Help w/ squealing noise, not belts
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
Help w/ squealing noise, not belts
Hey guys, finally got my stroker engine running and tuned, and I have about 1500 miles on it so far. Anyways, about 200 miles ago it developed a squeal in the front, that appears between 1000-2000 rpm when the engine is warm. I replaced both belts last night with Goodyear Gatorbacks, and it still squeals. All of the accessories (tensioners, WP, PS, ALT) have 40K on them. The AC compressor is brand new, it got cracked in the swap so I put a brand new one on. Anyways, its driving me nuts. It's not terrible but its bad enough I'm embarrassed to drive it. Ideas?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
Yes, start with the lower most A/C tensioner and/or idler. They are subjected to the most road debris and water contamination.
Extra power, and RPMs, can add to tensioner wear.
Take the main accessory drive belt off... if the noise is stll there, it must be the A/C tensioner or idler (if I remember correctly, it was the idler in my case).
Extra power, and RPMs, can add to tensioner wear.
Take the main accessory drive belt off... if the noise is stll there, it must be the A/C tensioner or idler (if I remember correctly, it was the idler in my case).
Last edited by 500hp; Jul 17, 2007 at 10:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
Yes, start with the lower most A/C tensioner and/or idler. They are subjected to the most road debris and water contamination.
Extra power, and RPMs, can add to tensioner wear.
Take the main accessory drive belt off... if the noise is stll there, it must be the A/C tensioner or idler (if I remember correctly, it was the idler in my case).
Extra power, and RPMs, can add to tensioner wear.
Take the main accessory drive belt off... if the noise is stll there, it must be the A/C tensioner or idler (if I remember correctly, it was the idler in my case).
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
The engine should heat up quicker, then. However, if you aren't comfortable with this, just take the A/C belt off (the main belt has to come off to access the A/C belt) and run without it--won't hurt anything this way. If the noise never 'comes on' we can assume we found the source.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
The engine should heat up quicker, then. However, if you aren't comfortable with this, just take the A/C belt off (the main belt has to come off to access the A/C belt) and run without it--won't hurt anything this way. If the noise never 'comes on' we can assume we found the source.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,869
Likes: 61
From: montreal quebec
i am having the same problem .after my motor build...sounds like crickets in my engine bay...already changed my main tensioner pulley noise still present.....now i am moving on to the ac tensioner....hope its that one.....does your noise go away or change at all when u turn the ac on or off??
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Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
It sounds like your a/c compressor idler. This is a common problem for them. Run the car without the a/c belt and see if it isolates the problem.. If not, go to harbor freight and pick up some cheap automotive stethascopes. This will help you track it down..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
Need a stethoscope to be a Corvette Doctor
Go to Harbor Freight and get their "Mechanics Stethoscope" I just bought one on their current "yard sale" for $2. Has a long 2 piece hollow thin pi[pe which you can put near a part to determine what is making the noise.
REMEMBER the ENGINE IS RUNNING so don't get the tubing caught by the belts or pulleys or YOU MIGHT BE SQUEEKING louder than ur C5.
BIGHANK
REMEMBER the ENGINE IS RUNNING so don't get the tubing caught by the belts or pulleys or YOU MIGHT BE SQUEEKING louder than ur C5.
BIGHANK
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
My 02 has 36k on it and the AC idler and tensioner pulley were shot, replaced them along with a new belt and it is like new. The sound would intensify with the AC on probably due to the load, but after replacement no sounds at all. You could actually see the grease was flung out of the bearing after removal and did not spin freely.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
Drove around, I do think its slightly worse with the AC. I turned it on and off several times, leaving it on or off for a few minutes, and its hard to tell. I'm gonna order a new set, seeing as everyone has had problems with it, there's another thread about the AC idlers going right now. I'll report back when I replace them, gonna order them now!
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 242
Likes: 2
From: Fort Washington MD
Squeal
A friend of mine has a problem and we thought it was his fan belt or one of his pulleys. He tried fan belt dressing and some other things. The noise was still present. I really thought it was a belt at first. We tried to isolate the sound. At one point we took the oil breather cap off and found out that there was a high suction at this point. A closer inspection revealed that he had reversed the vacuum lines going to the throttle body. We reversed the lines and the squeal went right away. This may not be your problem but I hope it helps.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,352
Likes: 103
From: In the pit, trying to love someone.
A friend of mine has a problem and we thought it was his fan belt or one of his pulleys. He tried fan belt dressing and some other things. The noise was still present. I really thought it was a belt at first. We tried to isolate the sound. At one point we took the oil breather cap off and found out that there was a high suction at this point. A closer inspection revealed that he had reversed the vacuum lines going to the throttle body. We reversed the lines and the squeal went right away. This may not be your problem but I hope it helps.
