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AC/Alternator Drive Belt Squeal..

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Old Jan 3, 2007 | 01:44 PM
  #1  
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AC/Alternator Drive Belt Squeal..

I’m not sure if this is related to the MotorStorm UDP but my AC/Alternator belt is squealing quite badly. Everything was fine after the UDP for 5K, but then I parked the car for ~3 months not really driving it. I did start it up once every 2 week and take it around the block to warm it up. Suddenly one day, right after start up, I hear a squeal…

At first I though it was a loose belt but that was not the case. Then I though it was the idler pulley so I replace that. Now the squeal is a different frequency/pitch but still there and very annoying!.. A mechanic of a friend took a quick look and think it maybe the AC Condenser (ouch, not cheap and I can’t do that myself). Has anyone else encountered the AC Condenser going bad? Anyone else with UDP had this problem?

I am not familiar with the drive belts but the strange thing is the squeal happens when I accelerate and when I am in ‘D’ but stopped at a light. The squeal disappears if put the transmission in ‘N’ while stopped at a light and does not seem to make as much noise when going in ‘R’!?!? Does this mean it is not the AC condenser b/c shouldn’t the belt still be spinning even though I am in neutral since this is also the alternator belt?

Can someone give me some hints as to what I can trouble shoot or can help me narrow this down?.. Thanks in advance. This is driving me NUTS!
Old Jan 3, 2007 | 02:31 PM
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don't know where your squeel is coming from, but if you take the belt off and spin by hand can you tell anything? any wobble in any of the pulleys maybe?
I have problems with belt squeeling, but need a crank pully.....you still have yours? wanna sell it?
Thanks,
2Maximas
Old Jan 3, 2007 | 04:47 PM
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I don't know where my squeel is coming from either. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Old Jan 3, 2007 | 11:36 PM
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How do you know it is not loose?
Old Jan 4, 2007 | 06:50 AM
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I paid a mechanic to put in the new idler and they had to adjusted/retighten it as part of the job. I guess there is the possibility that they still did not tighten it properly…

Any idea what a bad/worn UDP bearing or AC Condenser bearing sounds like?

The tough part is I really don’t know much about working on the drive belts and it is a bit cold/dark to work outside by the time I get off work.
Old Jan 4, 2007 | 07:14 AM
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I paid a mech $411 to replace my alty, along with a serp belt. He didnt tighten the alty belt to spec, and it squeeled horribly loud on startup(only on cold days or when the engine isnt warm). Took it back, 10 minutes later I was out of there with no squeel.

Mine would squeel only when th engine is cold. It would make the noise right after startup for about 1-2 seconds. Horribly loud. Depending on how warm the engine was, the colder, the longer the noise, the warmer, the shorter the noise.

Hope that helps.
Old Jan 4, 2007 | 07:20 AM
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Mine does the same thing, I think my idler pulley is getting old/bad.
Old Jan 4, 2007 | 08:43 AM
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Originally Posted by PhillyDonut
I paid a mechanic to put in the new idler and they had to adjusted/retighten it as part of the job. I guess there is the possibility that they still did not tighten it properly…

Any idea what a bad/worn UDP bearing or AC Condenser bearing sounds like?

The tough part is I really don’t know much about working on the drive belts and it is a bit cold/dark to work outside by the time I get off work.
did it get adjusted at the time of install only...cause if u didnt go back like a week later chances are it jsut stretched a bit and just needs to be tightened
Old Jan 5, 2007 | 01:34 PM
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I'll go back and check this weekend but can someone tell me exactly how many pulleys there are on the VQ engine?

Also, I did a little digging and I 'think' I may have found my problem. I think there is corrosion in my UDP/crankcase b/c of how two different metals not liking each other and will cause corrosion. This aligns with what the mechanic said it could be corrosion and how the guy who put it in did not use any anti-seize and how it started after leaving the car parked for a long period of time (sort of) and suddenly acting up!...
Old Mar 26, 2007 | 07:50 PM
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I'm new and need help.
I getting this "eeeeeeeeee" when I cold start with the air/heat on.
When I turn off the air/heat it stops
If I give it some gas it get louder.
When the car heat up it also stops.

You guys think it the alternator belt? How do I fix that.
Old Mar 28, 2007 | 06:13 AM
  #11  
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Read this post thoroughly:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=506182

It could be the belt, idler, or AC condenser... and it can could be the alternator but seems unlikely based on what you described.
Old Mar 28, 2007 | 01:57 PM
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From: South Texas
Belt squeal: Investigate your parking spot for signs of small oil drops, passenger side, about lined up with the rear of the front tire. If that's the case, there's more oil falling on your belt(s) than on the floor. This makes the belt squeal for a minute or so until it is spun off. It'll squeal after being parked a while but otherwise just behaves itself. You might have to replace your valve cover gaskets. I did.
Old Mar 28, 2007 | 09:09 PM
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I would first check to make the belt is tight. I put on new belts and everything was fine and then it started squealing one day. I readjusted the tension on the belt and that solved the problem. I think the belt just stretched some.
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