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I replaced my serpentine belt at my last oil change, and for about 4 months no noises at idle, now it's back to making some noise on idle, and made a weird screech after backing up (after a car wash).
The belt noise is not as loud as before the change, but noticeable to me, any thoughts before I commit to bringing it back to the Indy?
Water pump failing, get it replace quick.....
Before my new drive belt broke, I heard the occasional squeaking noise.... now I know it is the water pump... it seized and the new belt broke...
Rather than jump to the worst possible conclusion based on minimal information (gotta love Rennlist), stick your head in the engine compartment and narrow down where its coming from. Its either the belt or a pulley. I'd change the belt first, see if it goes away. If not, listen to each of the pulleys and see which one is making the noise.
It's possible your tensioner isn't supplying enough tension any more and when you went to the car wash and the belt was wet, it slipped while spinning, causing the screech sound. I would check that first. Also make sure the belt is installed properly with the grooved side marrying up to the grooved pulleys and the smooth side with the smooth pulleys. It's possible it got flipped over and installed the opposite way, which will not give you enough grip on either type of pulley to prevent it from slipping. Attached is a belt routing diagram so you can also check the path around the pulleys.
I replaced my serpentine belt at my last oil change, and for about 4 months no noises at idle, now it's back to making some noise on idle, and made a weird screech after backing up (after a car wash).
The belt noise is not as loud as before the change, but noticeable to me, any thoughts before I commit to bringing it back to the Indy?
The "weird screech" after a car wash can be water on the belt/accessory drive pulleys. My 996 Turbo belt makes a noise -- not a screech though but a chirp -- when I start the engine after a wash (or the car has sat out in the rain). The belt slips -- one can tell because the battery volt gage reads pretty low as the alternator is not being spun and is not generating electricity -- but within a moment or two of just letting the engine idle the accessory drive dries out and all is ok again.
If you are hearing noise from the accessory drive area when the car is dry you need to identify the source of the noise and get it fixed pronto. If it is a water pump (or really anything) it can go from bad to worse and posssibly cause more expensive to repair collateral damage.
Check the belt for sharp edges. If you find any that's a good sign the belt is rubbing on an accessory drive pulley wall and it is doing that because it is not tracking properly and it is not tracking properly because an accessory drive has too much bearing play.
In this case the most common culprit is the water pump.
You can remove the belt -- carefully note its routing and the direction in which it runs so you can reinstall it correctly -- then check each accessory drive for excessive (really any) bearing play either in the radial or axial directions.
When I heard a noise from my Boxster and suspected the water pump and did the above I found the fairly new belt had an inside edge sharp. The other edge of the new belt and both edges of the old belt were all dull.
There was a bit of play at the water pump. Not lots but there was play at the wate pump and no play at any of the other accessory drives: A/C compressor, alternator, power steering pump.
I installed the belt and buttoned the car up and called for a flat bed tow truck to haul the car the 20+ miles to the nearest dealer to have the water pump/T-stat replaced.
Another source of the noise can be an idler/tenisoner roller bearing. I've had to replace these in my 996 Turbo twice now in just 155K miles. The first time I heard a "dry bearing" sound. The 2nd time I'd hear an occasional "chirp" or "squeak".
The Turbo water pump has also been replaced -- at another time -- but it was not making any noise. On a hot day with the engine fully up to temperature I smelled a whiff of anti-freeze. At the dealer on the lift an inspection found signs of coolant leaking from behind the water pump pulley.
Thanks for the replies, I find it odd that the noise would completely disappear for months, then return. From what I can tell it's coming from the left side, near the alternator/ idler area, and seems to vary a bit with temps (higher temps at idle make the noise more evident). Before the belt change it was chirping away.
Reviving this old thread as my car has been experiencing something similar. After washing my car the other day, I noticed the screeching noise and as soon as I backed out of the driveway, I lost power steering for a few seconds. Took it to my Indy and they replaced the belt tensioner and pulley.
Unfortunately, once the car was up to temperature and stopped at a traffic light, the screeching noise is back, however, I can make it go away (mostly) if I press the A/C off button. I did notice over the past couple of days that sometimes even with the A/C off, I can still hear a very faint screeching noise.
Any insights into this issue will be greatly appreciated before I take it back to my Indy.
Reviving this old thread as my car has been experiencing something similar. After washing my car the other day, I noticed the screeching noise and as soon as I backed out of the driveway, I lost power steering for a few seconds. Took it to my Indy and they replaced the belt tensioner and pulley.
Unfortunately, once the car was up to temperature and stopped at a traffic light, the screeching noise is back, however, I can make it go away (mostly) if I press the A/C off button. I did notice over the past couple of days that sometimes even with the A/C off, I can still hear a very faint screeching noise.
Any insights into this issue will be greatly appreciated before I take it back to my Indy.
Thanks!
Sounds like your A/C compressor may be on the way out and the clutch in it is starting to lock up, which then makes the belt slide across the pulley instead of turning it and that's what makes the screeching rubber sound, then it spins again and it goes away. If it locks up completely, it will throw the belt off and strand you. Will it ever make the noise if you have the HVAC off or in Eco mode (not Defrost mode which will turn on the compressor even if in eco) which doesn't run the A/C compressor? If it still does it, it's most likely the compressor idler pulley. If it doesn't do it in that mode, it's most likely the compressor clutch.
Thank you very much for the very detailed reply Pete! I will do the test with the HVAC completely off once I’m back home and see if the noise is still there. It seems a new compressor is in my immediate future regardless of the results as it seems that the compressor clutch or pulley is not available for purchase individually
Thank you very much for the very detailed reply Pete! I will do the test with the HVAC completely off once I’m back home and see if the noise is still there. It seems a new compressor is in my immediate future regardless of the results as it seems that the compressor clutch or pulley is not available for purchase individually
Get the compressor diagnosis confirmed by a shop before doing anything about it as they're expensive I think.
07-06-2017, 12:56 PM
belt noise return
