Squeaky Belt PLEASE Help
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,286
Likes: 263
From: North of Greenville
Either coolant or power steering fluid can cause belt squeaks. Occasionally, I've had to go as far as to remove the belt and use a wire brush to clean out the pulley grooves. After doing that and installing a new belt... all is good.
As for brands, I've had good success with Gates, not so good success with Gatorback. Never tried going back with Motorcraft, but may well do that next time around. Never used a Dayco, either.
As for brands, I've had good success with Gates, not so good success with Gatorback. Never tried going back with Motorcraft, but may well do that next time around. Never used a Dayco, either.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Goodyear Engineered Products 4081215 Serpentine Belt | eBay
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 1
FYI Napa carries 3 different grades of belts, when I replaced mine I put the middle one on mine, it was a gates belt, and was and still is quiet. That was 2 years ago. I had a squeal that would come and go on my truck, I could not find it, 3 months later the tensioner pulley came apart and I found my squeal.
Molon Labe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,272
Likes: 1
From: Alaska
Is THIS the Gatorback belt everyone is using? seems too cheap, but sure looks tough!
Goodyear Engineered Products 4081215 Serpentine Belt | eBay
Goodyear Engineered Products 4081215 Serpentine Belt | eBay
NAPA sells a few different grade belts for our trucks. Not sure if all or just the high dollar one is Gates, but the cheaper ($60'ish) has caused me some headaches with noise.
The $80 Gates I got from Advance hasn't made a peep.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
I hear ya Frank. Not too many commenting about the Gatorback right now.......just like the AIRTEX water pumps "everyone" was using and recommending 4 years ago and now noone even knows how to spell a i r t e x........I think the Gatorback deal seems too good to be true.....
-When I replaced my water pump a month ago I super-cleaned the pulleys-(the contact surfaces) with just a rag dampened with Greased Lightening cleaner and also wiped the belt down a little while it was off, never had a squeel before, now my truck sounds like a flock of angry birds!
-When I replaced my water pump a month ago I super-cleaned the pulleys-(the contact surfaces) with just a rag dampened with Greased Lightening cleaner and also wiped the belt down a little while it was off, never had a squeel before, now my truck sounds like a flock of angry birds!
Molon Labe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,272
Likes: 1
From: Alaska
I hear ya Frank. Not too many commenting about the Gatorback right now.......just like the AIRTEX water pumps "everyone" was using and recommending 4 years ago and now noone even knows how to spell a i r t e x........I think the Gatorback deal seems too good to be true.....
-When I replaced my water pump a month ago I super-cleaned the pulleys-(the contact surfaces) with just a rag dampened with Greased Lightening cleaner and also wiped the belt down a little while it was off, never had a squeel before, now my truck sounds like a flock of angry birds!
-When I replaced my water pump a month ago I super-cleaned the pulleys-(the contact surfaces) with just a rag dampened with Greased Lightening cleaner and also wiped the belt down a little while it was off, never had a squeel before, now my truck sounds like a flock of angry birds!
There is nothing more annoying that a squeeky belt. I've learned that on these trucks It's worth it to spend my money on a better quality belt.
$80 once is far better than $60 twice...
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Yea, We're headed to Daytona for the annual Turkey Run car show on Saturday.....don't want to hear that annoying squeal all the way there.....
Why don't ya come and join us Frank? you can talk Pontiac's with my GTO friend.
Why don't ya come and join us Frank? you can talk Pontiac's with my GTO friend.
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Molon Labe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,272
Likes: 1
From: Alaska
I would love to Rick, but I'm doing some serious job hunting right now, and having a dog limits my stay time 
Cash is tight, and the holidays are not a great time to be job hunting.
My buddy Bill is taking his resto-modded '70 Cutlass up, and he already tried to talk me into it.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 573
Likes: 38
From: Carthage, Mo
It has been my experience that once antifreeze gets on a belt, it is almost impossible to get it to stop squeaking. I am a fan of Gates belts. I replaced my idler pulleys last summer with Gates, but was disappointed to see a Chinese bearing in one of them.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 996
Likes: 0
From: TALLAHASSEE FL
THanks for all the info y'all. I replaced the tensioner which came with 2 new pulleys along with a new belt.
Tom I did get the dayco " GOLD " belt from Advance. WHOOOOOO yea see how long that lasts, but now i know all the belt info i know what to get next go round.
Needless to say after rebuilding the fuel bowl and installing the new tensioner and belt noooooo more squeaky squeaky.
Tom I did get the dayco " GOLD " belt from Advance. WHOOOOOO yea see how long that lasts, but now i know all the belt info i know what to get next go round.
Needless to say after rebuilding the fuel bowl and installing the new tensioner and belt noooooo more squeaky squeaky.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 170
Likes: 12
I'm having pretty much the same issue on my truck. It's a consistent squeak squeak squeak that seems to be coming from the A/C compressor. I tried spraying some WD-40 in the back of the pulley into the bearing while it was running. (Yes, I now know that was probably a bad idea I won't do it again) The WD-40 will stop the squeaking for a few minutes but then it will just start up again. So it sounds like belt noise, not the grinding associated with a bad bearing, but spraying WD-40 on the A/C bearing stops the noise...
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 148
Likes: 1
See my post on the same problem: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-cleanser.html Gates belt has cleared it up for me.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 170
Likes: 12
I tried putting some water on the belt. No change. Then I tried the ajax cleanser method. It was actually a knockoff brand called "Rinso" I applied a small amount to the abrasive side of a wet sponge, and added in a squirt of simple green for good measure, then carefully applied in to the belt while running. It worked instantly! I drove around for about 15 minutes and no squeaks as of yet. I realize it's probably a temporary solution but will work for the time being until I get around to putting in a quality belt. Glad I ran into this thread, that squeaking was driving me crazy and was kind of embarrassing when sitting stopped at a light or driving through a parking lot, etc. 
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warren561
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Dec 4, 2013 10:47 PM