Something squeaking, fan belt? Pulley?

[petesmith]

Hi Guys,

Just changed my radiator over the weekend on my VT Wagon and since then, when the car is cold mostly there is a squeak coming from the belt or a pulley, it gets quieter the longer i drive it....

I put my ear up really close and had a good listen and look, from what i can tell the pulley that the belt goes around on the one under the alternator (which i think is the water pump), looks like the pulley is buckled (might be the best way of putting it), seems like it's not spinning straight...!

Is there anyway to fix this, is it dangerous to drive like this and does it sound like the right place the squeak would come from?

Thanks for any help in advance!

[accentstencil]

Which pulley is it according to the diagram?

[petesmith]

without going out to look at it again, the tensioner pulley...if not that one it will be power steering... But pretty sure tensioner.
Just been out to the shops and back and no squeak but there was during the day today....strange!!

[petesmith]

Oh forgot to mention also, the pulley (which im pretty certain its the tensioner based on the diagram) has a bit of play in it. I tried to wiggle it a bit and it had a bit of play, did it to all the others and they dont...

[accentstencil]

Best thing to do is replace it. A new pulley will cost around $30, and in case you don't know, the bolt in the centre is left hand thread.

[petesmith]

so i take it its dangerous to drive it like that?

[accentstencil]

so i take it its dangerous to drive it like that?

It is hard to answer that without seeing it, it depends on how much play the pulley has. It's probably OK to drive it and the pulley will get noisier as time goes on. It could throw the belt so I wouldn't leave it to long to replace, just to be on the safe side.

[dannyVT]

does it make that noise when you are idleing in park? i have a noise coming from the front end that is like a whinning noise..
Danny

[petesmith]

It usually makes the noise in park at idle as well as whilst driving, more of a squeak than a whining noise.

However, now it is fixed. Wasn't the pulley, i got a flathead screwdriver and whilst the car was running I ran the head of the screwdriver along the sides and in the grooves of the belt and wouldn't you know it, no more squeak! Maybe just some build up of crap on the belt, will wait and see if it comes back but so far so good!

[11gothevt11]

It usually makes the noise in park at idle as well as whilst driving, more of a squeak than a whining noise.

However, now it is fixed. Wasn't the pulley, i got a flathead screwdriver and whilst the car was running I ran the head of the screwdriver along the sides and in the grooves of the belt and wouldn't you know it, no more squeak! Maybe just some build up of crap on the belt, will wait and see if it comes back but so far so good!

If you ever want to change your belt

Super cheap sells Blue gates racing belts

Only think i payed around $40

[petesmith]

I might just do that as the squeak has come back, but only when it's cold, once warm it goes away, better to be safe than sorry and replace it!
Thanks for all your help!

[pablo]

If the squeak is the problem, hold a piece of bath soap against the belt while the engine is running.

[airforceone]

sylicone spray the belt,, or get an idler pulley replacemant pack

[Riley]

you sure its the pulley and not the coolant pump?

[Nadroj]

I thought the squeaks on my wife's VS might be that the V's on the belt had worn such that the tips are riding on the bottoms of the pulley grooves. That would prevent the wedging action that helps the belt grip. I used some abrasive cloth, stapled to a flat piece of timber, and with the engine running applied it to the belt where it goes over one of the idler pulleys, on the ribbed side of course. A minute of this treatment rewarded me with the disappearance of the squeaks. That was 3 days ago, and they haven't returned.

Jordan