Hi all,
I've been noticing a squeaking noise coming from the front end of my 03 Expy w/ 67K during the cold mornings which goes away when it warms up. I have resently replaced (maybe 2K) the OEM belt with a GY Gatorback, when I installed under drive pulleys, the noise was not there before the replacement. When I installed the new belt it was a pretty straight forward procedure didn't even have to use a braker bar on the tensioner. I also noticed after inspecting the engine area this evening that there was rubber residue on the front of the engine face, not much but there was some. One more thing was that I could push the belt off the idler pulley that is located between the tensioner and the alternator with my thumb and index finger. Also, if I put pressure on the belt I can release pressure from the tensioner itself. The gatorback that is called for my Expy is 101" long ( I think).
Is this the correct size for a 03 Expy? I think the culprit is the tensioner, that needs to be replacement. Do I need to replace the new belt due to the rubber residue that I found today or will belt dressing due?
Any info on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

 

It does sound as though there is not enough tension on the belt and it is slipping.

 

Is that where (when the belt slips) the rubber residue is coming from?

 

Yes, it's pieces of the belt being rapidly worn off.

 

It's the smaller pulleys you put on. You need to match up a shorter belt. Did the pulley manufacturer suggest a belt size?

 

I think the overall travel distance of the belt did not change, since not all the pulleys are smaller. I will call the manufacturer to double check.

 

How far is the tensioner pulley pulled over? This should tell you how well the belt is fitting.