%$@*&% idler pulley squeaking!!!
10-17-10, 08:06 PM
#1
%$@*&% idler pulley squeaking!!!
Squeaking coming from the PS / AC idler pulley area. Determined this by using a paper towel tube and listening through it until I found the source of the squeal.
In the process of trying to find and stop the squeal, I have replaced the PS pump with a known good one and also swapped the idler pulley with another - it still squeals.
I was able to stop the squeaking for a moment by taking the belt off and coating it in Armor All as a sort of belt dressing. Worked for a minute or so and then started squealing again. I replaced the belt with a brand new one and it stopped squealing for a while and started up again.
Anyhoo - best I can figure is its not the bearing squealing but the belt seating surface - as if the belt is not laying quite flat on the pulley and is slightly twisting (squealing) on the pulley. I notice a thin line in the middle of the belt that seems to have worn the letters off the new belt somewhat faster.
Has anyone else had this problem? I have been messing with it for weeks and I just can't stop the canary under my hood!!!
I am thinking the accessory bracket might be misaligned just a bit? I can't see it with my eye and it looks fine - but maybe I left a spacer or shim out somewhere that causes the pulley to be just slightly out of parallel with the main pulley?
I need help. This sucks. I thoroughly searched, tried to fix it myself several times, and failed.
In the process of trying to find and stop the squeal, I have replaced the PS pump with a known good one and also swapped the idler pulley with another - it still squeals.
I was able to stop the squeaking for a moment by taking the belt off and coating it in Armor All as a sort of belt dressing. Worked for a minute or so and then started squealing again. I replaced the belt with a brand new one and it stopped squealing for a while and started up again.
Anyhoo - best I can figure is its not the bearing squealing but the belt seating surface - as if the belt is not laying quite flat on the pulley and is slightly twisting (squealing) on the pulley. I notice a thin line in the middle of the belt that seems to have worn the letters off the new belt somewhat faster.
Has anyone else had this problem? I have been messing with it for weeks and I just can't stop the canary under my hood!!!
I am thinking the accessory bracket might be misaligned just a bit? I can't see it with my eye and it looks fine - but maybe I left a spacer or shim out somewhere that causes the pulley to be just slightly out of parallel with the main pulley?
I need help. This sucks. I thoroughly searched, tried to fix it myself several times, and failed.
10-17-10, 08:29 PM
#2
Buy a new belt. Clean all of the pulleys thoroughly with rubbing alcohol. Be sure to get in to each individual groove.
I've had this issue with other vehicles. If any oil or antifreeze (which has oil in it) gets on the belt, then it will squeak. Some belts will also squeak as they wear.
As far as alignment goes, there is no shim in the stock setup. It should line up as each components bolts on. If you are wondering if you are missing any pieces than review the FSM. It will show how each piece goes together. It's pretty straight forward, I'm sure it's not an alignment issue.
I alleviated the problem by doing this.
I've had this issue with other vehicles. If any oil or antifreeze (which has oil in it) gets on the belt, then it will squeak. Some belts will also squeak as they wear.
As far as alignment goes, there is no shim in the stock setup. It should line up as each components bolts on. If you are wondering if you are missing any pieces than review the FSM. It will show how each piece goes together. It's pretty straight forward, I'm sure it's not an alignment issue.
I alleviated the problem by doing this.
10-17-10, 08:40 PM
#4
"Street Ported"
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Same problem i used to have. Took out my a/c thinking that it was the compressor. But the squeeling was still there. Replace the idle pulley with another one still there. Finally decided to get the one from Pettit Racing and the squeeling was gone.
Check those bearing on the pulleys is known to go bad.
Check those bearing on the pulleys is known to go bad.
10-17-10, 09:07 PM
#5
Had the same problem - really couldn't tell where the squeek / squeal was comng from but somewhere around the AC or idler or PS pump. Changed belts to goodyear belts - didn't get rid of the squeek. I pressed a new bearing into the idler - no joy. I replaced the idler - no joy. I bought an aluminum pulley set (water pump, E-shaft, PS pump) - no joy. Took the AC compresser pulley apart and noticed corrosion and other junk in the grooves. I wire brushed the pulley clean to bright metal and the problem went away.
11-17-10, 01:03 PM
#10
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
Also, for no good reason, some idler pullies fit better backwards. Mine was like this. I've seen some FD's with the lip on the idler pulley towards the back of the car, mine liked it with the lip to the front of the car. The lip can push on the edge of the belt and misalign it slightly, giving you the squeak.
Dale
Dale
12-09-10, 07:51 PM
#12
Also, for no good reason, some idler pullies fit better backwards. Mine was like this. I've seen some FD's with the lip on the idler pulley towards the back of the car, mine liked it with the lip to the front of the car. The lip can push on the edge of the belt and misalign it slightly, giving you the squeak.
Dale
Dale
I CAN'T STOP THE ******* SQUEAK!
I even took the bearing cover off and greased it. No good.
It makes the car totally miserable to drive! I hate this ******* POS.
12-09-10, 07:59 PM
#13
I had the same problem, orderd a new pulley from Ray same thing. I got it to go away by adjusting the idler pulley while the car was at idle till the squeak went away. Shut the car down & check belt tension, then hopefully you should be good to go.
12-09-10, 08:24 PM
#15
I know you said you swapped the PS pump with a known good one, but did you change PS pulleys too? Even though you tracked the sound to the idler both pulleys are in close proximity and one is metal while the other is plastic...maybe that somehow fooled you. Speculating the PS pulley itself might be warped somehow and is messing up the belts??? Just thinking outloud...something to try.
12-09-10, 08:56 PM
#16
^^^ PS Pulley is Aluminum:
Anyhoo, while messing around with washers for shims or anything I could think of, I decided to spray degreaser on the belt (because I was out of Armor All).
Armor All would silence the belt for a few minutes but the degreaser has worked for about 15 minutes so far. I even washed it off with the hose and it is silent. I mean the squeaking was even louder than the bridgeport!!!
Maybe I'm getting oil or PS fluid on the belt somehow... causing it to squeak.
I don't know either. I'm thinking out loud.
Anyhoo, while messing around with washers for shims or anything I could think of, I decided to spray degreaser on the belt (because I was out of Armor All).
Armor All would silence the belt for a few minutes but the degreaser has worked for about 15 minutes so far. I even washed it off with the hose and it is silent. I mean the squeaking was even louder than the bridgeport!!!
Maybe I'm getting oil or PS fluid on the belt somehow... causing it to squeak.
I don't know either. I'm thinking out loud.
12-19-10, 06:45 PM
#19
i had a issue like this not too long ago. I replaced the idler pulley, bearing, belt and the noise was still present. I think what some people mentioned is on the right track of thinking. The final fix for my squeak was cleaning the belt.
Basically in the grooves of my belt there were little tiny flakes of METAL?!? I know this because I could pick the flakes up with a magnet. I chalked it up to the other metal pulleys like the ac/ps/"crank" getting old and embedding the material into the belt (which was new btw).
I suggest pullling the belt off, flipping it inside out, and really examining up close the grooves for ANY and all foreign material. I believe this is your issue because you said the noise goes away for a few minutes with a new belt but then comes back (after its been "contaminated")
It might not be you fix but it was mine and pulling the belt and checking it takes all of 10 mins so I'd give it a shot.
Basically in the grooves of my belt there were little tiny flakes of METAL?!? I know this because I could pick the flakes up with a magnet. I chalked it up to the other metal pulleys like the ac/ps/"crank" getting old and embedding the material into the belt (which was new btw).
I suggest pullling the belt off, flipping it inside out, and really examining up close the grooves for ANY and all foreign material. I believe this is your issue because you said the noise goes away for a few minutes with a new belt but then comes back (after its been "contaminated")
It might not be you fix but it was mine and pulling the belt and checking it takes all of 10 mins so I'd give it a shot.
12-22-10, 09:15 PM
#20
I hate it when searching threads like this and the solution to a problem is never posted.
Well - here is what it turned out to be:
The winner is PS Pulley. Apparently my aluminum pulley decided to start squealing for no apparent reason even though its been on the car for miles and miles of silent service. Ive removed it and looked at it and can't figure out what the dealio is but who cares??? I replaced it with the stock plastic pulley and I get SILENCE! SWEET SILENCE!!!! (Except for the music of the bridgeport)
Well - here is what it turned out to be:
The winner is PS Pulley. Apparently my aluminum pulley decided to start squealing for no apparent reason even though its been on the car for miles and miles of silent service. Ive removed it and looked at it and can't figure out what the dealio is but who cares??? I replaced it with the stock plastic pulley and I get SILENCE! SWEET SILENCE!!!! (Except for the music of the bridgeport)
12-23-10, 02:34 AM
#21
Rotary Freak
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I just started having these problems and it sounds like it is coming from the PS and/or idler.
Going to pull the belt off this weekend and check out the belt and pulleys. Do you know how I can tighten/loosen any of the pulleys?
Going to pull the belt off this weekend and check out the belt and pulleys. Do you know how I can tighten/loosen any of the pulleys?
12-23-10, 12:59 PM
#25
^^^ It was such a simple fix. Shoulda listened to ya mang. 
Prizes? You can have the old pulley! Its real pretty and makes a lot of noise. Kind of like an ex-girlfriend.
It was one of those ebay Ralco? pulley kits.
I have a pretty good idea what happened: SOMEONE was helping me during the last engine swap and wanted to remove the PS pump. They tried taking the pulley off by wedging something inside the pulley so they could take the center nut off (instead of using an impact) before I yelled at them.
I think the pulleys were really nice for the money and would get a replacement if one came up but Ive only seen the whole set for sale.
Prizes? You can have the old pulley! Its real pretty and makes a lot of noise. Kind of like an ex-girlfriend.It was one of those ebay Ralco? pulley kits.
I have a pretty good idea what happened: SOMEONE
was helping me during the last engine swap and wanted to remove the PS pump. They tried taking the pulley off by wedging something inside the pulley so they could take the center nut off (instead of using an impact) before I yelled at them.I think the pulleys were really nice for the money and would get a replacement if one came up but Ive only seen the whole set for sale.