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Squeal or Chirp --- Need help solving Belt issue

E

eddiedatorch

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Indio
We have four XJs in our Family, but my sons 91 HO squeals like a banshee. We've tighten, loosen, lubed, replaced idler pulley... I know this tread is probably a beaten horse, but if anyone has an idea please pass along the info.
Thanks All
 
mine did that when the water pump was going out. changed it and it went away. i did change the belt too though.
 
If it has a heavy load on the alternator it will squeal at start up or if the belt is not adjusted right.
 
With everything in good shape, I have had the squeal/chirp from a perfectly good belt once a drop of coolant touches it, from washing the engine, and from deep water crossings. No amount of cleaning the belt rectifies the noise.
When it's making that noise (sounds like the waterpumps going out) you can verify it's the belt by spraying it with WD40 while its running and the noise will instantly go away for about 30 seconds.
I have found only one cure, Goodyears Gaterback belt. You can pour coolant on it, car wash it, water crossings, no problem. It's got diagonal grooving on the ribs that keeps that awfull squeal/chirp harmonics from happining when the regular belts get contaminated. Costs a little more, but worth every penny.
 
RobertF said:
With everything in good shape, I have had the squeal/chirp from a perfectly good belt once a drop of coolant touches it, from washing the engine, and from deep water crossings. No amount of cleaning the belt rectifies the noise.
When it's making that noise (sounds like the waterpumps going out) you can verify it's the belt by spraying it with WD40 while its running and the noise will instantly go away for about 30 seconds.
I have found only one cure, Goodyears Gaterback belt. You can pour coolant on it, car wash it, water crossings, no problem. It's got diagonal grooving on the ribs that keeps that awfull squeal/chirp harmonics from happining when the regular belts get contaminated. Costs a little more, but worth every penny.
Click to expand...
makes sense, it was definitely dripping coolant near or on the belt and tensioning it didnt make a bit of difference.
 
Mine did the same thing. (A 90 xj) and replaced idler belt tried two different tention spec tools. It turned out that the harmonic balencer was seperating. To veryify. Its good just take a look down at it and line it up with another pully if they are not aligned you might want to take a clsoer look. In my case you could blantantly see the pully seperating. Hope that helps gl bro
 
RobertF said:
With everything in good shape, I have had the squeal/chirp from a perfectly good belt once a drop of coolant touches it, from washing the engine, and from deep water crossings. No amount of cleaning the belt rectifies the noise.
When it's making that noise (sounds like the waterpumps going out) you can verify it's the belt by spraying it with WD40 while its running and the noise will instantly go away for about 30 seconds.
I have found only one cure, Goodyears Gaterback belt. You can pour coolant on it, car wash it, water crossings, no problem. It's got diagonal grooving on the ribs that keeps that awfull squeal/chirp harmonics from happining when the regular belts get contaminated. Costs a little more, but worth every penny.
Click to expand...

good advice. i've always used one of those yellow tire marker crayons for that same purpose. after I got coolant all over a gates serp belt, it would start to chirp/squeal periodically. I'd just run the tire crayon across both sides of the belt whenever it started making noise again.
def check the balancer pulley to make sure the elastomer is not coming apart.
 
My 98 developed a weird squeak that I thought was the water pump. The water pump pulley was the culprit - it had a circular hairline crack around the mounting bolt holes. The cracked pulley would flex under load and make the chirping sound. It probably would have come apart into a few pieces had I left it alone.
 
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