the crickets strike again
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra Calismognazifornia, in the country everyone comes just to complain but won't go back home!
the crickets strike again
first let me start by saying that i hadn't driven my car in about 8 months until i got it out this week.
i've got the dreaded crickets and have checked the pulleys and they all seem true, i checked the main accessory drive idler and it's very strong and spins very freely and then i sprayed water at the AC drive belt and the noise went away for a few secs then came back. oh and by the way, the AC belt definitely shows some visible cracking while the main drive belt doesn't.
so now i'm sure it's somewhere in the AC belt path. i sprayed the belt with WD40 and the noise went away and stayed away at idle, BUT when i accelerate past about 2k rpm is whistles away again. does this mean the belt is just slipping more under higher load? or does this point to an issue with one of the pulleys in that belt path? the harmonic balancer pulley shows a bit of surface oxidation from having sat that long, could that be the cause? i wouldn't think so because that would affect the main drive belt too...
if anyone has experience similar please let me know.
i've already ordered gatorback belts to replace both but am wondering weather i shouldn't also replace the idler/tensioner assemblies while i'm at it....
i've got the dreaded crickets and have checked the pulleys and they all seem true, i checked the main accessory drive idler and it's very strong and spins very freely and then i sprayed water at the AC drive belt and the noise went away for a few secs then came back. oh and by the way, the AC belt definitely shows some visible cracking while the main drive belt doesn't.
so now i'm sure it's somewhere in the AC belt path. i sprayed the belt with WD40 and the noise went away and stayed away at idle, BUT when i accelerate past about 2k rpm is whistles away again. does this mean the belt is just slipping more under higher load? or does this point to an issue with one of the pulleys in that belt path? the harmonic balancer pulley shows a bit of surface oxidation from having sat that long, could that be the cause? i wouldn't think so because that would affect the main drive belt too...
if anyone has experience similar please let me know.
i've already ordered gatorback belts to replace both but am wondering weather i shouldn't also replace the idler/tensioner assemblies while i'm at it....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I can't imagine anyone not driving their car for 8 months unless there was literally no choice such as being deployed in the armed forces of course. Letting the car sit that long will do more harm in my personal opinion. Tires will develop problems, various oil seals will dry out and crack, fluids can have issues... Yes, even in Alhambra weather which is nice most all of the time...the car won't like sitting there. You really need to be driving it once a week if possible and insuring its fully heated up each time you do drive it.
As for the belt, a gatorback will help there a lot. The tensioners should be doing the job of keeping it tight. The oxidation can leave junk on the belt surface although I'm no expert on if it'll cause crickets to sound off or not. I would guess that it could.
As for the belt, a gatorback will help there a lot. The tensioners should be doing the job of keeping it tight. The oxidation can leave junk on the belt surface although I'm no expert on if it'll cause crickets to sound off or not. I would guess that it could.
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 251
Likes: 1
From: New Bern NC
mine did the same thing again after sitting for a week
the last time I had this problem I took off both idler pullys on the A/C system and found some corrosion on them. I buffed them out with a blue pad then put some grease on the back side and put the m back on
the problem went away for some time
now its back
the last time I had this problem I took off both idler pullys on the A/C system and found some corrosion on them. I buffed them out with a blue pad then put some grease on the back side and put the m back on
the problem went away for some time
now its back
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra Calismognazifornia, in the country everyone comes just to complain but won't go back home!
I can't imagine anyone not driving their car for 8 months unless there was literally no choice such as being deployed in the armed forces of course. Letting the car sit that long will do more harm in my personal opinion. Tires will develop problems, various oil seals will dry out and crack, fluids can have issues... Yes, even in Alhambra weather which is nice most all of the time...the car won't like sitting there. You really need to be driving it once a week if possible and insuring its fully heated up each time you do drive it.
As for the belt, a gatorback will help there a lot. The tensioners should be doing the job of keeping it tight. The oxidation can leave junk on the belt surface although I'm no expert on if it'll cause crickets to sound off or not. I would guess that it could.
As for the belt, a gatorback will help there a lot. The tensioners should be doing the job of keeping it tight. The oxidation can leave junk on the belt surface although I'm no expert on if it'll cause crickets to sound off or not. I would guess that it could.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra Calismognazifornia, in the country everyone comes just to complain but won't go back home!
mine did the same thing again after sitting for a week
the last time I had this problem I took off both idler pullys on the A/C system and found some corrosion on them. I buffed them out with a blue pad then put some grease on the back side and put the m back on
the problem went away for some time
now its back
the last time I had this problem I took off both idler pullys on the A/C system and found some corrosion on them. I buffed them out with a blue pad then put some grease on the back side and put the m back on
the problem went away for some time
now its back
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra Calismognazifornia, in the country everyone comes just to complain but won't go back home!
FYI for anyone looking for the belts....
i had a very hard time finding them anywhere around me. ended up finding them at amazon.com of all places and at a great price!
31.50 for the main drive and 13.25 for the AC belt.
i had a very hard time finding them anywhere around me. ended up finding them at amazon.com of all places and at a great price!
31.50 for the main drive and 13.25 for the AC belt.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
It can be just the cold weather that makes the belt squeak--
HOWEVER--I have noticed that with some cars that have mods-beyond just cat back exhaust ( CAI- headers- T-body-- Intake man.--MAF's---
When the ECM is learning fuel trims that are way off-- it will make that "cricket" sound--This happens when--the battery is disconnected--- the battery gets low-- or you re-flash the ECM---This causes the fuel trims to be re-set at "0" so the ECM has to learn the trims all over again to accomodate your mods--- Driving it normally will usually make it go away after 50-75 miles---
HOWEVER--I have noticed that with some cars that have mods-beyond just cat back exhaust ( CAI- headers- T-body-- Intake man.--MAF's---
When the ECM is learning fuel trims that are way off-- it will make that "cricket" sound--This happens when--the battery is disconnected--- the battery gets low-- or you re-flash the ECM---This causes the fuel trims to be re-set at "0" so the ECM has to learn the trims all over again to accomodate your mods--- Driving it normally will usually make it go away after 50-75 miles---
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