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Belt Squeal

falcon556 said:
A sqealing belt is very common on XJ and ZJ 4.0. On the WJ they included a belt tensioner and eliminated loose belts.
I run in to this problem quite often because I try to tighten to the minimum to avoid stressing other components, it squeals, I make it a little tighter, it stops.
Click to expand...

Got my KRIKIT from NAPA. Belt loose, as expected, now at least I have something to guide me. The tool is easy to use and I believe that it works well, based on how it works. A predetermined force (click) causes a predictable deflection. I took several readings and unless I tried hard to do it wrong, they were consistent. I am sure there are better and more accurate gauges out there but I think that for less than $20 you just can't go wrong.
BTW I still try to have the belt tensioned a little on the loose side to help the bearings last a little longer.
 
Clean the pullys with brake cleaner before installing the new belt. Then tension so it has about 1/4" play in it. Run it for 5 minutes to get it aligned, then check the tension again.
 
I just replaced my belt after the thing started to squeal on startup with the AC on. There was a lot of fine rubber belt dust on the underside of the hood right were the AC comp is. I was worried that the AC clutch was on the way out, but so far it has been fine since the new belt was installed 5 days ago.
I am inpressed with the belt tightening system on this engine. Very simple to do, and no prybar needed, so no chance of slipping and punching a hole in myself or the rad. :thumbup:
 
falcon556 said:
The NAPA part number is NBHKR2, but don't try to do a search online with this number, it will not recognize it, instead either call a local store and give them the number (they are not able to find it) or go online and do a search with the word " belt " as the keyword. Click on "belt tension Gauge", it will cost you a little extra for shipping and you will save on having to drive to them to pay to order it (they don't accept credit card phone orders) and then once more to pick it up a week later.
What a bunch of morons!!!!!!
Click to expand...

You local Napa store will find the Kriket II under part number "KR2" in their system (leaving out the "NBH").
 
lylep said:
You local Napa store will find the Kriket II under part number "KR2" in their system (leaving out the "NBH").
Click to expand...

Actually they found it under NBHKR2 after I gave them the number. Why should I have to know their number?

Off topic but fun.
I ordered a part at O'Reillys, they told me to pick it up three days later.
Three days later I called them, the part was in.
Next day I go to pick it up. I get in and the first two young sailesmen were free. I go to the second one and tell him that I'm there to pick up the part.
He asked me for the part number, I told him I didn't know it. Slightly irritated he told me that he can't check in his computer without the part number.
More than slightly irritated, I told him that if he needs the number so badly, he can ask his buddy next to him to find the number and then give to him because I don't know how to get it.
The irritated young man checks and tells me that the order had been cancelled. I said something regarding public education, left and went to Autozone.
 
Old thread brought back to life.

Mine only squeals when it's been parked in the sun on a hot day. Is it safe to tighten the belt???
 
Smart-Ass!!

What I meant to ask was will tightening a hot belt FU anything? Or should I just live with it? It was never a problem until this summer, and I did have a new H2O pump installed last winter.
 
Go ahead and tighten as long as the belt is in good shape. Beware that an overtightened belt may lead to failure of other components in the pulley system. It will put undue stress on the bearings on items such as the alternator, a/c compressor, ps pump and water pump. Proper tensioning is important.
 
jman said:
mine did the same. I put a new belt on and it seems to have solved the problem
Click to expand...

What was it that solved the problem, the new belt or the tensioning.
Basically, people like me that graduated from V belts to serpentines sometimes have a hard time with the proper tension. A serpentine is very tight when properly tensioned. I ended up getting a NAPA tension gauge and made my life easier.
Most of the time, squeel means not enough tension.
 
Squeal means one of two things. Your belt is slipping, or a component the belt is driving is not spinning as it should. Most likely, it is the former. A slipping belt is caused by two things again. Either it is not tight enough, or it is to stretched out/glazed to get enough friction to overcome the resistance of the pullies. I usually hit it with belt dressing, if that stops things I try tightening a bit, and if that doesn't make it go away, probably time to replace the belt. It's probably the cheapest/easiest thing to replace out of the mess, and knowing most on this sight it hasn't been replaced in a looong time. If it's not the belt, you will probably hear a specific pulley squealing, and may be able to pinpoint it to that somponent with some further troubleshooting.

Cliff notes- Your belt is probably old/loose. Try tightening it, your not going to hurt anything unless you go nuts on it. If not, check everything with a pulley.
 
98XJSport said:
Squeal means one of two things. Your belt is slipping, or a component the belt is driving is not spinning as it should. Most likely, it is the former. A slipping belt is caused by two things again. Either it is not tight enough, or it is to stretched out/glazed to get enough friction to overcome the resistance of the pullies. I usually hit it with belt dressing, if that stops things I try tightening a bit, and if that doesn't make it go away, probably time to replace the belt. It's probably the cheapest/easiest thing to replace out of the mess, and knowing most on this sight it hasn't been replaced in a looong time. If it's not the belt, you will probably hear a specific pulley squealing, and may be able to pinpoint it to that somponent with some further troubleshooting.

Cliff notes- Your belt is probably old/loose. Try tightening it, your not going to hurt anything unless you go nuts on it. If not, check everything with a pulley.
Click to expand...


Belt's about a year old, Gatorbak, IIRC.

I'm guessing the problem is the H2O pump was swaped out in February and the belt was cold. Now it sets in the sun and gets hot and more stretchy. I tightened it up a bit. We'll see if that cures it. If not I'll get some belt dressing or just swap out the belt. Thanks guys!

Brian
 
Ive never actually had it fix anything, but Ive had it change the squeal, indicating slipping.
 
I have squelling belt issue also. Still hunting the source down. I put water on the belt while it was running...noise goes away...for a minute or so.

I tried belt dressing in the parking lot of AZ...The belt made a gawd awful noise....and you should of seen the looks I got while heading home. Im repalcing the a/c bracket with the fan shaft bearing assembly (waiting 0n part) and have repalced the idler bearing....Changed the WP and the alternater and PS pump sound good. I changed out the a/c clutch bearings a 100 miles ago....

That should "fix" my belt squell...throw enough $$$ and you can fix anything.
 
Fish'nCarz said:
Belt's about a year old, Gatorbak, IIRC.
Brian
Click to expand...

I don't know what you guys think, I think that Gatorback is trash.
They don't seem to be stiff enough and I think they keep streching for ever.
 
ptf18 said:
I have squelling belt issue also. Still hunting the source down. I put water on the belt while it was running...noise goes away...for a minute or so.

I tried belt dressing in the parking lot of AZ...The belt made a gawd awful noise....and you should of seen the looks I got while heading home. Im repalcing the a/c bracket with the fan shaft bearing assembly (waiting 0n part) and have repalced the idler bearing....Changed the WP and the alternater and PS pump sound good. I changed out the a/c clutch bearings a 100 miles ago....

That should "fix" my belt squell...throw enough $$$ and you can fix anything.
Click to expand...

Have you tried tightening it?
 
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