belt squeal when hot

[GSeifert]

I have a 2005 dodge truck with 21k miles. This spring the belt or something belt driven started squealing at idle. It only does it wth a hot engine. I have replaced the belt with the Dayco version. That shut it up for a week. Then it returned so I replaced the bearing in the idler pully and replaced the tensioner. That did not work so I hand spun all the accessories and the water pump seemed suspect so I replaced it. Scared me real bad because the Duralast pump that I used had a plate welded to the impeller that the factory one did not. I am pretty sure that the factory one never had that particular piece ( no weld or tool marks) . Can someone please provide some direction. Big payments for something to sound like this... Thanks.

 

[jelag]

You don't say where your from... I own several of these trucks and haven't heard a noise as you describe... If it was my truck I'd take a long hose... usually use a 1/2" heater hose that's 3-4 ft long... and when the noise is there I'd use the hose to find the noise...

I'd put one end of the hose to my ear and carefully follow the noise as it tunneled up the hose... you'd be surprised how easy it is to find a squeak or bearing noise...

 

[GSeifert]

I am from Lisbon Ohio. I have had the truck for 2 years without incident. Thanks for the reply. I'll have to try harder at finding the source. That fan spinning really makes me leary. It always sounds around the tensioner/water pump area. Very hard to get to.

 

[GSeifert]

In Addition can someone verify that the stock water pump does not have the impeller backing plate.

 

[Pawpaw]

In Addition can someone verify that the stock water pump does not have the impeller backing plate.

You are correct. The stock pump does not have a plate on the impeller.

I just changed mine a couple of months ago. The aftermarket replacement I used (Autozone?) didn't have one either.

 

[Wingate]

Does it matter whether the air conditioner is turned on or off?... I've seen one do this when the compressor was getting tight and trying to fail.

You might inspect it closely from something such as oil or antifreeze getting on the belt/pulleys.

A pulley with excessive glazing/rust or debris in the cogs can cause a belt to slip.

I've had some success with taking a piece of soapstone and holding it to each pulley and see if the squeal stops. This was on bigger engines with more accessability, not sure how much access you have.

 

[GSeifert]

Thanks PawPaw. That will let me sleep better. As far as the belt squeal. It is still doing it. I am going to try the hose to the ear thing If I get the squeal back tonight. I have not noticed a difference with the a/c on or off. I do feel, however, that It is caused by a slight slip on a pully. Although, when I spin each pully with the belt off they feel free and true. THe H20 pump was sticky..... that is why I replaced it. As well as the original pully casting seemed to be a good bit out of center. Again, Thanks for the ideas.

 

[DE Jeeper]

Just a FYI on the extra piece on the wp impeller. The one I got from Napa had the extra piece the factory one did not. Good luck tracking down the squeal.



Aaron

 

[BDaugherty]

How much does the tensioner move around? You replaced the bearing, but not the tensioner mechanism. I haven't heard your noise, but could it be the tensioner itself?

 

[GSeifert]

Okay, It is all going to come out now. I first replaced the belt. That worked for something like a week. Next, when the squeal resumed I felt sure that it was coming from the the idler vacinity. I replaced the bearing in the idler. Then I took the entire tensioner off and sprayed some wd-40 inside the spring assembly of the tensioner. You see my theory. Let me just say that that was the wrong thing to do. Upon reinstalling the "freed up" tensioner It made a whole new squeal and would not ride on the center of the actual tensioner pully. I purchased an entire new tensioner from Cummins made by Dayco and all was well. Then the original squeal returned. So I replaced the water pump. That is where I am now. Let me just reiderate that the squeal only happens after at least a 10 mile drive. The truck must not be cool. Doesn't that sound like a slip? I am leaning toward trying yet another belt on the off chance that the belt stretched or something due to the old water pump. The dayco Poly rib that I am running now is not "crosshatched" like the original. I am going to try gatorback.

 

[Wingate]

ok, after reading all that, I would probably do what you're already thinking and replace the belt again. It sounds like maybe the belt has either stretched, or has gotten coolant, grease or wd-40 soaked into it. While you have the belt off, you might clean all the pulleys with some brake cleaner.

Good luck, post what you find so we'll all know.....

 

[smokinclays]

My 04 is having simillar issues, but I have a splatterof either coolant or the AC compressor is leaking, but the noise doesnt get louder with the AC on... . This morning when it was coller it mas louder and got louder with higher RPMs. any advice?

 

[LJFiler]

My 05 had the same problem but it also kept shredding belts. I purchased a replacement tensioner pulley from Geno's, but when I took the assembly off to change the pulley you could tell where the assembly had been rubbing on the engine block. I purchased a whole new assembly from Dodge and replaced it and it corrected my belt shredding issue and squeak. Mine was like your and only squeaked when it was hot. I know that you stated that you have replaced the whole assembly, but you might double check to make sure that it is not rubbing against the block.

 

[GSeifert]

Here is my most recent findings: The other night it started squealing when I got home from work. I immediately took a section of hose and touched it to eack drive belt accessory. No Luck. Then the squeal just up and stops. Today when I got to work it was making the squeal again. Heres the clincher ... ... When I shut the truck down the noise continued to wind down with the fan. What can make that high tech fan clutch squeal like that? I do not want to pay 325 dollars plus tax from a Dodge dealer. I must admitt I have never seen one of these visco-electric or whatever it is called fan clutches before. Any ideas? Is this a common thing? I am now pretty sure that my problem is not the belt at all.

 

[GSeifert]

Now, I am in the process of swapping out the 324 dollar viscomatic fan drive. I pray that it is the problem.

 

[GSeifert]

They new fan clutch is installed. It seems to have been the cause of all of my problems. The old one seems to work properly, except for the intermittent noise that it seldom produces. I'm happy. Thanks for the ideas.