Please help me identify some problems...

I realize that sounds are hard to hear over the 'net, but I was hoping you guys could help me diagnose a few things:

Whenever I accelerate from a dead stop, I get a sort of chirping/squealing noise whenever the jeep isn't warmed up. I am thinking this also has something to do with the lurching it does on hard accelerations when it is cold.

I have a rattling/clunking sound in the front and rear suspension, I am thinking bushings?

Sounds like your serpentine belt (chirping/squealing) and bushings or front driveshaft.

Serpentine belt - can verify this by parking it, idling, and goosing the throttle by hand. If the belt squeals, there you go! Replace it, tighten it to proper specs (190lbs tension for a new (less than 15 minutes of use) belt iirc), and shove the old one under the back seat as a spare - I like to keep a 5 dollar Wally World wrench set under there too for emergency repairs.

Bushings - sway bar link bushings, sway bar hold-down bushings, shock absorber bushings (upper included - those rubber washers love to wear out), control arm bushings, and track bar mount + bushings, mostly in that order. Does it happen at any time in particular? cornering? bumps? accel/decel? Some combination?

My rear shock bushings and front swaybar links + shock bushings were the cause of most of my funky noises.

I agree that the belt is suspect for the chirping. Inspect it, replace it if it's long in the tooth. Goodyear Gatorback is a good replacement belt. Snug it up good.

As for the other, the devil is in the details as Kastein mentioned. Provide more information. A trip onto a hoist and a comprehensive inspection is never a bad idea....

I'm on board for the belt. If your vehicle is a/c equipped, and you have the defrost set, then the a/c compressor will cycle and that may be adding enough load to cause the problem when cold.

Change the belt, new belt tension 180~200 ft lbs, and the Gatorback is really good.

Thanks for the advice guys...I'm hoping it's the belt. It sounds like it's coming from under/behind my seat though *shrug* I'll snug the belt and see if it helps.

Any advice on the surging/wheel hop thingy?

And yeah, I figured the suspension sounds would be hard to locate over the net lol. I will jack it up over spring break and check all of the bushings out, and the u-joints for the hell of it.

Thanks!

Go to NAPA and pick up a Krikit II belt tension gauge. It's really the only way to verify correct belt tension.

If it's already tight enough, then inspect it for any glazing (shiny). A glazed belt can make quite a racket, especially when cold.

how's the tranny? is it fully in gear or have the proper amount of fluid in it?

how worn out is it? should it be rebuilt/replaced?

probably ought to go get everything lubed

Silver60th said:

It sounds like it's coming from under/behind my seat though *shrug* I will jack it up over spring break and check all of the bushings out, and the u-joints for the hell of it.

Click to expand...

a dry u-joint will give you exactly this problem-- if the belt doesn't help, and even if it does, grease 'em up and see if it gets better. I'd probably just change 'em and call it good if they're even slightly suspect.

I'll have to climb under and lube them up and see if it helps. On the tranny...this jeep only has 53,XXX miles so it is still fairly fresh. New fluid wouldnt hurt though

What condition are those rear leaves in? My old ones would wrap a bit after a stop and upon accel you'd get that little lurch and it would make a pop noise. Disappeared after the new spring packs went in. OEM rear leaf packs are known for weakening and sagging.

Rear leaves are bastard packs (from an S10 I believe...its been awhile) with an overload leaf

***edit*** since im avoiding the question *slaps forehead* the springs are in pretty good shape. The weird lurching only happens on cold days
on take-off after the car has just been started

Oh, and I replaced the belt with a gatorback today...big difference. Helped a bunch

Silver60th said:

Oh, and I replaced the belt with a gatorback today...big difference. Helped a bunch

Click to expand...

In case I didn't mention it, once a belt has been run for 15 minutes it is considered a "used" belt and used belts should only be tightened to 140~160 ft lbs.