What are some causes of belt squeal? My 97 has squealing since I put it back together. I tried anew belt, but about 100 miles later that is squealing

 

I had a belt that got sprayed with coolant that would never quit squealing. It never made noise until it got sprayed with coolant. I have also seen several belts from parts stores that squealed since new. Once switched out with a Gatorback it's nice and quiet. Heck every parts store belt I've tried on my PSD shreds within an hour of running, but I never have problems with gatorbacks on it. Not sure why that is. Needless to say, I order plenty of gatorback belts. LOL

 

The new one I put on is a gatorback

 

Use non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. Spray the belt and the pulleys with the engine running. Also, take the belt off and make sure the pulleys are all clean and free of rust--more brake parts cleaner and maybe a brass wire brush.

Another possibility is that it's a bearing in one of the pulleys going bad. Whatever you do, don't use belt dressing.

Jason

 

Pulley mis-alignment can cause belt noise and wear. I bought a new tensioner and it wasn't straight, it was slightly cocked and caused a squeal. Another (better) tensioner and a new belt and it's silent now.

 

When I got my truck, I wanted to change the belt since there was a slight squeal. The new belt did the same. I found that there was a gunk of some type on the pulleys and even the smooth surfaces that ride on the non-ribbed side of the belt. I think someone had tried using belt dressing, which is a real no-no with serpentine belts. It was a real PITA to get the crap off, but when I did, I was rewarded with a quiet belt!

 

I put a new belt in my '89 this past summer. I bought the "good" Dayco belt. Seems the truck developed a "chirp". Constant, rpm sensitive. What I found was the belt had a shiny spot embossed on the top side to apply the part number. I tried sanding it smooth(to remove residue), but it would not quit chirping(as it ran upside over the waterpump pulley). Bought the cheapo Azone version and it's quiet as a mouse.

 

A wore out pulley(glazed ribs) sometimes make new belts chirp or squeel. I used some 100 grit sand paper and cleaned the pulley ribs and that stopped my "cricket" under the hood.

 

Found my issue today.

Had the truck set on high idle to warm up and I heard a SNAP SNAP SNAP. almost like a nut was loose in the timing chain area and kept getting caught and thrown.

The bed was not laying in the ribs of the harmonic balancer correctly. it was one rib off and riding up on the balancer itself. Once I fixed that, no more SNAP and no belt squeal

 

You may want to replace that belt. Good chance of dammage has been done to it. I've had that happen to me. Lost 2 ribs of the belt and made for a fun time unstringing it from the pullies. And to boot it was a new belt too!