So I changed the belt a couple of weeks ago, and now everytime I start my car when it's cold, it'd squeak for maybe half a second right as the engine catches. I tried to tighten it, but that made it squeal for 2 seconds... I released it, and re-rightened, and now it squeaks again only for half a second or so...


sooo..... do i need to tighten it a bit more or release it a bit more or what?

 

Do you even have the torque specs for it?

It's either not tight enough, or the adjusting bolt is not holding.

 

Adjusting bolt not holding? What does that mean?

 

right. so you have two bolts, the adjuster and the locking bolt on the idler pulley. I think what he means is your locking bolt is not tight enough, which allows the adjuster to loosen. I noticed this on mine, and had to cinch up the locking bolt. I never had any belt squeal though. I also noticed that even after you cinch up the lock, you can tighten the adjuster just a tiny bit more -- this might help take up any slop and keep the system tight.

 

could it be your starter running out of grease? I had a squeaking noise and replaced the starter and now its gone

 

Ahhhh that makes sense. I'll try and tighten the locking bolt a bit and then tighten the belt a bit and see what happens.

I am fairly certain this is NOT the starter since, as I mentioned above, when I tightened it too much the belt squealed for longer. Besides, this happens right when the engine catches, not before.

 

well... before you re-tighten the lock, go ahead and loosen it, tighten down the adjuster until the belt is tight, then go back and torque down the lock. after that, cinch up the adjuster to take up any slop (but don't "wrench on it"). make sense??

the belt is tight when it only deflects ~1/8" between the crank pulley and the AC compressor. basically it shouldn't move much when you push on it.