Chirping noise from belts not going away

**chris5** · 01-12-2006, 01:48 PM

Around a month ago the chipring started during warmup and would go away. today it is REALLY loud (sounds like a bunch of crickets) and does not go away and will stay the whole time the car is on. the serpentine belt was replaced like a year and a half ago so i dunno whats up. i gotta drive 2 and a half hours tommorow and want to make sure i don't break down.

**BIG D's SS** · 01-12-2006, 01:57 PM

It might be your idler or tentioner. Try putting soap on it or belt dressing to see if it goes away.

**mrr23** · 01-12-2006, 06:17 PM

the wife's kept doing it. i replaced the belts twice. ended up being the tensioner. the arm on the tensionser would move front to back (sideways).

**02z28ls1** · 01-13-2006, 02:36 AM

Most of the time you can pinpoint a noise like that by using a section of heater hose like a stethoscope and listening to various things .It could a number of different things like(as previously suggested)idler pulley bearings or the tensioner getting weak-or even possibly the alternator or the water pump.Listening to this could pinpoint it fairly easily in the majority of cases.

**third_shift|studios** · 01-13-2006, 07:23 PM

100% garauntee it's the a/c idler and/or tensioner. I'm buying both off a guy parting out his wrecked z. They are normally about 100 each

but he's totally hooking me up for next to nothing. I suggest starting with some of the other guys parting out their cars here....junk yard is another place, but i wouldn't trust a junk engine...pure rust?

**02z28ls1** · 01-13-2006, 08:00 PM

Listening to it can save alot of work for nothing-Takes a minute at worst and will pinpoint it-that's a 100 percent guarantee.Alternator bearings go out fairly often also,waterpumps,listening to these will solve the mystery.

**chris5** · 01-15-2006, 05:10 PM

by not fixing it is gonna break? cuz i really don't care about the noise and can just ignore it. but if it's gonna break or cause a problem then i will look into getting it replaced.

**02z28ls1** · 01-16-2006, 03:18 PM

depends on the cause of the noise-like I was trying to impress upon people-pinpoint the problem first-then decide what to do about it.

**GEARHEADNATE** · 01-16-2006, 09:10 PM

DON'T USE BELT DREASING!!!! Belt dreasing and serpentine belts is like pouring gas on a fire it just makes it squeek worse. Serpentine belts are pron to squeeks in damp weather, sometimes a new belt will cure it. If that dosen't work then track down the pully and sand the grooves with some 120 grit paper. if that don't work then the pully is shot.

**Danger731** · 01-16-2006, 09:20 PM

its the tensioner, mine has been doin it for a year now, greasin lasts a bit but it comes back

M6TA · 01-16-2006, 10:40 PM

Dude get a little box of baking powder or something similar... pour it on one tensioner at a time... only hit one so you can pin-point which it is.

I just replaced both belts and tensioners when only the AC tens. needed replacing... guy at the Chevy dealer poured some baking powder on it and squeak vanished instantly.

M6TA · 01-16-2006, 10:43 PM

If it doesn't go away when you pour it on either tensioner then it's probabl something else on your serpentine system?

**road dog** · 01-18-2006, 02:10 PM

I had the same thing happen to me I change the belt and it still cherped I didn't know there was another belt for the a/c and that was the one that was cherping once I changed that belt my troubles were over good luck

**road dog** · 01-18-2006, 02:10 PM

I had the same thing happen to me I change the belt and it still cherped I didn't know there was another belt for the a/c and that was the one that was cherping once I changed that belt my troubles were over good luck

**02z28ls1** · 01-18-2006, 05:28 PM

I like the baking powder idea-and I wont use belt dressing on anything either-it only seems to make things worse.Can anybody explain why this is true-why do they even sell this stuff? Maybe I'm missing something.

99ta92rt · 01-19-2006, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by chris5

Around a month ago the chipring started during warmup and would go away. today it is REALLY loud (sounds like a bunch of crickets) and does not go away and will stay the whole time the car is on. the serpentine belt was replaced like a year and a half ago so i dunno whats up. i gotta drive 2 and a half hours tommorow and want to make sure i don't break down.

I was just about to start a thread on this, until this one. Mine behaves exactly the same. It comes and goes though, but happens particularly when the car is damp. By popping the hood with the car running I can tell it's one of the pulleys in front of the block, but not sure which. I think it's possibly the pulley to the right and in front of the block that is making the most noise (right side when standing in front of the motor).

**Fedge** · 04-07-2006, 06:51 AM

so if the tensioner moves, it's bad? I hafta ask because I threw the main belt in VA this past weekend...when I put the new belt on, i noticed that when i rev it up, the belt tensioner moved to the driverside....turns out that the old belt got caught on a hose clamp, so I turned the clamp...

i'm getting several SES codes, mostly related to 'intermittent low voltage' and the lights 'blink' from time to time when i'm cruising on the highway...i also notice the voltage go to around 13 from time to time, but the majority of the time, it's well above 13...

is there a way for me to test the tensioner? i have tried the search fucnction and I'm not getting anywhere...i'd appreciate any help that my fellow FBody guys can give me

**third_shift|studios** · 04-07-2006, 07:28 AM

the tensionor moves b/c it can, up and down that is, it's on a spring that pulls it opposite of the belt, hence the "tension" They're saying if it wobbles front to back [away/toward the block] then it's your tensioner.

I ended up replacing both my tensioner and idler pulley for the a/c....still squeeked, just not as bad. Going to replace the a/c clutch now [ugh, $200]. I know why mine squeek: had coolant blow all over them back in september, it dried and when the car spins them, they squeel. tried soap/water/oil nothin worked.

**GEARHEADNATE** · 04-07-2006, 08:31 AM

A little 220 grit sandpaper and a new belt and you should be good to go. Just sand in the grooves on the pully just enough to take the glaze off.

**Fedge** · 04-07-2006, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by dipherentdesign

the tensionor moves b/c it can, up and down that is, it's on a spring that pulls it opposite of the belt, hence the "tension" They're saying if it wobbles front to back [away/toward the block] then it's your tensioner.

I ended up replacing both my tensioner and idler pulley for the a/c....still squeeked, just not as bad. Going to replace the a/c clutch now [ugh, $200]. I know why mine squeek: had coolant blow all over them back in september, it dried and when the car spins them, they squeel. tried soap/water/oil nothin worked.

i think I worded my question wrong, so I ended up sounding like an idiot...I know the tensioner can move, lol...I thought maybe there was a certain way or amount it should or should not move. I went back out to the car and revved the motor again, looking at the belt...and it looks like somebody took their finger and strummed it like a rubberband...I mean the belt really moved a lot off center (not side to side on the pulley)...I dunno, i don't wanna throw a buncha parts at it and have the same problem.