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While backing into my garage yesterday, I noticed a squeaking noise coming from the engine. Popped the hood and left it running (to the annoyance of my Wife inside the house) to locate the source but it was nearly impossible to isolate it with all the various idlers, tensioners and accessories. I figured that the best method would be to use a wooden broom handle with the far end touching near the rotating suspect and the near end pressing against my ear. I could not determine at all what the source was.
I'm thinking that maybe if I remove the belts and then grab ahold of each pully one at a time while trying to wiggle them to tell if there's any play or noise.
What are your thoughts of any better ideas to diagnose? Thanks
Take off the main drive belt and start y if noise is gone(unless it comes and goes) it's either that belt or pulley or tensioner pulley.
I started it up today and after idling for 10-15 minutes it wouldn't squeal. Raining so I didn't go out and get it warm enough perhaps?
Originally Posted by 1999corvettels1
Also get a auto stethoscope, even a harbor freight cheapo, has to work better than a broom handle.
Good advise.
Originally Posted by chris308
When mine squeaked, it was the water pump.
I'd wondered about the water pump, especially after I had just swapped out the 195 thermostat for a 165 this past spring. What a PITA it was to burp the cooling system.
When it happens to me, I used wd40 with straw and with one quick shot to bull eye of AC tensioner it stopped for a second, I new my culprit. I guess you can use water in a stream pump spray to accomplish the same thing if you dont want to used WD.
Hit the tensioners first, then idle pulleys, yo will find it.
My car does the same thing, although it is more like a "chirp chirp chirp"....
It isn't there at very low RPM, but as RPM goes up the chirping gets faster.
In my instance, it is the harmonic balancer. As UM Rebel said, if you can see it wobbling (and you will if it is bad) then that could very well be the culprit.
I know it's a long read (with what will be extraneous info) but this is how the forum helped me trace my squeak. I didn't have a balancer or water pump problem so if your problem is one of those, the thread won't help you "find" it except by elimination.
I hope it helps.
1999 is right--removing each belt singly and starting the engine will eliminate (or specify) a pulley squeak.
Tried the soap (STP Belt Conditioner) as suggested without luck. Both belts were replaced when I changed out the thermostat. But I failed to say that I replaced the upper belt tensioner for the very same reason about 2 months ago and believe or not, the noise went away.
It doesn’t squeak/squeal/chirp at cold startup but comes up after spirited driving or in traffic.
I do hope it is not the balancer because I’ve never had to replace one which I understand is not only a PITA but also expensive.
I’ll pull the belts one at a time and try to isolate the noise as suggested hopefully in the next couple of days.
Thanks guys for the suggestions and please keep them coming if not mentioned already.
my squeak that would go away after running for a bit, thought it was due to moisture/rain. Progressively got worse over time then became a head turner when the ac was on. H balancer was wobbling so it got replaced. That certainly made a difference but I still had faint noise coming from the ac compressor soooo..... im now noise free and broke
Found the culprit today which turned out to be the new upper belt tensioner that I had replaced back on the first of July. I started the engine and for the first time, the squeak/squeal/chirp sounded when it was cold. It was much loader than when it was hot (the Corvette spirit was chiming in).
I placed my ear close to the engine and could definitely hear it at the upper tensioner. I stopped the engine and removed the serpentine belt as suggested by some and the squeak/squeal/chirp was gone. Removed the tensioner and took it back to O'Reillys, they exchanged it for a new one and no more squeak/squeal/chirp. Took it out for a half hour drive and still no more squeak/squeal/chirp.
Squeak-Squeak-Squeak
