# Squeeky Belt driving me mad!



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

So my serp belt is squeaking again, this is the 3 or 4th belt I have put on it this winter.

It worked good for a wile, then gets a chirp, then squeals all the time. All I have to do to get it to quit temporary is just touch the back side of the belt with soap while its running, in a few seconds i quits, only for a while that is.

I know its the belts, I have checked all the pulleys, replaced the idler pulley as it sounded ruff. everything looks good other then the tensioner looks a little out of line, but its tight and sounds good.

So you think the tensioner being a little off line would make the belt ware funny and squeal after a couple weeks?

if I put on a new belt it quits totally for a few weeks like i said, if its squealing I can touch it with soap and it will quit for a few hours or so. So I know its the belt, but what is causing it to do this? the tensioner?

its a 97 250 (old body) with the 5.8/351



I can turn the radio up to drown it out, but it just drives me mad when I am out of the truck, then its the looks I get driving it, I know they see me and the number/name on the truck, but I think that its "unprofessional" for it to SQUEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :angry:


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

What brand belt are you installing?


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

Well, I have used Gates, I have used O'Reilly brand, which I think is gates, I have used Car Quest Brand, which is probily gates also and I have used Advance Brand, which is probily also made by gates..

I bought a new tensioner and another new belt yesderday, going to put them on today since its going to be 40 and not rain (going to rain tomorrow).

I have inspected the belts, but I can not see any thing wrong with them or any odd ware. But I figure that I might as well change the tensioner and see what happens....

one thing about it, I have several extra belts if I break one....


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Have sold dozens of the Duralast belts with no squeaks.


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

2COR517;1199017 said:


> Have sold dozens of the Duralast belts with no squeaks.


I think/hope it was the tenciner. It was out of line just a hair, I replaced it today along with a new belt (now I have 4 extras).

the new tencioner looks to be more in line then the old one, I took off the pulley and it sounded good, but felt a little on the ruff side compared to the new one.

we will see if this fixes it or not, takes about 2-3 weeks of driving it everyday, or a few days of pushing snow.

I did look at one of the belts, I think the oldest belt, it was worn funny on the edge, the rest looked like new...

time will tale


----------



## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

Dr Who;1199346 said:


> I think/hope it was the tenciner. It was out of line just a hair, I replaced it today along with a new belt (now I have 4 extras).
> 
> the new tencioner looks to be more in line then the old one, I took off the pulley and it sounded good, but felt a little on the ruff side compared to the new one.
> 
> ...


check the bracket that the tensioner mounts to. i had a 97 f350 5.8 doing the same thing and eventually found the mounting boss on the bracket had some hairline cracks allowing the bolt for the tensioner move just enough to cause the pully to put pressure on the belt wrong and cause a squeek.

the part is only like 50-75 bucks from FORD.


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

clark lawn;1199549 said:


> check the bracket that the tensioner mounts to. i had a 97 f350 5.8 doing the same thing and eventually found the mounting boss on the bracket had some hairline cracks allowing the bolt for the tensioner move just enough to cause the pully to put pressure on the belt wrong and cause a squeek.
> 
> the part is only like 50-75 bucks from FORD.


Huh..
If it squeeks again, I may just go ahead an buy that bracket.
I looked at the bracket when i had the tensioner off, I did not see anything, but then again I was only looking for major cracks, or something broke...

I know that I liked to never got the tensioner off, and there was a couple threads still on the orginal bolt, so I say if I ever have to replace that tensioner again, the bracket will have to be replaced. But it tightened up good, I torqued it nice and tight, so the threads are good, and I guess if there was hairline cracks in it, I would have made them worse.

I will know soon enuff, it will either squeek again or fall off....
my luck it will fall off in a nice big snow storm.....


----------



## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

Dr Who;1199576 said:


> Huh..
> If it squeeks again, I may just go ahead an buy that bracket.
> I looked at the bracket when i had the tensioner off, I did not see anything, but then again I was only looking for major cracks, or something broke...
> 
> ...


keep an eye on the tensioner, i have seen them flex enough to break the bolt and leave people sitting on the side of the road.


----------



## suzuki0702 (Apr 6, 2008)

do yourself a favor and buy a goodyear gator belt....last belt you will ever buy. they run about 35bux


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

suzuki0702;1200870 said:


> do yourself a favor and buy a goodyear gator belt....last belt you will ever buy. they run about 35bux


Were do you get that belt at? Never heard of them..

I think I gave close to that for the Gates...


----------



## woodsman (Nov 18, 2008)

sand the underside of the belt


----------



## b&b landscapes (Nov 7, 2010)

my bet is the tensioner being out of line was heating up the belt and glazing it enough to cause the squeak and even a top dollar belt prob would have eventually done it too.... 

who, keep us up to date on it


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

Ok, so I changed the tenciner, the pully and a new belt the other day, I started it up, no sounds... I shut it off.
Say for couple days, got some snow last night. I go out, start the truck, do not get to the end of the raod and it is so loud you can not hear the voices in your head.

So after spending 15+ hours either in the truck, or near is listening to the belt sing so loud, I could not take it anymore.
So I finily get home, I took off the belt, looked at all the pullys again, everythig looks in line.
The 2 smooth pullys have some spots on them, some goo, so I sand them down lightly, just to get the surface smooth and no goo..
take another belt that I had, look it over carefuly, make sure it has no goo on it, or anything that may make it sweak.

I start the truck and Ahh nothing. but then after about 2-3 min. it starts chirping, then sweaks....

So I took sand paper to the back side of the belt with the truck running, it quit sweaking, just like when I use soap. But it starts back in a matter of a couple minuits...

today, my amp gauge was running lower then normal, I figured it was due to the belt sliping, but just to make sure I am going to take the alt back (only 2 months old) and get another, maybe its the alt? even thouhg I had this problem before I canged the alt...

I am out of ideas.

I am goint to see if I can get one the the Goodyear belts, if I can find were they sell them, after I switch out the alt.


----------



## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Ya I would say it's one of the accessories on the belt that's not turning properly.

Alt is my first guess, after that I would check the AC and PS pump.


----------



## diesel dave 04 (Nov 24, 2008)

MINE does the same damn thing, I think it is the smog pump pully bit i have not found one to swap it with so I been living with it I have 2 5.8 broncos both 92 and one sweeks and the other dont.


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

Ok, today I take the belt off, check the alt and it has a cherp to it. it was a reman one, and it did not seem to be charging right when I was out plowing the other night.

So I take it back to the parts store, they can not check it, there cables are bad on the machine...So I just swaped it out, paid the extra for a new one, not a reman.

put it on, no squeek, ran for a bit...
started it again, sounded different, not the cat in the fan type noise, but a belt sweek....
I run the sand paper on the back again, quits for about 5 min, then does it again.

I did see the tentioner was just a little out of line...So I am going to get the braket that it bolts to next week, untill then I have another porblem that I have to figure out.
I may have that one solved, changed the idle air controler, and it still acted the same, but then smothed out.
but until I get this random dieing and fludering out fixed, the belt will just have to squeek..

I have checked all the other pullys, they seem to be fine. if the smog pump was the problem, well it would be comming off, I would just then have to buy half a dozen belts to find the one that will fit it.
I did this to my 91 f150 5.0 when its smog pump locked up.
We do not have any inspections at all, so no problems there...


----------



## diesel dave 04 (Nov 24, 2008)

Well did you figure it out?


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

Not yet.
Still squeaked after changing the parts.
I had a running problem, well more of an idle problem, been fighting with that, but I think it may have been water in the gas.
Was driving the truck the other day and it just up and quit squeaking, and the belt didn't fall off so I have no idea.

The tencher is still slightly crooked, so I think if may be that bracket that it screws into, I will change it later, but for now it will just have to wait. low on funds and my clients are taking there sweet time paying....


----------



## Turf Commando (Dec 16, 2007)

I've owned nothing but Ford trucks (Not changing either) years 91-97 they all have the squeak u mentioned. In fact my 92 just got a new belt and tensioner pulley solved 95% of problem, but there's still is a squeak... My mechanic says It's just the infamous ford hamster wheel squeal....There really isn't an aswer to problem .!


----------



## Turf Commando (Dec 16, 2007)

FYI the noise always goes away after trucks warm and rarely have any issues in warm temps, go figure..


----------



## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

Good luck, that is an awful sound. My loader started to squeal and the tensioner pulley was just starting to kick out a bit rubbing the belt uneven about 1/8 of an inch. Changed the tensioner pulley and all was good. Things Ive come across that make a belt squeal when I was a mechanic were rusted pulley, bad belt (but it sounds like you have gone through several), bad tensioner, miss aligned pulley or pully's, bad alternator (bearings in the alt.), something leaking onto the belt like a small bit of anti freeze, oil etc. Good luck.


----------



## Dr Who (Dec 16, 2010)

Turf Commando;1219746 said:


> I've owned nothing but Ford trucks (Not changing either) years 91-97 they all have the squeak u mentioned. In fact my 92 just got a new belt and tensioner pulley solved 95% of problem, but there's still is a squeak... My mechanic says It's just the infamous ford hamster wheel squeal....There really isn't an aswer to problem .!


I had a 91, it never squeaked that I remember, now I had a fit with my Crown Vic PI, but I ended up buying a morotcraft belt and that fixed it, except when I am passing someone, it cherps when it shifts out....

ford hamster wheel squeal LOL

Its driving me crasy, I wish that mine quit when it warms up!


----------



## Turf Commando (Dec 16, 2007)

Dr Who;1220519 said:


> I had a 91, it never squeaked that I remember, now I had a fit with my Crown Vic PI, but I ended up buying a morotcraft belt and that fixed it, except when I am passing someone, it cherps when it shifts out....
> 
> ford hamster wheel squeal LOL
> 
> Its driving me crasy, I wish that mine quit when it warms up!


My primary plow rig is a 91 F150 230,000 miles, use to squeak, replaced belt and tensioner fixed the problem for now... I'm upgrading trucks this year and the triton seems to be my first choice, since the squeak seems to stop there...


----------



## Turf Commando (Dec 16, 2007)

Another typical squeak spot is the power steering pump pulley ..


----------



## kevlars (Feb 11, 2011)

suzuki0702;1200870 said:


> do yourself a favor and buy a goodyear gator belt....last belt you will ever buy. they run about 35bux


+1 What he said!

I have one on my Cummins. Very nice belt.

kevlars


----------

