Can't resolve sqeeking belt

searay495

searay495

Active Member
May 26, 2008
604
Long Island Sound
Boat Info
2004 420 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Twin Cummins CTA 8.3m
480 HP
I'm hoping someone can figure this out!! I have a 2002 340 Sundancer with small block motors. The serpentine belt on the port motor began to squeel at all RPM's. The belt was tight and the tensioner new. The noise would go away with belt dressing, but quickly return. I replaced the belt last winter and all seemed quiet. After a few hours of running time the squeel slowly came back and increased after time. Does anyone have a solution. I thought I read in one forum that someone tried a "gator" belt. I hate to have to spend money on a new belt since this one only has about 3 hours on it. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks, Mark
 
Take the belt back defective.....I was in the Automotive business and it happened all the time. Also I like gates products. I have 2 regular belts each engine both are gates. Just a thought

Rick
 
Belts do not squeek by themselves (in fact, I have always found them to be singularly non-communicative). The noise comes from slippage (imagine running a tightly tensioned belt across a non moving metal part...and you approximate the same noise). Slippage can be caused by such things as a or slick belt (hence belt dressing), bad belt alignment, or a difficult to turn intermediate component (one of the various pumps or drives). I think I would try replacing the belt with new, but while it is off, double check the alignment with a straightedge, and double check the intermediate components. Adjust, lube or replace THEM as necessary.
 
JediJD said:
Belts do not squeek by themselves (in fact, I have always found them to be singularly non-communicative). The noise comes from slippage (imagine running a tightly tensioned belt across a non moving metal part...and you approximate the same noise). Slippage can be caused by such things as a or slick belt (hence belt dressing), bad belt alignment, or a difficult to turn intermediate component (one of the various pumps or drives). I think I would try replacing the belt with new, but while it is off, double check the alignment with a straightedge, and double check the intermediate components. Adjust, lube or replace THEM as necessary.
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Alignment sound to be off. Check all you pulleys to make sure they are running true. You have a new tensioner, was it installed before the squeal or because of the squeal?
 
Just put soap--yes, soap--on serpentine belt.. Take a bar of Ivory soap and apply it liberally to belt and pullys. Belt dressing is only for v-belts--noise should go away.
 
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I had that problem on my '03 240. I tried lots of things that all worked... temporarily. The cure was cleaning the pulleys and replacing the belt... and I'm pretty sure it was a 'Gates' product.
 
Use Ivory soap bar on the serpentine belt and pullys--worked for me. Belt dressing is for v-belts only.
 
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You also can try (carefully) taking a wire brush to the back of the belt while the motor is at adle to take the glaze or shiney surface off. Many times it's actually the back side of the belt that squeals.
 
2K WINGIN' IT said:
You also can try (carefully) taking a wire brush to the back of the belt while the motor is at adle to take the glaze or shiney surface off. Many times it's actually the back side of the belt that squeals.
Click to expand...

That's very dangerous advice... definitely something I would do :lol:
 
Let's try this, you say that belt dressing will quiet it down for awhile then it comes back. Let try to find what pulleys may be the problem. If you can, try to apply the dressing to the flat surface of the belt. See if it quiets down. If so then it may be an idler pulley bearing going bad or it's out of alignment. If no change, then apply it to the grooved side. If it stops then you could have a bearing or alignment issue with the alt, power steering or water pump. Just a suggestion.
 
I had the same problem years ago with my Ford pickup. I had bought a new serpentine belt and it started to squeak within a month. I tried belt dressing and everything else I could think of.........nothing helped permanently. The squeak kept on coming back. Finally I just bought a new belt and it never gave me any problems whatsoever after that.

Dave
 
Mine squealed untill I tightened them a little more. They need to be a little tighter than automotive belts. Raw water pumps with newer impellars create a lot of drag on the belt.
Mike
 
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and comments. I think I may have fixed the problem. It seemed like the noise was coming from the idler pulley. I switched port to starboard and visa versa hoping to confirm my suspicions. Miraculously the noise stopped. I don't know why changing left to right would have made a difference, but it did for now. I also noted that the bearing or fitting inside the pulley seemed loose within the pulley. I was sure it would continue to make a noise when I switched them, but so far so good. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
 
best not to use belt dressing on serp belts ,they will jump off thepulleys and flop around ,probably in your face if its close .I worked at a gm dealer for years as bodyshop manager and the gm rep said to cleam belts and pulleys by spraying brake cleaner on them while running and it worked wonders.
 
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