.

Do you happen to have an oil leak on the front of the engine? My belt kept squeaking, I even replaced it and it was ok for a while, then started again. I finally figured out that my leaking gear case gasket was oiling the belt. The belt and every pulls it ran on had “grease” in the grooves. I thoroughly leaned all the pulleys and put a new belt on it and all was well.

In my experience, the spring in the tensioner is very robust, and while anything’s possible, it usually doesn’t weaken to the point of not keeping the belt tight. When I’ve had to replace mine, either the pulley bearing is worn out or the arm and base have worn to where you can move the arm back and forth just a bit, causing the pulley to be out of line with the others.

 

[BigPapa]

Nick, I may be wrong, but I believe that Napa tensioner is a re-branded Gates tensioner. It’s the same part number as Gates and ACDelco, which is a re-branded Gates tensioner, too. While the arm and base are metal, I don’t think it’s steel.

 

[Devil Black Diesel]

Scott,

Can you point me to the area on the front of the engine where the gear case gasket was oiling the belt? Hopefully mine is just a pulley or tensioner. Even though this is not an '01 this one kind of sounds like mine and his problem was the idler pulley:


This guy thinks it was the tensioner, but he replaced everything. Mine sounds exactly like this but a lower pitch:

 

[BigPapa]

Any oil leak on the front of the motor will do it, even the factory crankcase vent on the 2nd Gen 24-valves can put oil on the belt. Leaking front crank seal, cover gasket, gear case gasket, etc.

These aren’t my pics, some I found on the web. The first one shows the cover with everything removed on the front of the engine. The second shows the gear case with the cover removed. The gasket between the case and the block was leaking on mine.

 

[Devil Black Diesel]

Thank Scott. I will look for any source of oil leaks.

Here's a guy who just replaced the tensioner and the squeak went away:


Still hoping it's just the tensioner or idler pulley because those are easy to replace.

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick, I may be wrong, but I believe that Napa tensioner is a re-branded Gates tensioner. It’s the same part number as Gates and ACDelco, which is a re-branded Gates tensioner, too. While the arm and base are metal, I don’t think it’s steel.

I think you are right Scott. I think I am confused with #38504, fits my Ford/Cummins. Please be advised, it will not fit the Dodge/Cummins, the clocking pin is in a different location.

OP, read the first link, technical bulletin on tensioners.

https://images.oreillyauto.com/part...98*MTY3ODc5MjM1MC4zLjEuMTY3ODc5MzMwMC4wLjAuMA..

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBH38504?impressionRank=1

#ad

 

[Devil Black Diesel]

Thanks guys. Pretty sure it's the tensioner after watching several videos, but I'm going to replace the tensioner and idler pulley at once. I'll follow up to this post once I get around to doing it.

 

[Devil Black Diesel]

Well, today I installed the gates tensioner and belt I linked in the post above and the squeak/squishing sound went away. I went for a short test drive to let things heat up and the squeak is gone for now. If it comes back I'll revisit this post and update it but it seems the tensioner and new belt fixed the problem for now. Now I'm not that annoying guy in the parking lot with a squealing truck that everything thinks I don't have the money to fix. I removed this tensioner below from the truck, I don't believe this is stock? I don't remember putting this one on but my truck has 250K miles so it's been awhile.

 

[Topzide]

Back in my Toyota days, there was a bearing replacement for the P/S idler pulley. The pulley was steel and wearing it out would take quite a bit! We sold that bearing with higher profit margin the the pulley and the guys in the shop could get more labor time and still save the customer some coin! When you think of have many times that bearing spins and the speed, they won't last life of truck. Things aren't engineered to last a shorter and shorter time span. Designed obsolescence!