Got squeaky belts???
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 630
Likes: 0
From: Orlando / Daytona Beach Florida
Got squeaky belts???
I DO! I'm not sure why or how this happened, but I do have one hypothesis. It's been raining ALOT over here *literally inches everyday*. My Vette's the daily driver so I'm guessing that water finally got somewhere it shouldn't have and now I have this really annoying squeak every morning on a cold start up, but this ONLY happens on the cold start up. It almost sounds like a blower would. Anywho, what's the best way to solve this problem. Thanks guys! As always, YOU ROCK!!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,467
Likes: 8
From: 972 and 405
Sounds like what happened to me. Nothing to do with water though, if it is the same thing. Mine started squeaking not too long ago at about 60k+ miles. It was just do for the regular maintenance. Had the belts replaced along with the pulleys also. Mine did it on cold start too and would sound just fine as the engine would get up to normal operating temps. HTH
-Alex
-Alex
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 630
Likes: 0
From: Orlando / Daytona Beach Florida
start with the easy stuff - spray it with silicone - may have to do it a few times to quiet it down. I re-apply the silicone pretty much every time I drive in the rain.
The car has 63,000 ish on it and I'm really hoping to avoid replacing belts and pulleys if I can help it.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,467
Likes: 8
From: 972 and 405
-Alex
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,405
Likes: 26
From: Whippany NJ
CI 6-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
NCM Sinkhole Donor
dont use belt spray.main belt tensioner is the usual culprit. next is the AC tensioner. always replace the belt when changing tensioners.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 413
Likes: 1
From: Simi Valley CA
Don't use the belt spray I tried that years ago. It didn't stop the chirpng and I received a lecture from my service tech on how that contaminates the belt. 
Check the pulleys for debris, pieces of rubber from the belt etc. Then install Goodyear Gatorback belts. That cured the problem for me.
I tried that years ago. It didn't stop the chirpng and I received a lecture from my service tech on how that contaminates the belt. Check the pulleys for debris, pieces of rubber from the belt etc. Then install Goodyear Gatorback belts. That cured the problem for me.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 142
From: Iowa
Had a belt chirping/squealing on my previous FRC. Swapped the old belt for a new one and it was good to go for the following 2 years I owned it. Just bought an 01 z06 and it's also chirping in a similar way. Just going to replace that belt as well and see if it cures it. I'm confident it will.
I refuse to rub soap, water, or spray the belt with anything.
I refuse to rub soap, water, or spray the belt with anything.
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: Andover KS
Put a Gatorback belt on it. Thats the most common fix for the squeaky belt problems always on the tech side. It fixed mine. When you get your belt off to change it, turn and wiggle all of your pulleys to see how they feel to help determine if any are going bad. Probably just the belt though, and the Gatorback is well known for running quietly.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 7,607
Likes: 1
From: ECS Sales & Service Advisor
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
I just had to swap my AC tensioner at a touch over 60k.... washed down the engine bay and the squeek started... must have gotten some kind of grit in the bearings. Easy enough fix tho...
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 956
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia pa
I was in the same boat, tried everything... was going to change all the same things you are looking at then I went and for a Goodyear Gatorback belt for it ....FIXED! I think the belt was like $20 or something.
Give that a shot.
Give that a shot.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,108
Likes: 26
From: 4th on the list of top 100 in USA Ga.
Hey Andrew,I will be down there the second week in Sept.Maybe we can meet up at Aunt Catfish for dinner one day,let you know closer to the date. Family has a beach house on Daytona and we come down about 4 times a year.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Same thing happens to my car after I have to drive through the torrential FL downpours we have this time of year ... squeak squeak until it warms up. Looking down into the engine bay, you'll notice that crank pulley isn't even a foot off the ground and there's nothing protecting it. I think what's happening is when I have to chug through the deep *** puddles, road water is getting slung up on the belt and depositing road oil and debris which lowers the friction coefficient of the belt just enough to make it squeak until it warms up.
Now what I have done which works for me, but I'm sure I'll get criticized for is I take a rag and spray Prestone Belt Dressing in a little spot of the rag, then with engine idling I press that wet spot firmly on the inner surface of the belt (try to get it down in the grooves). The squeak disappears almost instantly everytime. However I would NOT condone using WD-40, silicone, or soap. Those are lubricants which will just make the problem worse while masking the sound. Proper belt dressing is actually a very mild adhesive and water repellant. I know this product gets poo-pooed by most everyone, but it works for me.
And replace your belts for peace of mind you lazy bastage.
It seriously takes like 15 minutes tops.
Now what I have done which works for me, but I'm sure I'll get criticized for is I take a rag and spray Prestone Belt Dressing in a little spot of the rag, then with engine idling I press that wet spot firmly on the inner surface of the belt (try to get it down in the grooves). The squeak disappears almost instantly everytime. However I would NOT condone using WD-40, silicone, or soap. Those are lubricants which will just make the problem worse while masking the sound. Proper belt dressing is actually a very mild adhesive and water repellant. I know this product gets poo-pooed by most everyone, but it works for me.
And replace your belts for peace of mind you lazy bastage.
It seriously takes like 15 minutes tops.
Last edited by wcsinx; Aug 13, 2009 at 12:38 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
I don't think it's the water itself. It's the combination of water and all the oil and road dirt it carries once it hits the asphalt.
You have to understand central FL rain. When it rains here, it chits and gits. We'll get an inch dumped on us in < 1 hour easily and routinely which leads to a lot of deep puddling.
You have to understand central FL rain. When it rains here, it chits and gits. We'll get an inch dumped on us in < 1 hour easily and routinely which leads to a lot of deep puddling.
