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How to quiet or replace a belt that squeaks


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A squeaky belt can be very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. It is important to change them to keep your vehicle up to date. Here’s how to do it.

View all of us Autoblog Wrenched video for more tips on diagnosing, fixing, and modifying cars from expert detailer Larry Kosilla. While you’re at it, check out Larry’s other auto maintenance and cleaning video series Automatic log details!

Materials used:

Instructions (video recording):

[00:00:00] Rattling belts can be seriously annoying, and as I’ve discovered, what seems like an issue can be a problem with multiple components. Here are the tools you’ll need for this job. Long handled ratchet wheel, water and replaceable belt. I’m Larry Kosilla, detail expert and coach for the past 15 years. But when it comes to what’s underneath, I’m a student. Follow me as the experts teach me how to diagnose, fix, and modify cars on Autoblog’s Wrenched. There’s nothing more annoying to me than a squeaky belt

[00:00:30] and I hate driving like that. Is there anything I can do to fix it? Well, there are a few possible things that you can diagnose. So let’s take a look inside and find out if it’s the belt that is loose or the component that needs to be changed. – [Larry Voiceover] You will need to do some of this repair work while the engine is running, so take extra care to avoid fanning the motor. Touching the fan can cause serious injury. Some fans run continuously but some only turn on when the car reaches a certain temperature, so be careful. There are 4 main reasons for a rattling or rattling noise from your engine.

[00:01:00] Start the car and try to identify the sound as there are a few things to keep in mind while you are looking and listening. The first thing to check is an old or damaged belt for cracks or other signs of wear. Even if the belt does need to be replaced, wear can be a symptom of another problem, so here’s what to watch out for. Number one is a misaligned pulley. This is when one pulley is not on the same plane as the other pulleys causing rubbing of the belt. If the noise becomes quieter for a few seconds, then the misalignment could be the cause of the problem.

[00:01:30] With the engine off, you can measure the eyeball using a ruler or another flat edge to see if the pulleys next to each other are in the same plane. On the other hand, with the engine running, you can spray a little water on the pulleys. If the noise becomes quieter for a few seconds after spraying water, this could be a source of the problem. However, after measuring, searching, and spraying water, this common but obvious problem is, unfortunately, not mine. If that’s the case, I’ll need to re-align the pulleys

[00:02:00] or find a mechanic who can. The number two culprit was liquid leaking from a nearby hose dripping onto the belt itself causing it to squeak due to actual slippage. We didn’t find anything on this vehicle that would support that. Number three is too loose or the belt is too tight. In other words, the belt tension is incorrect. This will cause the belt to break over time, crack teeth, crack, wear out the edges, harden or look shiny and shiny, all of which is not good.

[00:02:30] The goal is to find a fun medium with just a little fun. You can also check for this problem by spraying water and listening for the sound to stay the same or even get worse. It may be a good idea to pull the belt out for thorough inspection and possibly replace before adjusting the tension. Now number four is a bad bearing or pulley, not a quick fix and tends to be more expensive than a new belt or a refit. For this test, the belt needs to be removed.

[00:03:00] Before you begin the disassembly process, make sure that there is a diagram of the belt line in the engine compartment. An example is the fan. If not, draw a belt diagram or take a photo of the belt in place. Make sure the motor is off and cooled so that the fan doesn’t automatically turn on while you’re working. You can access the belt tensioner from the top of the engine like we did in this car. If not, you’ll need to lift the car up, use a stand, and work from below. Next, use the correct socket on the belt tensioner and

[00:03:30] push the pulley out of the belt releasing the pressure. At this point, the belt will be loosened and you just need to pull it out. – Now that the belt is broken, we will turn each pulley to feel if they are good or have any games. The water pump is fine, the generator is fine. Pulley on tensioner, you want to spin it and see if it looks like an old skateboard wheel. If it does, you’ll want to replace it. This looks fine. And the AC compressor, yes, that bearing is not very good. I think this is also part of your problem

[00:04:00] in addition to the old belt. – [Larry Voiceover] Now that I know it’s a bearing problem, I need to order a new AC compressor and make sure to time it with my mechanic. Luckily, I was still able to drive my car with some noise until I had the pulley replaced. Since the old belt is worn out and is no longer on the car, I might as well change it while we’re here. Quickly measure your old belt against your new belt to make sure it’s the same size. According to your diagram or picture, put the new belt to ensure the grooved side

[00:04:30] against slotted pulleys. When the new belt is in place, release the pressure on the pulley tensioner. Then double-check the seat belts on all pulleys and start the vehicle. – Okay, how’s it going? – Well, the belt sounds good but the AC compressor clutch bearing is still poor. So you can tell the difference in noise but the clutch still hums. – So I’ll have to go in and uh. – Make an appointment. – See you, all right. – YES.

[00:05:00] – [Larry Voiceover] As it turns out, the belt creaking is not only caused by the belt but also the AC compressor bearings. What sounds like a noise ends up being two separate issues. Investigating unusual sounds and screeching can help you diagnose larger engine problems before it leaves you stranded on the side of the road. For more auto repair videos, visit autoblog.com/wrenched. I’m Larry Kosilla from AMMONYC.com. As always, thanks for watching.



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