OK, need some suggestions here. Last year I threw on a V1 plate (not matty's, original Stillen) with V2 blower. Since then I get a belt squeal when the engine/belt etc. is cold. Happens at Idle, low RPM. Once things get warmed up, it's rarely a problem. All pulleys seem to turn fine by hand, although that is not an indication of course how it operates at high speed, but still nothing stands out as being troublesome. Belt is brand spanking new gattorback, tension seems fine for what I used on my V2 for the last 5 years or so. So I'm looking for suggestions of what it could be, or things I could try. I'm trying to avoid the buy a bunch of stuff until I figure out the problem approach. Other potentially useful information outlined below.

Car is a 99, 5 spd, w/ 70k mi.
?? Blower miles, probably close to 100k
No problems with V2 plate
Exists on both 3.6" and 3.25" Dia Pulley
Changed plate, idler pulley, and tensioner pulley during swap.
Ran 1 winter between V2 and V1 with no S/C, so it wasn't overnight.
A/C, Climate Control typically off
PS belt seems fine, no problems in winter with no SC.

I have some good ideas but don't want to influence any unique thoughts, so let me hear it.

 

s/c rebuild time.....or just too tight on the belt

 

Nope, not an S/C rebuild yet unless you're getting that marbles-in-a-can noise. (Check the sticky I posted about that noise if you do hear it.)
Its because the belt isn't tight enough and because the thermometer is slowly dropping. I'm currently getting the belt slipping noise too, with the current V1 plate (had that too with the original V2 plate) and it disappears when the belt is warmed up. Best thing to do is to tighten the belt in increments. If you overtighten like me once, you'll speed up bearing wear on the blower.

 

I can try cinching it down a bit more, but I've tightened the belt countless times on the V2 plate, I'd be surprised if it took more tension with the V1, but could be. Could be a difference in wrap between the two somewhere. I have usually tried to get by the lightest tension I could without problems.

 

Just make sure that if u get below the car...grab the long part of the belt, and it should only twist 90*

 

I'll check it out, but like I said I've been tightening belts for 5 years, so It's not like I didn't consider this.

 

True, just covering all bases. Also make sure the belts aren't touching near the tensioner.

 

Well, if you've had the V2 for 5 years, you would know what the correct tension is; but are you sure that the belt is tensioned correctly on the V1? I'm not completly sure what the differences are but even the smallest change has to affect this thing, which affect this things, which affects belt tension; not only that, but how the blower actually behaves:
which is what I'm getting at. The only thing my mother has ever told me about cars was that an engine sort of "wears" to a certain person and their driving habits, if any conditions or another person affects the car, then things will act differently than if the same conditions had been kept the same. So maybe, just maybe, the belt noise is a result of a bearing not used to be turned or operated in the way it has been.
Just something to think about, I'm not insinuating anything with this statement.

To be honest, one of my belts does the same thing in the moring, and it doesnt affect driving, but it's ****ing embarrasing, which is my worst pet peeve. When it's cold (not all the time mind you) it squeels, and I hate it. Once it gets warmed up, not a sound; and it's always in the morning, even if I park for a long time and the engine gets cold, the squeel never comes back. So you are positively, 100% sure that its the S/C belt, right? (I'm N/A incase you haven't figured that out lol)

 

nope, could be the belt just needs to be quite a bit tighter. Has anyone else noticed this?

Good point and reasonable observation.

I'm not 100% sure, but the problem arises when the SC is thrown back on.



Another possibility is that I'm pretty sure my SC seals might be bad, and leaking oil. Is it is possible the oil is dripping down on my belt causing problems? Is it hard on the seals to sit all winter without motion?

 

I've gone through one winter already just using the stock belt only with no ill effects. That certainly did away with the belt noise. I just ziptied the blower belt to the side.

If oil is leaking onto the belt then you'll smell it as it burns off.

 

Yep, that could be the cause of it. I would imagine that you have oil in your intake pipes. If you do, it's really time for a rebuild.

Yes, you should start and run the car every week or two throughout the winter.

 

Well, have you told us all your ideas, or are you still holding back?

 

I drove the car all winter, but had the blower off, so the blower just sat in the basement.

Oil leaking down was one concern, although I don't notice oil in the intake. I wasn't really sure it was coming from the blower, but lately I'm starting to think it is. Doubt it's more than a drop every now and then though. Could be the idler pulley, I mean the thing is probably at least 10 years old, plus it's on the flat side of the belt, and the only thing that's really changed. It could be the blower too, but since it was fine before, It would have to be from sitting around for a year in my basement.