Original Fan Belts To Reduce Noise ?

[timmy]

My car has been making a lot of squeaking noise lately when started up cold. It used to hang around for a few minutes but now it is there for the length of the ride. I believe the reason for this to be a slipping fan belt. This is the second fan belt Ive replaced having used each for a period of one year (I bought brand new ones from reputed makes to match the number of the fanbelt used originally). Ive also used other methods such as having soap shavings pasted onto the grooves or the ribs of the fanbelt. Ive even used special fan belt treatment liquid, but to no avail. The squeaking sound will not go off completely.

One person suggested I use the original fan belt issued from the agent. My question is does the original fan belt issued by agents actually stay quiet or do they develop the squeaking noise after some time of use ?

[Ripper]

what's your car and yom? bearings can be worn out and putting things out of sync if you're 100% sure the belts are ok.

and make sure it's what belt is responsible for the squeal...

depending on model it can be power steering, alternator belt etc...

[VVTi]

Loose belts or worn belts will cause these squeaks. Also a bad bearing on a pulley will cause teh belt to slip and wear it off faster.

Best thing is to check all belt conditions, and when replacing, replace according to the spec and check the bearing conditions.

I am changing mine today as the loose belt causes the water pump to work inefficiently, overheating the engine.

Constant sound was the first indication I got that it needed replacement.

There is a temporary remedy, buy a tube of Rubber grease and use a little amount and coat the ribs of the belt. Just a bit is enough. That's how I drove to the garage.

[timmy]

what's your car and yom? bearings can be worn out and putting things out of sync if you're 100% sure the belts are ok.

and make sure it's what belt is responsible for the squeal...

depending on model it can be power steering, alternator belt etc...

Mate, its more likely the belt, cos Ive noticed after each belt change the squeal disappears and only reoccurs after a few months of usage. Its like these after market (or whatever u call them) belts aren't supposed to last long although they advertise 25,000 kms of usage and being made in England. This is why Im looking to buy one from the agents and want to know if it can be used for a few years without developing problems. The price actually is 4-5 times more than the after market so it better be good.

[timmy]

I am changing mine today

What are you gonna change yours with ? Is this the one recommended from the agents ? Tell me if it reduces your noise and for how long you can use it.

[VVTi]

The most commonly used belt is a brand called Mitsuboshi. Also BANDO is another brand. Mine's an Alfa V6. It has only one serpentine belt driving all the pulleys. Belts, if you get a good brand and the correct type, width and length is fine. Also Check it matches the number of ribs on the pulleys. Sometimes even if one rib is not there, the belts make all kinds of trouble.

If you are getting it all the time, a common culprit could be your AC compressor. What is your car make and model?

I had a P11 that ate up belts regularly till I found out that compressor was seizing up and causing it to slip. Changing the belt will only be temp fix if the pulley are getting seized up. Check the pulley one by one and see if anyone of them are tighter than they should be.

Edited December 21, 2010 by VVTi

[sank]

I think Mitsuboshi (not Mitsubishi) is better than BANDO. I use Mitsuboshi ones without any problem for long time.

And also you can identify which belt has the problem by pouring little amount of water on to each belt while the engine is running and check the noise. Once you do this if the noise disappears the problem is with that one. I'm not an expert but this how I identify the problem.

[timmy]

If you are getting it all the time, a common culprit could be your AC compressor. What is your car make and model?

I had a P11 that ate up belts regularly till I found out that compressor was seizing up and causing it to slip. Changing the belt will only be temp fix if the pulley are getting seized up. Check the pulley one by one and see if anyone of them are tighter than they should be.

Mine's a Lancer CK2 (97). Actually now that you mentioned it, the A/C is giving problems. Its not cooling enough. I have long discovered that the system is outta gas, and Im running on the remaining bit since I dont have enough time to go get it fixed. And on top of it when I switch off the A/c and keep the engine running I can hear a funny slipping sorta noise. I am not good at identifying the noise but it sounds as though the pulley is trying to catch up with something and then falling back. Its not the squealing noise that is quite familiar when the belt slips, but some whirring sound that occurs for about 3 seconds, stops for about 2 seconds and then goes over again. It only happens when the A/C has been used and then switched off.

But the funny thing is there are two belts in my car and the A/C is driven by the belt which has not been changed by me. The other belt which drives the alternator is the one I think makes the squealing noise and therefore goes quiet after a 'belt change'. So if you say the A/C compressor is causing the prob, how can that effect the other belt, which is on another alignment of pulleys ?

Edited December 21, 2010 by timmy

[VVTi]

Mine's a Lancer CK2 (97). Actually now that you mentioned it, the A/C is giving problems. Its not cooling enough. I have long discovered that the system is outta gas, and Im running on the remaining bit since I dont have enough time to go get it fixed. And on top of it when I switch off the A/c and keep the engine running I can hear a funny slipping sorta noise. I am not good at identifying the noise but it sounds as though the pulley is trying to catch up with something and then falling back. Its not the squealing noise that is quite familiar when the belt slips, but some whirring sound that occurs for about 3 seconds, stops for about 2 seconds and then goes over again. It only happens when the A/C has been used and then switched off.

But the funny thing is there are two belts in my car and the A/C is driven by the belt which has not been changed by me. The other belt which drives the alternator is the one I think makes the squealing noise and therefore goes quiet after a 'belt change'. So if you say the A/C compressor is causing the prob, how can that effect the other belt, which is on another alignment of pulleys ?

Ok, best thing will be to get them all checked and replace if necessary. Not sure how the set up in in the CK2.

If you have been running the AC low gas, then the lifetime of your compressor will be shortened greatly. If not already. Better take the time and the effort to get it all done ASAP. I wouldn't put it off for too long, becasue if the belts fail in the middle of the night, you will be without an alternator and most of all, your water pump.

Your call, dude.

[Sifaan]

I wouldn't put it off for too long, becasue if the belts fail in the middle of the night, you will be without an alternator and most of all, your water pump.

shouldn't the water pump be on a different belt (timing belt) than the alternator, A/C, etc.?

[Pericles]

shouldn't the water pump be on a different belt (timing belt) than the alternator, A/C, etc.?

Depends on the engine.

[timmy]

Yea Im goona get them looked into. Will report back once done.

[Sylvi]

My car has been making a lot of squeaking noise lately when started up cold. It used to hang around for a few minutes but now it is there for the length of the ride. I believe the reason for this to be a slipping fan belt. This is the second fan belt Ive replaced having used each for a period of one year (I bought brand new ones from reputed makes to match the number of the fanbelt used originally). Ive also used other methods such as having soap shavings pasted onto the grooves or the ribs of the fanbelt. Ive even used special fan belt treatment liquid, but to no avail. The squeaking sound will not go off completely.

One person suggested I use the original fan belt issued from the agent. My question is does the original fan belt issued by agents actually stay quiet or do they develop the squeaking noise after some time of use ?

timmy',

V belts and Poly V belts slip if the belt tension is not adjusted correctly.

Poly V belts are very common in Automobiles today they slip mostly on alternator Pulley center V groves get wasted and the poly V belt instead of griping V area of the Pulley they run on the pulley.

If you examine the Poly V belt you will find the bottom of the V belt V groves are polished.This is due to no grip on the V area. Pulley too top of V groves are polished.

Above is my experience with Poly V belts.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[timmy]

timmy',

V belts and Poly V belts slip if the belt tension is not adjusted correctly.

Poly V belts are very common in Automobiles today they slip mostly on alternator Pulley center V groves get wasted and the poly V belt instead of griping V area of the Pulley they run on the pulley.

If you examine the Poly V belt you will find the bottom of the V belt V groves are polished.This is due to no grip on the V area. Pulley too top of V groves are polished.

Above is my experience with Poly V belts.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

I got the alternator belt replaced with a one from Unit#d Mot#rs. This is a Mitsuboshi brand made for Mitsubishi in Japan and is supposed to be better in quality. While I had the chance I checked the faulty belt and found that there were cracks all throughout the "lines" going around the belt. This was the reason for the squeaky noise.