NikC6

Hello everyone,
I have 2006 c6 with ~117k miles ,all miles put by me.Lately I have getting squeak noise in cold weather for like 10 min or so and then it goes away once engine is warm.Yesterday morning I touched the serpentine belt for like 10 sec with some soap (bad idea).The squeal went away temporarily but now it is back and the noise is there constant. I am thinking belt replacement time.Have gone through various threads and based on that ordered goodyear gatorback belt and 15 mm wrench.How easy is it to replace the belt for someone doing this first time? Am praying it is the belt and not harmonic balancer.

Thanks everyone..

rkj427

possibly tensioner or idler pulley too............... check them while changing the belt........

the harmonic balancer issue should be visual by a "wobble" with the engine running

NikC6

Thanks rkj427.I do notice some wobble but it seems to be tight and nowhere close to the drive shaft.I read in one of the forums that there is always a light wobble in LS engines.

ErikR

This was my LS2 with 39,000 miles... New belts only lasted a while before the squeak returned. A new balancer fixed that problem.



If that balancer doesn't look bad to you, here's the one on my 2010 5.3L 71,000 mile truck...



I'm sure someone will come along and say that it's normal for them to wobble. I know there's rubber between the inner hub and outer pulleys, but they should run true. I kept the old balancer and when I lay a straight edge across it, the problem is obvious.

DrivnXcitment

I actually had this problem too. My vette is in the shop as we speak. Turns out it was the crank seal was leaking, which saturated the the crank pulley and belt. So with that being said, mine is probably worse case scenario, but be sure to check up against the engine block to make sure its not wet.

But for a beginner, the serpentine is not difficult to change. Routing it back on is the hardest part and that just takes some patience. Now the AC compressor belt!!!! That thing was designed by the devil himself and I'd gladly pay solid bars of gold to not have to change that thing again.

schizcat

Change belts first. Usually (not all the time) with an HB wobble, you get more of a chirp first before a constant squeal. However, dont be surprised if your HB is going out or will soon. Replacing the belt is fairly easy, just take your time. If you have a tablet or laptop, look for the LS2 belt diagram and have it as reference when you do the swap.

And PS...the drive shaft is on the back of the transmission leading to the rear end, nowhere close to the HB. You probably meant the power steering rack. Sorry, I get **** about these things....especially after having to fight with mine for an HB replacement last year.

NikC6

Thanks everyone for the helpful advise.I should be getting the new belt today and will try replacing it.Seems like the harmonic balancer will need replacement soon.Will keep everyone updated.

NikC6

Mad*Max

What video are you referring to?

NikC6

NikC6

Mike's LS3

Did you inspect the belt for fraying? If present, expect the squeak to come back. Also, while the belt was off did you spin all the pulleys and check lateral play? I hope it is just the belt.

NikC6

GSTexas

After I listened to my belt squeak for the last week on my grand sport, 39k miles, took it t the dealer. $1100 later the HB and belts changed. I kept dressing the belt but it came back the next day every time. Lucky for me the extended warranty paid for itself a little. I thought it may be the pulley but anyway its done now and should be no worries going forward.

windyC6

So what does your straight edge show ? I was under the impression that the actual outside pulley portion doesn't actually warp causing the wobble. I thought it was the inner and outer portion separating from the rubber portion thus letting the actual pulleys shift a little and then produce the infamous wobble. Seems like the actually pulley will still be straight thus not showing any warpage with a straight edge......

madsonp

Use wax, not soap. An old candle works good.

ErikR

OK, here are a few pics of the balancer that came off my '07 @ 39,000 miles...

I'm going to assume that the center hub was running straight and true.




The outer, grooved portion of the pulley appears to no longer be square to the hub.

This side has a gap of .051" as measures by a stack of feeler gauges. The straight edge is resting on the raised portion of the inner hub.




Across from that side, the gap is .006"... Again, the straight edge is resting on the inner hub... In the pic, the rubber portion and the hub are exactly the same height.




I'm guessing that the outer, grooved portion of the pulley either was never square with the inner hub from day one, OR at sometime the outer portion has shifted on the rubber and is no longer square/true.

I hope this helps

windyC6

Well done, and nice pics. As you mention yourself the actual outside pulley is fine, the off setting comes from the outer pulley shifting on the rubber. Thanks GM.........

Vet Interested

Awesome. Thanks for posting. Your picture makes it easy to see how the HB fails. I am at 48,000 miles and I have a pulley just starting to squeek once in a while. HB is straight......for now.