*SCREECHING NOISE

I'm just wondering what is that noise when I start my car which screeching noise for a couple of second or so, what/where is that coming from....from belt? alternator? pls reply because it's anoying !!!!! is that I can fix for myself or have to bring it in?? and if i bring it in, have any idea what would be the cost ????

It's probably a fan belt slipping. Check the tension on the belts when the engine is cold and let us know which of the belts has the least amount of tension on it. You may be able to solve the problem by visiting a auto store such as NAPA and buying a spray product that might be named "belt dressing" or "belt spray". You could spray it on the belt that is slipping and it should make the screeching sound go away. Another way to identify the slipping belt is to raise the hood and watch the belts as someone else starts the car. Make sure that you don't touch anything under the hood while the engine is running. Let us know which of the belts is slipping if the belt spray does not solve the problem. Jason

"davi" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com:

Worn/loose accessory drive belt;fairly easy to replace yourself. Not very expensive to have someone replace it for you.

I agree with the other posters that a slipping belt is likely the problem. A distant second hypothesis might be a hung up starter solenoid. It makes a distinctly different sound that still might be called a screech.

The explanation of why the belt stops screeching after a short time (if that is what it is) is that as rubber warms up, it shrinks. (Most substances expand when heated. Rubber shrinks).

I would not advise using belt dressing unless it is an emergency situation. Get the belt properly tensioned or replaced.

The best advice is to adjust or have the belt proper4ly adjusted or replaced if needed

snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com (Jacob Johnson) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@66-52-22-16.lsan.pw-dia.impulse.net:

There's only ONE accessory belt,the only other belt is the timing belt,a toothed belt;if IT is squealing(and slipping),then the motor would have serious problems. I suppose it could also be a bad bearing on one of the accessories.

A temporary "fix" at best.

Yeah, I couldn't agree more about the belt dressing recommendation. It'll work in the short term but it's nothing more than a quick-fix, band-aid solution. Adjusting the tension would be the proper way to eliminate it.

Who said there's only one accessory belt? Did the original poster even mention what model or year vehicle? My '98 CRV has three accessory belts.... alternator, PS and AC compressor. I also had to adjust the tension on the alternator belt on my '88 Accord last week since it had started to squeal a little bit at startup. That car also has three belts(alt/wp, PS, and AC) but I no longer use the AC belt since the clutch on the compressor died ten years ago.

Same problem with my 1996 civic (212K km). Although I had a maintenance-checked by a dealer in Canada. When I start my car in the morning (temperature is around 8 C or less) I hear that screeching noise for about a second and it goes as the engine gets started.

Yes, opening the hood I see several belts (2 or 3) none of them are easily accesible, though.

"Headknocker via CarKB.com" wrote in news:5ff42270b617e@uwe:

I did,and it seems I am wrong.Apologies.