squeaky belt?????
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
From: Converse Texas
squeaky belt?????
anyone else had problems with the main belt making noise on their c5s? I know its the belt, I can spray a little silicone spray and it stops for a short while. I replaced the belt and was good for a while, but then it came back. I turned the belt the other way, now I hear it around 1500 rpm on the road. could something be wrong with a pulley? such an annoying sound....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 28
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
First check the harmonic balancer and see if its wobbling. If so, you need to take care of that in the very near future if not now. Secondly, you can replace the belt with something like a GatorBack.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
From: Miami FL
CI 7 & 9 Veteran
Maybe it's the water pump
I recently had a chirping /squealing sound and thought it was the belts too. I only heard the noise when I first started her up cold; but it went away after it warmed up. The noise became increasingly noisier 
and lasted longer as the weeks went by. I then started losing coolant and suspected the water pump 
. It ended up being a leaky water pump; which I replaced and now I have no noise.
Are you losing any coolant?
and lasted longer as the weeks went by. I then started losing coolant and suspected the water pump . It ended up being a leaky water pump; which I replaced and now I have no noise. Are you losing any coolant?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
From: Converse Texas
not losing any coolant, however, I did look at the balancer with the car running, and it looks like it is running a little off center. Is the front pulley part of the balancer, or just bolted to it. looks like a pain to pull the balancer!!!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 16
From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: Andover KS
check out the threads for a slipping pulley on here to hopefully rule that problem out. The pulley and balancer are one unit and very unpleasant to replace. The wobble can cause the squeeking. If the balancer is found to be on tight, another old trick is to hold a bar of soap on the contact sides of the belt while it is running as safely as possible to quiet it down. I wouldn't use silicone spray, it will coat the belt and make it slicker. Also as mentioned above, a pulley or pump could be dying. I'd pop the belt off and spin each one by hand fast and slow to see if any have a grinding or feel tight. Also try wiggling the pulleys, there should be little to no play with the belt off.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 0
From: naugatuck ct
check out the threads for a slipping pulley on here to hopefully rule that problem out. The pulley and balancer are one unit and very unpleasant to replace. The wobble can cause the squeeking. If the balancer is found to be on tight, another old trick is to hold a bar of soap on the contact sides of the belt while it is running as safely as possible to quiet it down. I wouldn't use silicone spray, it will coat the belt and make it slicker. Also as mentioned above, a pulley or pump could be dying. I'd pop the belt off and spin each one by hand fast and slow to see if any have a grinding or feel tight. Also try wiggling the pulleys, there should be little to no play with the belt off.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 486
Likes: 0
From: Converse Texas
I think im gonna try the soap, havent heard that one yet. the noise is definetly worse in cold weather, but its summer time here in texas, so i can turn the radio up a little and not hear it any more!!! I re greased the bearings in the tensioner and idler a while back, made no diff. even tried pulling more tension on the tensioner pulley with the car running, still no difference... I will let you guys know what happens with soap on the belt.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
IT could also be one of the 2 pullies for the ac belt
Or caused from the balancer seperating also causing failure on the tensioner pulley.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Ottawa Ontario
The noise is caused by coolant leaking from the water pump. Check really closely and you will see staining from the weep hole on the pump. The clue is the noise only happens when it's cold. Replace the pump and belt and your problem is solved.
