Belt Squeak

[djohnson01247]

Problem- belt chirping/ squeaking

History (to give you alittle background)- I bought my 98 coupe alittle over a year ago in September. Shortly after purchase, I got a belt chirping. Quick squirt of belt dressing eliminated it… for only a short time. Checked out the internet and followed all suggestions… but no success… so I went to my dealer. After a lot of investigation, they said that it was the belt. They replaced the belt and the problem went away. It has been gone now for alittle over a year.. but I just noticed a slight chirping coming back. I did not do any belt dressing since the dealer said not to use it.
I checked again on the internet and saw about the TSB about the idler pulley (thin dust shield issue). So I bought one (new and improved). I just installed it to the correct torque and the squeak is still there. I went through again and checked all pulleys, etc. for issue… found none.
Here is the thing…. If I stand on passenger side with engine running and spray a “milli-second” directed shot of WD40 right on the harmonic balancer ribs that are exposed… the squeak disappears instantly.
My question is… I think a saw something n the past on the web how there was an issue with the GM belts with either too high or too low ribs… and purchasing a different belt (i.e. AutoZone) fixes the problem.
I actually think that I bought some time with the new GM belt replacement… but I don’t want to have to buy a new belt every year from GM! Should not have to!
The key is the milli-squirt of WD40 (through the red tube) directly on the pulley ribs. Why? It is not like I am spraying a lot of the lube and it can travel to any and all pulleys, etc. in a second! That is why I am thinking belt…. Something other than GM.
Any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks.

 

[Gry Ghst]

I have no answer for your problem but I am sure someone we be along with the solution.Good luck!

 

[bob kissinger]

I had this same problem. Go to Autozone and get a Gatorback belt. It will fix your chirp. It fixed mine!

 

[warren s]

You may want to check to make sure the harmonic balancer has not moved foward a small amout and caused the belt to mis-alingn. C5s have a known issue with the balancer bolt coming loose. I just went through replacing mine. It came loose at the track, but the belt squeak was the tell tale sign - I also fugured it was the belt or the idler pully.

 

[Johnnykretentiv]

I had this same problem. Go to Autozone and get a Gatorback belt. It will fix your chirp. It fixed mine!

Worked for me too.

 

[C6 CRZN]

When I had my C5 I also put on a Gatorback belt. Still had a small chirp, found that the noise was the air conditioning belt down below.

 

[caseyk]

I had this same problem. Go to Autozone and get a Gatorback belt. It will fix your chirp. It fixed mine!

I bought the gatorback belt as well....no chirping. It is a tough belt too,my idler pulley broke and it slung the belt,I put on a new idler pulley,untangled the belt,put it on,and still no problems whatsoever.It's a great belt! you should try it I think they run about 30 bucks at autozone.I've had mine for well over a year.

 

[bob kissinger]

There is a saying: "once you go Gatorback, you never go back" . They do make one for the A/C as well.

 

[djohnson01247]

Belt Chirp

I appreciate all of the feedback to my original posting. Since I am from MA, the season is over, but I had a lift in my garage and have plenty of time to check out both the Gatorback belt (which I will buy) and the harmonic balancer bolt.
I look forward to many quiet years to come!
Many Thanks. DJ

 

[bugman34202]

I have found that every oil change I spray my belt with silicone spray and they seem to last much longer, over 80K on my '00 vette, over 130K on my '98 Expedition.

 

[TODD L GRIFFITH]

Just to let anyone know when it is a balancer bolt, here is the pain and suffering. It will squeek if that is the case when the balancer bolt backs out and the balancer comes out of aliignment. It isn't tightening it back up. Here is the problem. It is a torque to yeild type bolt that has been stretched. The proper way is to go back to the dealer and get a new bolt. The bolt from the dealer has threadloc on it, but better add some of your own as well. The torque spec. you are going to love. I believe it is something like 80lb./ft. then 140 degrees of turn with the engine in the car and the hood in the way. The torque is easy, it's that 140 degrees of turn. You'll need a 10'-0" pipe, three men and a donkey pulling unless you have a lift to do it from underneath. Your town my require a rodeo permit, seeing you have a donkey on the premesis and all. Get this, you will need to remove spark plug #1 and put a piston stop in to keep the engine from turning over. In 4th gear and the emergency brake on will not stop that motor from turning over on compression. I would get a piston stop, or slide a piece of nylon clothesline rope in the plug hole and bring #1 piston up first to the top, then start your torque sequence to tighten a new balancer bolt.

 

[Eric]

Just to let anyone know when it is a balancer bolt, here is the pain and suffering. It will squeek if that is the case when the balancer bolt backs out and the balancer comes out of aliignment. It isn't tightening it back up. Here is the problem. It is a torque to yeild type bolt that has been stretched. The proper way is to go back to the dealer and get a new bolt. The bolt from the dealer has threadloc on it, but better add some of your own as well. The torque spec. you are going to love. I believe it is something like 80lb./ft. then 140 degrees of turn with the engine in the car and the hood in the way. The torque is easy, it's that 140 degrees of turn. You'll need a 10'-0" pipe, three men and a donkey pulling unless you have a lift to do it from underneath. Your town my require a rodeo permit, seeing you have a donkey on the premesis and all.

Phew, I'm glad my squeaking was caused by the idler pulley. My dog wouldn't like it if I brought home a donkey. Of note, my idler pulley had a thin crack in it when I removed it so it was lucky I replaced it when I did.

- Eric

 

[warren s]

Just to let anyone know when it is a balancer bolt, here is the pain and suffering. It will squeek if that is the case when the balancer bolt backs out and the balancer comes out of aliignment. It isn't tightening it back up. Here is the problem. It is a torque to yeild type bolt that has been stretched. The proper way is to go back to the dealer and get a new bolt. The bolt from the dealer has threadloc on it, but better add some of your own as well. The torque spec. you are going to love. I believe it is something like 80lb./ft. then 140 degrees of turn with the engine in the car and the hood in the way. The torque is easy, it's that 140 degrees of turn. You'll need a 10'-0" pipe, three men and a donkey pulling unless you have a lift to do it from underneath. Your town my require a rodeo permit, seeing you have a donkey on the premesis and all. Get this, you will need to remove spark plug #1 and put a piston stop in to keep the engine from turning over. In 4th gear and the emergency brake on will not stop that motor from turning over on compression. I would get a piston stop, or slide a piece of nylon clothesline rope in the plug hole and bring #1 piston up first to the top, then start your torque sequence to tighten a new balancer bolt.

I used an ARP bolt and had to torque it to 235 foot pounds. Having a 6 speed, I was able to lock the flywheel with a very large screw driver while my friend used a torque wrench that was close to 4 feet long to tighten the bolt. That was easy compared to getting the steering rack out of the way.

 

[XLR8]

This is a timely thread for me, because I'm dealing with the squeaking issue right now on my '98.

I replaced (or rather Kevin replaced) the upper pulley (tensioner? I think) in Oct07 and just last week replaced the 2 lower pulleys - compressor tensioner and compressor idler I think they're referred to as. I was ad when I started hearing the squeak again this past weekend.

I'll refer this thread to Kevin because the squeak really bugs me. I love the B&B exhaust on my beast 'cause I love that throaty rumble... not squeaking like a dang mouse. :eyerole

Jane Ann