Back to the friggin squeak again
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 960
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From: Trussville AL
Back to the friggin squeak again
Noises are a pet peeve so I'm still chasing a belt squeak. All idler and tensioner bearings have been replaced. I chunked the new Dayco belts and installed Gatorbacks which helped more than I thought they would. Now the squeak is only at cold startup. After ten minutes or so it's good but the first ten minutes of squeaking drives me nuts. Am I OCD and should just shut up and deal with it? Even with a scope I can't zero in on the culprit.
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I'm with you - I hate squeaks and rattles. Hope you get this solved and let us know what it turns out to be.
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Did you replace the tensioner or just the pully?
I just went through a nightmare of trying to find a squeak while on the HRPT. GM techs said it was the tensioner pully or idler so I should replace them both. didn't help. So I diagnosed it myself and I finally ended up determing it was the belt. I switched to a gatorback and so far that has cured it. But I replaced the belt in March, not with a gatorback though.
But I always go back to what a few others say though. If a gatorback stops it, it still doesn't address the problem. My best "guess" is something is out of line and I would start with the tensioner itself if you haven't already.
I can't tell if my HB is out of whack. It seems to wobble just a tad but hell they all do a little. It is possible it could be a bearing on your alt, AC or water pump in the first stages of going out as well.
But a steth should tell you that. These squeaks are really annoying I know and there is no excuse for it.
I just went through a nightmare of trying to find a squeak while on the HRPT. GM techs said it was the tensioner pully or idler so I should replace them both. didn't help. So I diagnosed it myself and I finally ended up determing it was the belt. I switched to a gatorback and so far that has cured it. But I replaced the belt in March, not with a gatorback though.
But I always go back to what a few others say though. If a gatorback stops it, it still doesn't address the problem. My best "guess" is something is out of line and I would start with the tensioner itself if you haven't already.
I can't tell if my HB is out of whack. It seems to wobble just a tad but hell they all do a little. It is possible it could be a bearing on your alt, AC or water pump in the first stages of going out as well.
But a steth should tell you that. These squeaks are really annoying I know and there is no excuse for it.
Last edited by RetiredSFC 97; Jun 16, 2012 at 08:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 960
Likes: 1
From: Trussville AL
I kept the tensioners and just replaced the pullies and bearings. I have had my scope on everything including the tensioners and just can't find it. Depending on what side of the car you're standing on the squeak seems to run, hide and mock me. 
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I finally sprayed some superior tire dressing on it and it stopped for 250 miles. So then I replaced my belt and so far everything is ok. If it comes back, I don't know what to do. Take it to a vette mechanic I guess.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Fort Lauderdale Florida
I had an aweful squeaking noise also. I think I've finally narrowed it down to my water pump.
I replaced my a/c belt and the noise went away then a few days later it started squeaking again. I checked the face of the water pump and could see chalky residue running down the face. It is probably the water pump leaking onto the a/c belt causing the a/c belt to go bad and squeak.
Solution: new water pump; if you have a 97-03 new inlet(1) and bolts(2) since ac delco doesn't make the 97-03 pumps anymore and your old bots and inlet won't be compatible. As well as a new gatorback a/c belt.
I replaced my a/c belt and the noise went away then a few days later it started squeaking again. I checked the face of the water pump and could see chalky residue running down the face. It is probably the water pump leaking onto the a/c belt causing the a/c belt to go bad and squeak.
Solution: new water pump; if you have a 97-03 new inlet(1) and bolts(2) since ac delco doesn't make the 97-03 pumps anymore and your old bots and inlet won't be compatible. As well as a new gatorback a/c belt.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I had an aweful squeaking noise also. I think I've finally narrowed it down to my water pump.
I replaced my a/c belt and the noise went away then a few days later it started squeaking again. I checked the face of the water pump and could see chalky residue running down the face. It is probably the water pump leaking onto the a/c belt causing the a/c belt to go bad and squeak.
Solution: new water pump; if you have a 97-03 new inlet(1) and bolts(2) since ac delco doesn't make the 97-03 pumps anymore and your old bots and inlet won't be compatible. As well as a new gatorback a/c belt.
I replaced my a/c belt and the noise went away then a few days later it started squeaking again. I checked the face of the water pump and could see chalky residue running down the face. It is probably the water pump leaking onto the a/c belt causing the a/c belt to go bad and squeak.
Solution: new water pump; if you have a 97-03 new inlet(1) and bolts(2) since ac delco doesn't make the 97-03 pumps anymore and your old bots and inlet won't be compatible. As well as a new gatorback a/c belt.
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Woodstock Ga
Squirt or dribble a little bit of water on the belts after a cold start when it is making the noise. If it changes/disappears even for just a couple seconds like mine did that would suggest belt squeak due to alignment to me (or maybe a tensioner issue).
Guess it could still be something like the water pump leaking something on the belts too.
I had the condition you did w/ the cold startup squeak for 10 minutes or so, then perfectly quiet, but unfortunately for you that was w/ new Dayco belts for me (after changing the tensioners and idlers) and the solution to mine was the Gatorbacks which cured it all.
I'm thinking you still have some issues w/ the alignment of the pulleys and the Gatorbacks can't cover for all of it... Good luck, believe me after changing the tensioners, idlers, new Dayco belts, and removing everything multiple times troubleshooting and degreasing/cleaning all the pulleys, etc, etc, I feel your pain. Such an annoying sound, makes your car sound like a turd. I've been good for a year or two w/ the Gatorbacks, fingers crossed I didn't just jinx myself...
Guess it could still be something like the water pump leaking something on the belts too.
I had the condition you did w/ the cold startup squeak for 10 minutes or so, then perfectly quiet, but unfortunately for you that was w/ new Dayco belts for me (after changing the tensioners and idlers) and the solution to mine was the Gatorbacks which cured it all.
I'm thinking you still have some issues w/ the alignment of the pulleys and the Gatorbacks can't cover for all of it... Good luck, believe me after changing the tensioners, idlers, new Dayco belts, and removing everything multiple times troubleshooting and degreasing/cleaning all the pulleys, etc, etc, I feel your pain. Such an annoying sound, makes your car sound like a turd. I've been good for a year or two w/ the Gatorbacks, fingers crossed I didn't just jinx myself...
Last edited by GM Fan; Jun 19, 2012 at 03:10 PM.
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Belt squeek ?
I'm not sure how helpful this might seem, there's a inexpensive tool you can find of the auction site or other places, It's a red Laser you strap to your water pump Or if your down there, to the crankshaft and you just slowly turn the shaft in question, ( you want to put dead in the middle of the specific shaft and as you turn it it shows exactly were the belt is going to run.
I think it's designed to sit dead center and since the five or six of the serpentine belts groves, and you can see if the center grove is the third grove on say the A/C compressor so that shows you right away the belt not tracking true ? Good luck !
I think it's designed to sit dead center and since the five or six of the serpentine belts groves, and you can see if the center grove is the third grove on say the A/C compressor so that shows you right away the belt not tracking true ? Good luck !