Squeal - Pulley?

[leasam]

Hi,

I just purchased a 96 VS Wagon Series II.

Whilst at the dealer I notice a squealing sound. It turned out to be, or was told it was, a pulley, which was supposedly replaced.

I drive the car 200km after I picked it up with no sound, but the day after I got home, there it was again. I called the dealer who said "The people who sprayed the red stuff around the belt, and to leave it a week to go away". Am I being mislead?

I dont know what the red stuff is - some kind of lubricant I presume.

The noise increases with acceleration and is damn embarrassing to say the least!

Any ideas??

Lea

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

It could be one of three pulleys; the tensioner, or one of the idler pulleys. Take the belt of and spin each by hand, the one that is rough feeling will be the culprit.

[leasam]

Thanks...I will try this when it stops raining and hailing!

[leasam]

Could it be the alternator? The brushes are pretty worn, but its still doing its job.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The alternator will hum, not squeal.

[hako]

It could also be that either the belt has stretched (unusual) or the tensioner has problems though the first check is the one suggested by NAAF

[leasam]

Hmmm...the belt is pretty new. I thought alternators squeal when the bearings are shot.

[apoc585]

Check ur tensioner pulley as NAAF suggested. Wen mine went in my old vs, it was squealing n i had no idea wat it was then i heard a bang n there goes my tensioner pulley down the road n my engine cut out. get a metal one and you'll be sweet

[leasam]

My hubby took the car down the road a bit in a 100km zone and when he got home it wasnt making the noise.

I believe that the tensioner pulley had been replaced.

[leasam]

Took the car to the RACV service centre....The tensioner pulley is the wrong size! The mechanic, when I bought it, should have picked this up when I was concerned about the squeal....useless!

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Ahhh so it isn't tensioning the belt enough....that would certainly cause a squeal. Take it back to the dealer and make them put the correct size pulley on.

[leasam]

Hmmm..just found out its actually the drive belt tensioner unit!

[ozengines]

I get a squeal in my VR Wagon from the main belt, I usually rub a piece of dusty chalk onto the belt when it is STOPPED. (NOT while it is running, trust me, your hand WILL be pulled into the pulley) Rub it into the groves on the belt. If it is not a bearing , you get a glaze on the pulleys and if the belt is a little worn or perished it can squeal. The chalk takes the glaze off the pulley for a while. If you ever change your belt, rough up all the pulleys with medium emery paper then fit the new belt, squeal fixed. Mine has just started again after 8 months, we had 4 days of rain and the car has not been used, a little rust on the pulleys. I will chalk them later today ;-)