Gator back belts
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Milton FL
Gator back belts
How long should Gator backs last, mine are 9 months old and a small squeak has returned. Only in small RPM range, 1500-2500. Am this morning going to pull main belt to isolate sound. Hope its not AC belt, it was not fun.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 99
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From: Berrien Springs Michigan
Go to the auto parts store and get some belt dressing. But before you buy it spray a little on you finger and let it set for awile to see if it gets stickey. If it does buy it, but if does not then don't buy it. Spray it on your belts while running.
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Guelph, Ontario
I learned that mistake last week, I sprayed some belt dressing on my belts with the engine running and it ended up leaving a sticky mess all over the windshield and over a lot of the paint too. Washing the car didn't get rid of it either, I ended up having to wax the car to get rid of it (I use Meguiar's NXT 2.0) Also, FWIW, the belt dressing didn't eliminate the squeal at all, it made it slightly quieter for a few minutes but then it returned pretty quickly. I had the two belts changed on Tuesday and all is quiet now.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,024
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From: DFW Texas
NODont use that crap. Just do a belt change. Gatorbacks are hard to beat.
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From: Right Corner Pocket of Illinois
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What is the life expectancy of a Gatorback? I only have 30K miles but the car is a 2002, I was considering changing it this spring as preventive medicine???
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E-T posted this troubleshooting guide a while ago that may help you work out the problem. If its just a bad belt 
that its better just to change it
Belt Squeal Courtesy E-T
You have two belt systems on your car. One is the drive belt system, the other is the air conditioner belt system. The drive belt system consists of the serpentine belt, the power steering pump, alternator/gen, water pump, harmonic balancer, idler pulley, belt auto-tensioner pulley. The AC belt system consists of the compressor, harmonic balancer, idler pulley, belt auto-tensioner pulley.
First thing you need to do is isolate which system is squeaking. This can be done by releasing tension on the drive belt tensioner and removing the serpentine belt. This is the outboard belt of the two belt systems. If the squeak goes away, then it’s the belt or a component of the drive system.
If the squeak is still there, then it’s a component of the ac belt system.
To verify this, release the belt tension from the tensioner and remove the belt. If the squeak goes away, then it’s a component of the ac belt system.
A common problem is the belt tensioner on either system but verifying which system is at fault is the proper procedure.
You could replace both belts, but you may still have the squeak. If you want to find the culprit, isolate the system, then spray the belt of the offending system and see if the squeak goes away. Try to stay away from the idler and tensioner while spraying. I find that belt dressing may be good to identify a belt problem, but it is a temporary fix at best.
The real problem has been the tensioner and the idler. Both of these components have a sealed bearing which has been know to dry up or redirect the grease away from the bearing, thus causing the squeak.
If you find that a belt change does not correct the problem, then a change of both the idler and tensioner pulley is in order. If you just change the idler or the tensioner alone, it will cause the other component to go bad in a month or so. This has been the case with many members. There was a change made to the dusts seals to help correct this problem in newer C5's. Lots of tensioner and idler pulleys have been identified as a problem and it can affect either system. One is not more prevalent than the other. So find out which system is squeaking first, in the drive belt system. It could also be the bearing of the alternator, power steering pump, or water pump too, but these are less probable.
I hope this makes things a little clearer
that its better just to change itBelt Squeal Courtesy E-T
You have two belt systems on your car. One is the drive belt system, the other is the air conditioner belt system. The drive belt system consists of the serpentine belt, the power steering pump, alternator/gen, water pump, harmonic balancer, idler pulley, belt auto-tensioner pulley. The AC belt system consists of the compressor, harmonic balancer, idler pulley, belt auto-tensioner pulley.
First thing you need to do is isolate which system is squeaking. This can be done by releasing tension on the drive belt tensioner and removing the serpentine belt. This is the outboard belt of the two belt systems. If the squeak goes away, then it’s the belt or a component of the drive system.
If the squeak is still there, then it’s a component of the ac belt system.
To verify this, release the belt tension from the tensioner and remove the belt. If the squeak goes away, then it’s a component of the ac belt system.
A common problem is the belt tensioner on either system but verifying which system is at fault is the proper procedure.
You could replace both belts, but you may still have the squeak. If you want to find the culprit, isolate the system, then spray the belt of the offending system and see if the squeak goes away. Try to stay away from the idler and tensioner while spraying. I find that belt dressing may be good to identify a belt problem, but it is a temporary fix at best.
The real problem has been the tensioner and the idler. Both of these components have a sealed bearing which has been know to dry up or redirect the grease away from the bearing, thus causing the squeak.
If you find that a belt change does not correct the problem, then a change of both the idler and tensioner pulley is in order. If you just change the idler or the tensioner alone, it will cause the other component to go bad in a month or so. This has been the case with many members. There was a change made to the dusts seals to help correct this problem in newer C5's. Lots of tensioner and idler pulleys have been identified as a problem and it can affect either system. One is not more prevalent than the other. So find out which system is squeaking first, in the drive belt system. It could also be the bearing of the alternator, power steering pump, or water pump too, but these are less probable.
I hope this makes things a little clearer
