squeaking under the hood

[ExtremeZ]

it's really getting annoying. it does it when the car is cold. it squeaks in unison with the idle. slower at lower rpm's, faster at higher rpm's. seems to stop once the car has warmed or the fan kicks in.

is it a pulley? any suggestions? maybe i can record a clip of it if it helps.

 

[streethorse]

You might need a new drive belt or belt tensioner. I recomend a Goodyear
Gatorback belt.

 

[GDTrumbo]

Mine exibits this same squeek. Usually does it on initial start-up on a damp morning. I'll be replacing the tensioner/pully assy, the idler pulley and replacing the belt with a new Gatorback belt.

GT

 

[Brian2002GT]

I'm in the same boat. I know this thread is a few years old, but can you give me a outcome to replacing all those items to make it go away?

 

[N8Dogg98]

Earlier belt tensioners were made of aluminum and tended to fatigue over time bending slightly causing uneven belt wear and a "squeaking" noise. It can also be the sign of an old belt.

First I'd try replacing the belt with a gatorback as said above. They aren't very easy to find these days (Autozone and O'Reilly used to carry them, but no more) so you'll likely need to get it online. It's an excellent belt though and IMO is quieter than most aftermarket/stock replacement belts. If that doesn't cure the squeak, then I'd remove and examine the tensioner. If it is built of aluminum that is also a likely culprit. I believe the stock replacement belt tensioners are made of steel and shouldn't have the same issue.

 

[Brian2002GT]

Ok, well I've already replaced the tensioner assembly, left me with a very quiet squeek. I'll replace the belt this weekend and see if the bad tensioner from before ruined my new belt I put on a few months ago. I'm not too keen on checking pulley alignment. I can say that when I look down from the side of the car, my A/C and pulley and crank stick out a little bit more than all the others. Is that normal?

 

[5speed]

One thing I will say, I had a really bad noise under the hood, sounded like a belt, but me and a friend listened to it and it was in fact the IAC valve making the noise. Easy enough to tell, just put your head near the engine when you have the hood open and listen. If you think it might be the IAC, the easy way to tell is to give it some throttle (have a friend hit the gas or pull the cable yourself on the engine) and unplug the IAC and see if the noise goes away. Note: you must keep giving it throttle while the IAC is unplugged or the car will die.

 

[OonDeanisS]

my car runs great with the IAC unplugged

 

[Jinx]

I've been in a situation similar to this. To test if your belt is slipping, and causing the chirping:

Get a bar of soap.
Start the car and let it idle.
While the noise is occurring, with the engine running, carefully contact the bar of soap to the back side (flat non-grooved) of the the belt.
If the noise stops after a few rotations, get yourself a new belt.

 

[N8Dogg98]

I've been in a situation similar to this. To test if your belt is slipping, and causing the chirping:

Get a bar of soap.
Start the car and let it idle.
While the noise is occurring, with the engine running, carefully contact the bar of soap to the back side (flat non-grooved) of the the belt.
If the noise stops after a few rotations, get yourself a new belt.

Why would you need a new belt if you just got the soap out to clean the old one up?