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serpentine belt

jaros44

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Rochester NY
hey, i have a 98 cherokee sport and i have a problem with the serpentine belt. the belt is fairly new but when i put on the AC, the belt starts to whine. i don't know if its the tensioner or the AC compressor drawing more power causing it to slip. if any of you have had this problem i'd apperciate the help. thanks. GREAT SITE BYE THE WAY. JUST FOUND IT!!!!!!
 
I had a similar problem when my compressor bearing started to go. It made more of a grinding sound though. What i did to narrow it down was I took about a two to three foot section of electrical emt (that's what i had laying around at the time) put one end on the compressor while the engine was running and put my ear to the other end. You will notice a huge sound difference the closer you get to the problem. It is truly amazing how simple but effective this method is. You can even hear your fuel injectors opening and closing with this approach!

Hope this helps.

Burley
 
Try adjusting the tension in the belt...to do this use the screw located below the powersteering pump... its the top most right pulley if you're facing the engine....
 
belt dressing

I was having the same problem. The A/C draws HUGE amounts of power from the engine. A quick easy solution was to just spray "Belt Dressing" on your belt. The belt starts to get a glaze on it and the belt dressing breaks that glaze down preventing slipage. Thats all it took to solve my problem. I'm not sure that the tensioner is adjustable (never looked) I think the adjustment is in the power steering bracket. Then again.... depends which engine you have. V-8 is definatly differant than the 4.0 l
Either way.... the belt dressing will help. Its just a simple spray can too:)
 
If it is a 98 and the original belt REPLACE IT. Pickup a new belt at the dealer, the 98 remove/install is pretty easy depending....
Easy way, spend $35 on a very long thin 15MM box ratched wrench from Mac tools, fits right on to the idler pully under the power steering pump, loosen that pully maybe 1 turn. Look to the left of the PS pump and you will see a bolt head sticking up, start turning it and you will see the idler pulley start to release, back it off quite a ways as the new belt will be shorter than the old one. Remove the old belt and install the new one. Take note of the routing, it should be on the top of the radiator, little orange or yellow diagram. Make sure it matches your routing. Use a Krikit II belt tension gauge available from NAPA for $12 to set the tension to around 190lbs for a new belt and 160lbs for a used one, used being one that has been run 15minutes or longer. Unless you have a calibrated finger your best guess will get it to about 90lbs, use the gauge. Then don't forget to tighten the idler back up once you have it adjusted.
Harder way but $35 cheaper, same as above but remove the electric fan first so you can get a wrench on the idler pulley. Then put the fan back, be careful of the fan disconnect, it has two locks on that connector so don't force it. I've done it both ways, now I have the wrench. Tried sears for one but none of theirs were long enough and snap-on was even more expensive. For me that wrench now resides under my rear seat, along with my original belt. I would not want to be pulling that electric fan and stuff on a cold and stormy nite because a belt failed. They never break in nice weather where your tools and parts are handy do they !!!
 
hey thanks for all your help, im going to try to just replace the belt. i should anyway, no reason for using an old belt. well thanks again
 
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