Thread: Mysterious Squeak Location ***SOLVED***

***UPDATE*** 1.26.2012
We got the tensioner on, its an awesome success. But as the belt was off, we learned that the power steering pump is going out. After starting her up, of course theres absolutely no noise other then the power steering pump. I can get that taken care of within 2 weeks or so. $55 repair for me. But thats it, the squeal is gone an i cant be more satisfied. No more guessing.

***UPDATE*** 1.25.2013
Well i did install the new pulley, still a squeal but as i installed it, i believe i stripped the bolt because it never tights, so that being said, i cant release tention on the belt without having to push down on the pulley, making the arm of the tensioner spring down. So i called a back up guy thats a mechanic (my son's moms' brother) an explained to him the problems of everything, the frustration of what ive been going through and he thinks what i think also, i need a whole new tensioner assembly. He actually said he had to replace his on his vehicle.

Thats a little bit of money but ill have help, price reduction. Im quite excited an cant wait for this to get over with. Also, i spun my alternator pulley the right way and theres a little squeak to that so ill be replacing my alternator soon.

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Sometime last year, my car was squealing SOOO bad, i filmed the sound an someone here told me they were sure it was belt slipping and convinced me to replace it. Well i did and it took care of the problem but only for a couple days, then it was just a little squeak. But since ive bought my car from someone, it always had a little squeak but eventually after an hour or so of driving, the squeak will go away.

Now my belt still looks great, not even 10k miles on it. Im back to a squeak but not like belt slippage. For awhile i thought it was my alternator pulley bearings squeaking but as i listen a little carefully and look at the tensioner, the bolt that holds the pulley has a little play to it and when it moves, its like it moves with the squeal (not sure if thats normal and yes the bolt is tight) so its like its my idler pulley. BUT that was replaced a week or so before i got my new belt thinking that was it.

The worse part of this is that when taking the belt off to spin the pulleys, no squeak comes from any pulley other then the alternator pulley but thats spinning it the opposite direction.

On cold starts, everything is quite until a minute or so an then the squeak starts in. Again, after driving awhile it eventually goes away but comes back after cold starts. When driving, it does indeed squeal faster.

Im lost with this squeal and im not putting a band aid on it spraying different sprays on it because that doesnt take care of the problem but im curious as the belt tensioner, possible? Why im curious about the tensioner, when i turn the car off, i grabbed the idler pulley and pushed the arm up and down on the tensioner, started the car BAM the squeak is gone but for only a few seconds, it will start out quite an gets louder again.

Oh and i took a little bit of sand paper to the pulleys because they are kinda glazed but no change at all.

Please guys help i cant figure it out, it makes my car sound like a piece of crap

One way I find little squeaks is with an automotive stethoscope and start listening around. Some people say u can get a large wrench and it works the same but I haven't had any luck that way. That'll help u locate the squeak.

Another thing. Take the belt off then start the car. See if it squeaks then. But don't let it run to ling that way cause it'll overheat

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Originally Posted by marines542

One way I find little squeaks is with an automotive stethoscope and start listening around. Some people say u can get a large wrench and it works the same but I haven't had any luck that way. That'll help u locate the squeak.

Another thing. Take the belt off then start the car. See if it squeaks then. But don't let it run to ling that way cause it'll overheat

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I have actually tried that, i got nothing from that either. So these stethoscopes are for exact problems like this, pointing out where the squeak is coming from?

Yup they can be used for squeaks...knocks...and many other things

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Another thing to think about, could it very be possible the pulleys are just glazed? I mean putting silicone spray on any pulley, the squeak stops for a few mins but then comes right back. Should i try getting into the rigged pulleys with some sand paper a little bit better? Of course not to over do it.

If u spray and the squeak stops id think its the belt. Did u just buy the cheapest belt u could? Or did u buy a good quality belt?

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Originally Posted by marines542

If u spray and the squeak stops id think its the belt. Did u just buy the cheapest belt u could? Or did u buy a good quality belt?

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Oh yeah it has always done that, spraying it on any pulley at all or or even just the belt a little bit, it does indeed stop but not for long. Now i think the belt is a little glazed also, maybe i should of sanded the pulleys down a little bit before putting the new belt on.

The belt i have is the Dayco Poly Rib Poly-Rib® Belt from Advanced Auto. Then there was the Drive-Rite V-Ribbed Belt but i heard Dayco was a little better. Whats a good quality belt?

If it wasn't dark out an SOOOO cold (its 7 right now) id film it. Regardless the cold, its just dark so if need be, i can show you the pulley's and the belt also.

Originally Posted by Adidasdude1989

Oh yeah it has always done that, spraying it on any pulley at all or or even just the belt a little bit, it does indeed stop but not for long. Now i think the belt is a little glazed also, maybe i should of sanded the pulleys down a little bit before putting the new belt on.

The belt i have is the Dayco Poly Rib Poly-Rib® Belt from Advanced Auto. Then there was the Drive-Rite V-Ribbed Belt but i heard Dayco was a little better. Whats a good quality belt?

If it wasn't dark out an SOOOO cold (its 7 right now) id film it. Regardless the cold, its just dark so if need be, i can show you the pulley's and the belt also.

Gates belts are what I think are the best. Someone on here told me to get them and its a great high quality belt. Oreillys auto parts sells em in store.

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Originally Posted by marines542

Gates belts are what I think are the best. Someone on here told me to get them and its a great high quality belt. Oreillys auto parts sells em in store.

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You think i should go purchase 1 then give the pulleys' a nice little sanding to see what that does?

Gonna go with the what if's. Now what if this doesnt work, next step would be......?

if you belt went bad, the tensioner cant be any better, id rather see you try that first over another belt

after a re-read,, you were talkin about a pully that could wobble, you called it both your idler/tensioner. but either way If thats true i could see it sqeak as the belt slides across the pully as it wobbles. Which also makes sense why when you lubricate it the sqeak stopps for a bit,

just some thoughts

Originally Posted by marines542

before when i said to remove the belt and see if it still squeaks...did it still squeak or was the squeak gone? also when you replace the belt less than 10k miles ago did it squeak when you put the new belt onto it?

Before i started looking more an more of the possibilities of belt squeaks, that was the first thing i tried, weeks ago before i bought the belt i have now. I spun each pulley, even when the car was started an there was nothing. The only squeak there was, was my alternator pulley BUT, that was when i was spinning it the opposite direction then it was suppose to. It was a silent constant squeak but of course spinning it the right way, i got nothing. Now when i bought this new belt, i threw it on and my car was quite for literally 2 days, even on cold start ups. At the time it was still summer. But around the 3rd day, there was a tiny squeak that started in which made me disappointed and now its worse, embarrassing actually because i love my car and im trying to keep it running as long as i can.

Originally Posted by Seachicken

if you belt went bad, the tensioner cant be any better, id rather see you try that first over another belt

after a re-read,, you were talkin about a pully that could wobble, you called it both your idler/tensioner. but either way If thats true i could see it sqeak as the belt slides across the pully as it wobbles. Which also makes sense why when you lubricate it the sqeak stopps for a bit,

just some thoughts

Yes theres a little wobble in the bolt that holds the idler pulley to the arm of the tensioner. It doesnt spin smoothly without play. I mean its not crazy wobbly at all but for a rookies eyes, its something id point out to someone who knows whats normal or whats not.

I wanted to film everything but my i dont have a flash light and i couldnt use the LED light on my phone because the battery was to low. Man you guys should of heard what i heard today, im just 1 frustrated person.

My car was well maintained, i take care of it the best way i can. It gets its oil changes regularly. I have a few things wrong with it now that i cant seem to afford to fix up due to my financial crisis ive been going through since November. Like it needs a transmission flush, radiator flush, it also needs a lower motor mount which is 1st on the list. Then i got some clunking in the rear which i do believe is due to rear sway bar links and 1 day (which is last on the list) i will figure out why i have no power to my washer pump, not having wiper sprays sucks badly but as far as i know. Thats all that my car needs done.

I have my brother taken a look at this squeak tomorrow. (hopefully) And if i get it looked at, i will post each other's thoughts an let you guys know.

To bad ur not close to hear...ya could come down and throw it on the lift and we could do it all at once! Haha but if one of the pulleys does have wiggle in it that would be a good place to start. But again a video would still make this easier...hear by ear if ya know what I mean

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Originally Posted by marines542

To bad ur not close to hear...ya could come down and throw it on the lift and we could do it all at once! Haha but if one of the pulleys does have wiggle in it that would be a good place to start. But again a video would still make this easier...hear by ear if ya know what I mean

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An ya see, that would be awesome as hell to relate with someone with a Grand Prix. Id totally be down with that if i could, most definitely. I dont have many people to rely on anyone here and i refuse to go to the garage's that will over charge me.

But for the fun, id still have fun having it checked out for someone that knows wtf they're doing and figure out what more needs to be done, im trying to learn this stuff. Trying to make this car LAST as long as it can go. Damn it now im anxious.

Yes i will film it tomorrow regardless if my brother checks it out or not just so you can take a little gander at it.

Originally Posted by marines542

i doubt its something that will make your car break...probably just a simple problem and the hard part is just locating it is gonna be the hard part. take some pics of the pulleys that actually have some wobble in it and a video if possible. im on pretty much everyday so ya can take em in the daylight tomorrow

Ok bro, i filmed what i could, pay attention to the idler pulley and the tensioner when i get a close shot, little movement on both. But anyways, there it is. Im heading out to my brothers now an will be back on to see what you think and what he says. Thanks for sticking around an trying to help me out. Video is on my first post.

Wow that is one hell of annoying noise. But I'm pretty sure its the tensioner pulley. U can see it moving in the video. When I get on my laptop I'll post a link to rock auto where u can get one from. You'll also need new coolant elbows as well when u go to change it. I don't think that bullet is sold separately

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yea...... thats bearing noise, very metalic, replace the wobbler

Ok so i just got back, he checked it out an first thing he did was push on the bolt thats holding the tensioner pulley, well it wasnt as loud when he did that, in fact the squeal calmed down. I shut the car off, he tightened the bolt, started her back up, there was still a squeal but definitely not as loud so he straight up told me that the bearing in this pulley is shot (i just got this pulley before the belt wtf?). But heading home, its almost louder as it was when he checked it out. So i decided to get a brand new pulley, i got the money so why not, gonna slap it on tomorrow and see where it gets me, id do it myself but i dont have the socket. I have a feeling theres still gonna be at least a squeak after putting this new 1 on an if so, ima be mad because there was still squeaking when i bought 1 last time. I just want it to all stop an have a quite running car.

Lets pray this works