zukirider21
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2009
- Messages
- 851
- Reaction score
- 5
- Points
- 0
- Location
- NJ
- Vehicle Year
- 89
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 2.9
- Transmission
- Manual
Alright guys, I'm at my wit's end with this damn serp belt. Truck is a 2001 3.0 with air conditioning. Ever since I bought it there has been a BRUTAL constant belt squeal at any engine speed, 99.9% of the time. Every once in a while it would stop doing it for a few minutes, but never for long. Doesnt seem to be humidity or temperature related.
I have literally read every damn article online about the issue, and tried just about everything.
New idler, new tensioner and it's respective idler, new premium gates belt (equivalent to a gatorback). The alternator is new, the ac pulley bearings are good, and the belt rides smack in the middle of both idlers. I even went to the extent of cleaning all the pulley grooves with a wire brush and brake cleaner before installing the new belt. The squeak went away for a few days, and came back just as bad as before.
Now it's doing something pretty interesting. I'd say about once a week, only on cold mornings when I just pull out of my driveway, the belt pops out of it's groove and makes this INCREDIBLE sound. (Words cant even describe this sound. The first time I heard it, I was convinced I had a rod through the block and the motor was done. It was a metal on metal, very mechanical sound that obviously goes with engine rpm. BUT it was the belt!) The belt literally rides about 1/32nd of an inch too far back (towards engine) on the compressor pulley. Not even the full width of a pulley "V". And it just sits there, slightly off track, making that incredible noise. I shut it off and all it takes for me to put it back on track is literally one finger. The noise goes away and it wont do it again for another week.
WTF right?
Any input would be soooo greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!
I have literally read every damn article online about the issue, and tried just about everything.
New idler, new tensioner and it's respective idler, new premium gates belt (equivalent to a gatorback). The alternator is new, the ac pulley bearings are good, and the belt rides smack in the middle of both idlers. I even went to the extent of cleaning all the pulley grooves with a wire brush and brake cleaner before installing the new belt. The squeak went away for a few days, and came back just as bad as before.
Now it's doing something pretty interesting. I'd say about once a week, only on cold mornings when I just pull out of my driveway, the belt pops out of it's groove and makes this INCREDIBLE sound. (Words cant even describe this sound. The first time I heard it, I was convinced I had a rod through the block and the motor was done. It was a metal on metal, very mechanical sound that obviously goes with engine rpm. BUT it was the belt!) The belt literally rides about 1/32nd of an inch too far back (towards engine) on the compressor pulley. Not even the full width of a pulley "V". And it just sits there, slightly off track, making that incredible noise. I shut it off and all it takes for me to put it back on track is literally one finger. The noise goes away and it wont do it again for another week.
WTF right?
Any input would be soooo greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!