2jznosht

So I replaced the crank and tensioner pulleys and the car ran nice and silent. A week or so later my alternator started to die. After the alternator swap there is a belt squeal. It squeals all the time when cold, as it warms up it will Only make notice during acceleration and with the car warmed up its quiet. There is no smell of burning rubber and everything appears to be lined up properly. The strange thing is I changed the alternator on Wednesday ant drove all of Thursday before the noise developed. Anyone have any ideas?

StiCk3

iTrader: (5)

did you replace the serp belt and the timing belt too? Spray the serp belt with some WD40 while it's running and see if it helps. If it does, then you will need at least a serp belt, and i would consider doing a timing belt as well.

For the pulleys you replaced, are they aftermarket pulleys or stock replacements?

SC300NW

iTrader: (1)

When I replaced my alternator the new rebuilt one came in a slightly larger housing causing the alternator to not line up correctly. Check to see if the new alternator's pulley lines up with the other pulleys. I had to swap the new parts into my old housing.

2jznosht

the belts each have roughly 3.5k on em. If the alt pulley was not lining up, wouldnt the belt make noise at all times?

lookEVO

iTrader: (1)

If you had pulleys and components going out, replace the belt.

simple way to know and it should have been done anyways IMO

2jznosht

Really? I thought the serpentine belts were good for roughly 30k? Guess its pep boys tomorrow to use my free $25

SC300NW

iTrader: (1)

My drive belt only made noise over 2k rpms, and on cold days it was constant. I took a ruler with a 90 degree attachment and discovered that my alt. pulley was too far forward. Check for fraying on either the fore or aft side of the belt.

2jznosht

Forgot to mention...replacements are all oem style

lookEVO

iTrader: (1)

Only time ive ever had belt noise was when my crank pulley started free spinning.

SOLID300

iTrader: (7)

When this was first happening did you ever spray water on the belt yo stop the noise? I think my crank is failing anx I know have belt squeal. Spraying water quiets it down. New belt is only 5k on it. And new ac compressor has like 1k. Noise is new though

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

If you think your crank pulley is fialing, take the belt off and wiggle the rubber boot around the pulley, if there is any play in it you need a new one. It will also manifest itself in a sharp squeal everytime you start the car.

lookEVO

iTrader: (1)

No, I could see it moving, and since im a tech, I was familiar with the noise. I just replaced it with a titan damper

Mesican

The only issue i'm having now is i'm going through belts every 7k miles it seems. And it's not really going through them, it's just they start to develop a noise after that. You can notice on the backside of the belt where it seems to have some slight grooves. I also noticed the two ribs closest to the engine are being used more than the other 4. Any ideas on that? Pulleys looked aligned. I thought maybe someone didn't press the P/S pulley on the way but ours don't need to be pressed on. So now i'm lost and I get tired of the noise. The tensioner also has no play or bounce when the car's running.

Lokz

iTrader: (1)

sometimes even new belts will start making noise after a week or soo this means defective belt. I just changed one on a mazda and a week later the belt started making noise, just got another belt and slapped it on and no sound what so ever after that.

2jznosht

Aaaahhhhhh. Fml. So the squeal got loud enough to annoy me and I swapped it. Old belt looked great and I could even make out the words on it. New belt has lasted 2 weeks and today decided it wants to make noise on cold starts...what gives