Belt Squeaking-How do I stop this? Near Vacuum Pump Pulley - Diesel Forum

777funk · 12-31-2012, 02:38 PM

I have noticed that my belt is squeaky near the vacuum pump pulley. I just changed the belt and I changed 1/2 of the vac pump (the rotating half) thinking it was the bearing.

But I narrowed it down to the belt as the squeak by spritzing the belt with windex to lubricate it breifly. If I do this, the squeak goes for about 20-30 seconds then comes back. If I squirt the Windex right before the belt hits the vac pump pulley it quiets it down immediately so I realize that's where the squeak is coming from.

Any tips? I would hate to get stranded.

S95 · 12-31-2012, 03:13 PM

Good year Gatorback belts with the cross hatch ribs on them are about the only belts that dont squeal . did the vac pump re/re of front half include a new pully that still has the paint on it?

777funk · 12-31-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S95

Good year Gatorback belts with the cross hatch ribs on them are about the only belts that dont squeal . did the vac pump re/re of front half include a new pully that still has the paint on it?

No I re-used the pulley (no pulley included with the vacuum pump).

777funk · 01-02-2013, 08:27 AM

Any other tips just incase the Gatorback I just ordered doesn't do the trick?

Dr.Evil · 01-02-2013, 09:35 AM

All your idlers, tensioner, and driven accesories turning freely? I've got over 300,000 miles on the factory installed serpentine belt and it's never squeeked. The WP, Alt & vacuum pump have all been replaced, but the idler, tensioner, P/S pump, & A/C compressor are still the factory parts. The new belt, tensioner, & idler I bought ten years ago are still under the seat.

We had a discussion on another forum couple years ago that the ribs on the serpentine belts wear, they actually drive on the sides of the ribs like a v-belt and after a hundred thousand miles are prone to slippage, but I'm not 100% convinced of that... but it very well could be true. It would stand to reason that on real high milage trucks the grooved pulleys could wear too.

777funk · 01-02-2013, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Evil

All your idlers, tensioner, and driven accesories turning freely? I've got over 300,000 miles on the factory installed serpentine belt and it's never squeeked. The WP, Alt & vacuum pump have all been replaced, but the idler, tensioner, P/S pump, & A/C compressor are still the factory parts. The new belt, tensioner, & idler I bought ten years ago are still under the seat.

We had a discussion on another forum couple years ago that the ribs on the serpentine belts wear, they actually drive on the sides of the ribs like a v-belt and after a hundred thousand miles are prone to slippage, but I'm not 100% convinced of that... but it very well could be true. It would stand to reason that on real high milage trucks the grooved pulleys could wear too.

I need to check everything again, but I think so. The idlers and tensioner all have new bearings in them. Also, the alternator and vacuum pump have been replaced/rebuilt. I haven't checked the compressor or the p/s pump. It seemed like there was a little play in the p/s pump but no noises that I know of. If I squirt the belt it quiets down for a few seconds.

The belt is an o-reilly house brand. I notice that it's starting to fray on the side toward the front of the vehicle.

Patrick Feeley · 01-02-2013, 01:36 PM

Make sure the pulleys are all in line. If the side towards the fron is fraying you may need to adjust one of them (typically the power steering pump pulley). Also make surethat the tensioner is not "leaning" inward towards the motor. Cheers!

777funk · 01-02-2013, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Feeley

Make sure the pulleys are all in line. If the side towards the fron is fraying you may need to adjust one of them (typically the power steering pump pulley). Also make surethat the tensioner is not "leaning" inward towards the motor. Cheers!

Aha! I'd bet that's the bingo moment here. It's in that area (vac pump, p/s pump) that the squeak is coming from.

So that leads me to the next question... I didn't realize that the power steering pump/pulley could be adjusted. How would I do that?

Patrick Feeley · 01-02-2013, 10:01 PM

Get a Power Steering Pump pulley puller/installer (I got mine a AutoZone) and use it to move the pulley on the shaft in the direction it needs to go (mine was shredding the first rib off the belt ... a bit more drastic than yours ... and I moved it about 2mm which solved the problem). Cheers!

madpogue · 01-02-2013, 11:14 PM

You must have used a pulley tool (^^^^^) to swap the pulley when you replaced the vac pump. Same tool should work on the P/S pump pulley. But are you sure you fully seated the vac pump pulley when you replaced the pump? Who knows, maybe on the new pump, it should _not_ be fully seated; maybe it's the one that's out of alignment.

City Cruzer · 01-26-2013, 04:51 PM

Is there supposed to be any movement on the PS pump pulley? Mine slides back-and-forth on about 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch. i've got that same squeal and I'ver replaced nearly all the pulleys, and the water pump, vacuum pump. incidentally, the squeal only starting happening after i put in the new water pump. I've take the belt of and reseated it and the noise is still there.. driving me nuts!

S95 · 01-28-2013, 07:53 AM

my PS pulley moves at least that much.....its the only one that "self aligns". no squeaks from my belt.