chirping noise from belt
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 139
Likes: 2
chirping noise from belt
About 1500 miles ago I had a squealing noise, all the time. I replaced the bad top idler pulley and installed a Gates belt. The noise went away for 1000 miles. Now I have a chirping noise and i see 6 small groves on the flat side of the belt. why the groves??? I used a small pvc pipe and chip seems to be coming from the balancer. Noise goes away with water. Any tips before bring it to the shop.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 329
Likes: 13
Same problem here with squealing/chirping noise but it was worse on rainy days ...
I changed the idler tensioner too, in addition to the idler pulley and belt as the bearings were done.
No more noises since.
Maybe your A/C/alternator pulley bearings are done.
I changed the idler tensioner too, in addition to the idler pulley and belt as the bearings were done.
No more noises since.
Maybe your A/C/alternator pulley bearings are done.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 139
Likes: 2
The grooves might be coming from the belt being routed over a grooved pulley instead of flat. That's easy to see though.
The chirp might be coming from your camshaft synchronizer bushing.
https://youtu.be/t-Oq6SJZ8OE?si=qYBgh7NXWrtEbZW2
The chirp might be coming from your camshaft synchronizer bushing.
https://youtu.be/t-Oq6SJZ8OE?si=qYBgh7NXWrtEbZW2
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 1,367
Likes: 382
From: WA
Do they match the grooves on a pulley? And are they actual grooves or just visible discolorations? Maybe the chirping is the belt slipping on a grooved pulley and it causes localized heat on the belt.
Think that this came up before but does it chirp with the AC compressor off? Might be a clue.
Think that this came up before but does it chirp with the AC compressor off? Might be a clue.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 139
Likes: 2
I posted in Feb. I replaced a bad idler and belt noise went away for 1000 miles.Now it's showing 4 (groves) not evenly spaced, one on each side and two in the middle. Just a visible discoloration when I use my finger nail it doesn't catch. The a/c on and off makes no difference in sound. I know it's very hard to diag. over the internet. I can't find anyone that has ever seen ( visible discoloration groves ) on the flat side of the belt, when belt was installed correctly. I just noticed that these (groves) are leaving matching marks on the new flat faced idler pulley too. ???
Last edited by Michael Lizotte; May 18, 2026 at 02:32 PM.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 1,367
Likes: 382
From: WA
Might just be an artifact from the manufacturing process or created as the belt rolls over the flat pulley. An imprint from the grooves on the other side. As the belt rolls over the flat pulley the loads are different between the grooves.
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More Turbo
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I replaced the bad top idler pulley and installed a Gates belt. The noise went away for 1000 miles.
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Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 139
Likes: 2
Litens, I removed the belt and spun all the pulleys. It was squealing before replacing now it's chirping.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 1,367
Likes: 382
From: WA
Are you sure? The simple quick test, if the noise is repeatable, is to take the belt off of one pulley and start the engine.
People will say that you have to remove the belt but once the tension is off, the pulleys just spin inside the belt.
People will say that you have to remove the belt but once the tension is off, the pulleys just spin inside the belt.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,410
Likes: 2,611
From: Near Salt Lake City
Post a picture of the belt with the marks
Post a picture of the idler pulleys and the tensioner
Camshaft position sensors / synchronizers make noise exactly like a squeaking belt or pulley when their bushings go out
Put a mechanics stethoscope on that synchronizer in your 4.2
It does not happen often, but they are **** kickers for a minute figuring one out
Post a picture of the idler pulleys and the tensioner
Camshaft position sensors / synchronizers make noise exactly like a squeaking belt or pulley when their bushings go out
Put a mechanics stethoscope on that synchronizer in your 4.2
It does not happen often, but they are **** kickers for a minute figuring one out
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,410
Likes: 2,611
From: Near Salt Lake City
Had about 10 rodeos with those squeaking synchronizers back in 1996
They were 475.00 new from Ford at the time
so
We took them apart, greased the shaft, pulled the cap off the old oil hole in the casting, installed a grease zerk
Nothing really worked long term besides replacing the synchro
Thank God they are cheap now and a junkyard one will suffice
They were 475.00 new from Ford at the time
so
We took them apart, greased the shaft, pulled the cap off the old oil hole in the casting, installed a grease zerk
Nothing really worked long term besides replacing the synchro
Thank God they are cheap now and a junkyard one will suffice
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