Belt squeals

[faral]

I just bought a 2nd hand protege 5, and on day 2 of it being mine, it has an obnoxious belt squeal. The previous owner has records that the timing belt/drive belt/alt belt were replaced just 300 miles before I bought it, so I have brand new belts that probably just wore in.

Both belts had a bit of slack, but I figured it was the PS/AC belt because I can trigger it sometimes when I turn on AC.

After tightening the AC belt, the car STILL squeals, with the AC still a trigger.

I know now I should check the alternator belt, but that thing looks insane to reach.

So two questions:
1) For those of you who reached over to the alt belt, any advice on how best to access it?

2) Why would turning on the AC affect the alt belt?!

Thanks in advance

 

[808MP5]

1) from under the car.

2) essentially all the belt are connected to your main pully...

I had some squealing problems... turned out that my belts where over tightened... also had some clunking noise due to the timing belt...

Did they change just the timing belt or replaced everything (belt, tensioner, and guide)

 

[P-Funk!]

Same problem for me - a/c would trigger the squeal - BUT IT WAS THE ALT BELT that needed more torque!

So tighten both until the squeal stops with a/c - but not more. Too tight brings its own new problems...

 

[ZOOMit]

Why or how can you tighten the belts? I thought thats what the tensioner was for?...Im having the same issue, when a/c comes on or the defrogger is on the belt squeels like a mofo. I believe the a/c/pwr steering belt is old, so im going to go ahead and replace it.

 

[Diehonda]

The tensioner only affects the timing belt. The AC and Alt belts have adjustment bolts on the units themselves. The Alt is no much fun to get to or adjust but the AC is cake.

 

[KZL_99ES]

Agreed, when i tightened mine they do not squeal anymore.
When you tighten them, check for how much defection (the amount something stretches when you press on it) there is in the belt by pressing down in between each pulley, you should about a 1/4" of defection.
If the belts still squeal just tighten them up a tad more.

 

[P-Funk!]

If they truly have 'squealed like a mofo' [sic] they may be 'glazed' and need to be replaced. Inspect them before just tightening them.

 

[Celco]

I just had a problem with my v-belts when i got my timing belt and belts changed. I think when they changed the v-belts something got messed up and the tensioner would not stay tight and belt alt/w.p. belt would loosen up after a hour or so of driving. It actually was so bad that the alt belt snapped and fell off leaving me to drive ~5 miles with no alternator or water pump.

I ended up having to put lockwashers and jam nut on the back side of the tensioner to make it stay still. I haven't had a problem until cold times and after the belt final stretched a bit from break in. Put a bit more tension on the belts and haven't had any problems yet in the past 600 miles.

 

[ZOOMit]

I actually found out that it only squeels when it has rained out. maybe the cold wet weather had something to do with it...mudafuka

 

[MTV]

I actually found out that it only squeels when it has rained out. maybe the cold wet weather had something to do with it...mudafuka

Ya. cause it causes the belt to slip. The reason it's squealing is because it's slipping...

 

[neuspeed_junker]

had the same problem, belts needed to be changed, changed them and had them tightened properly, squeal all gone.

 

[faral]

fixed!

I took the plunge and went under the car to access the alternator. It's not as bad as many people posted about, the worse part is getting under the car. The passenger wheel does not, nor does anything else, need to be removed.

I jacked the car up on the passenger side pinch weld, put a jack stand under the control arm bolt (search for the jack point post), and slide further and further back until I saw the alternator. I loosened it a couple cranks, and came back up.

Then I loosened the bolt on the tensioner rail/bracket (dunno the real name). Also just a couple cranks.

I then tightened the tension set bolt, giving it a couple turns. I pushed on the belt every so often to make sure it wasn't over doing it. I jumped in the car, turned it on, no more squeal!

So I went back under the car, tightened the pivot bolt, came out, tightned the tension rail/bracket bolt, and tada, done. Squeal gone.

 

[P-Funk!]

^huh! I have always done it by working on top of the engine looking down... [shrug].

 

[blitz99]

guy at the shop today tightened mine for 15 bucks. used a very long ratchet to get down to the alternator. it took 5 minutes.

 

[P-Funk!]

sweeeet!