pulley noise

**02transamce** · 04-02-2011, 05:03 PM

So....I started noticing a noise today,I diagnosed the tensioner pulley,removed the pulley and sure enough when I held the pully in my hand and shook it,it rattled,so I walked to advance auto parts and purchased a new tensioner pulley and installed it.the noise was still there,wtf? I spun the new tensioner before I put belt on and heard a slight scrub noise,what would cause a new tensioner to make noise after installation? Thanks.
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**KMdef9** · 04-03-2011, 09:23 AM

If the tensioner caused a vibration on the belt, that accelerates the wear on it, so you could have wore the belt down and it could need replacing.

**02transamce** · 04-03-2011, 11:38 AM

Well,I had more time this morning to work with it and found the tensioner pulley was rubbing the tensioner slightly,so I sanded some material off the plastic pulley to gain clearance and it was a little better but the noise was still there so I removed the a/c belt and the noise was gone.this coming weekend i am going to replace through a/c idler and tensioner pulleys and see what happens.I hope it is not the compressor.
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**Cutlass** · 04-03-2011, 03:21 PM

Sometimes the AC compressor clutch will gently rub against the compressor pulley. Check that out also.
If thats the case, the clutch can be adjusted for a little more clearance.

**02transamce** · 04-03-2011, 03:46 PM

ok,thanks. going to check it out this coming sunday and remove the secondary air and since the tcs off and abs inop light came on,i will have to investigate that too.hooked my code scanner up and no codes other than p1133 and p1153 that seem to be permanant,lol

**transamgirl89** · 04-04-2011, 07:30 AM

Is it a high pitched squeal? I had that and it turned out to be the idler pulley.

**kenro23** · 04-04-2011, 08:46 PM

i am going thru that same situation. i have replaced both pulleys, the belt and even replaced the a/c bracket. after i replaced the bracket, the noise stopped for about a week. now it's back, but only until the car gets warm and then the noise stops. my mechanic seems to think that now the pulley needs to be re-aligned. maybe you should check your bracket also, as it may be bent.

any suggestions to my situation? if it is my compressor, i am just gonna remove the a/c all together and be done with that shit

**JayTA98** · 04-05-2011, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by kenro23

i am going thru that same situation. i have replaced both pulleys, the belt and even replaced the a/c bracket. after i replaced the bracket, the noise stopped for about a week. now it's back, but only until the car gets warm and then the noise stops. my mechanic seems to think that now the pulley needs to be re-aligned. maybe you should check your bracket also, as it may be bent.

any suggestions to my situation? if it is my compressor, i am just gonna remove the a/c all together and be done with that shit

Does the noise happens with the A/C off? Are you sure the noise is coming from the A/C pulleys? Did you replace the idler pulley and idler tensioner?

**HodgeWS6** · 04-05-2011, 08:22 AM

just my 02cents, but my 98 was doing this, and it was my crankshaft pulley. there was rust pits in the grooves the belt ride in causing it to lose traction on the pulley until the belts warmed up. hope that might help

**ramontgo** · 04-05-2011, 08:54 AM

I had the same problem. I replaced everything belt related plus the belt two times. Turns out the idler bracket had somehow gotten bent thus causing the belt to not align properly. I put up with the squeeling for two monthes will trying to track down the problem.

***SMWS6TA*** · 04-05-2011, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

Sometimes the AC compressor clutch will gently rub against the compressor pulley. Check that out also.
If thats the case, the clutch can be adjusted for a little more clearance.

Cutlass how do you adjust this?

**SSwt00SS** · 04-05-2011, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by kenro23

i am going thru that same situation. i have replaced both pulleys, the belt and even replaced the a/c bracket. after i replaced the bracket, the noise stopped for about a week. now it's back, but only until the car gets warm and then the noise stops. my mechanic seems to think that now the pulley needs to be re-aligned. maybe you should check your bracket also, as it may be bent.

any suggestions to my situation? if it is my compressor, i am just gonna remove the a/c all together and be done with that shit

im in the same boat. sounds more metallic than a belt issue at startup until it warms up. shreaks like shit! takes the fun right out of driving the car.

when i remove the A/C belt, no noise, nothing at start up or driving. i checked all the tensioners/pullies and they are good and spin freely. not that i need A/C but it would be nice. perhaps ill take the A/C belt off again and put it on only if i have to.

**JayTA98** · 04-05-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by SSwt00SS

im in the same boat. sounds more metallic than a belt issue at startup until it warms up. shreaks like shit! takes the fun right out of driving the car.

when i remove the A/C belt, no noise, nothing at start up or driving. i checked all the tensioners/pullies and they are good and spin freely. not that i need A/C but it would be nice. perhaps ill take the A/C belt off again and put it on only if i have to.

the pulleys can spin freely but that doesn't mean the bearings are bad. try to get a hose or stethoscope and listen to the pulleys when you free spin them. They shouldn't make any abnormal noise.

**SSwt00SS** · 04-05-2011, 04:29 PM

I guess I should have included I did that as well, while I was checking everything under the car...fml...

**rsg98Z28** · 04-05-2011, 05:17 PM

It could just be cheap replacement parts, ive heard brand new belts squeel like hell, try going to napa and getting their higher end belts.

**Cutlass** · 04-05-2011, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

Cutlass how do you adjust this?

There are AC clutch tool kits out there that are used for replacing the compressor clutch and/or pulley. I use the clutch removal tool to pull the clutch away from the pulley a little bit

something like this

**kenro23** · 04-05-2011, 09:46 PM

yes the noise happens with the a/c off. no i am not sure at all. i do know i have replaced everything that has to do with the a/c except the compressor. i have been thinking that it's the crankshaft pulley. my mechanic thinks it isn't that. also, i have done all the stethoscope stuff as well and nothing.

Originally Posted by JayTA98

Does the noise happens with the A/C off? Are you sure the noise is coming from the A/C pulleys? Did you replace the idler pulley and idler tensioner?

**kenro23** · 04-05-2011, 09:51 PM

this is what i have been telling my mechanic and he doesn't think that is the case. i have no more options than to check that out. i think he is just lazy and doesn't wanna check it. shitty think about living in hawaii. honestly wish i knew someone that could just help me do it cause i don't know how on my own. well, not everything i should say

Originally Posted by HodgeWS6

just my 02cents, but my 98 was doing this, and it was my crankshaft pulley. there was rust pits in the grooves the belt ride in causing it to lose traction on the pulley until the belts warmed up. hope that might help

**jiveass** · 04-06-2011, 04:01 AM

ive got an undetermined queak as well, and the ac doesnt have the belt on it so i know its not that...ive changed the belt and tensioner...perhaps the idler pulley..

**kenro23** · 04-06-2011, 01:04 PM

so if my noise doesnt get fixed and it is my crankshaft pulley should i get a ud pulley? is there any other types of pulleys that i will need in other places? is it really worth the money to even get one?