Help stop the squealing! Fan belt.. Arrghh!

Apr 22, 2005 15 Replies
C

I have a 97 2.5L TJ and a while back the I started to hear a loud squealing noise come from the engine. It starts about 2 or 3 miles into any driving trip and only occurs when I am deacelerating, or idling.



Since I have about 130k on the jeep I immediatly thought it must be the belt.. so I replaced the serpentine belt and tensioned it properly.. it still squealed.. So I played with the tension for a few weeks incase I was on crack but I couldnt get it to stop.. So I figured it might be a cheap belt, and replaced the belt again with a top of the line belt from napa. It is STILL squealing despite being tensioned properly.



All the acessories seem to be working fine, and turning them on doesnt change the pitch or reduce the sound (AC).



Any ideas what I should do next? Its driving me crazy.



Thanks, Mike



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M

That sounds like a dry bushing on the idler or adjuster pulley. On the

4.0 there are two bushings and a big washer and a bolt that all have to be ordered separately when they wear out. You can try to spray some oil into those bushing areas to see if it helps for a while.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Crayola wrote:

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D

Crayola did pass the time by typing:

Watch your fingers but with the engine running, lightly touch the sides of the belt with a bar of soap and notice if it goes away. If it does then the odds are your harmonic balancer has started to break down and walk off it's rubber isolator. Read here.

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-- DougW

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S

Could be dirty pulleys.

Snow...

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E

I have a similar problem on my 99 2.5L TJ -- except that it only happens at idle when the AC is turned on. When I'm driving, accelerating, or decelerating, it sounds ok. When I come to a complete stop, it squeaks like crazy. Sounds like something vibrating against something more than a loose belt.

I'd be interested to see what fixes yours.

Eric

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E

I was getting ready to ask the same thing... this guy can't be real...

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E

Hydraulic fan motor??? That must cost far more than an electric one... guess if folks are going to be submerging their WJs...

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S

And while its off, you can end up over heating the engine as you will have no coolant flow, but I'm sure someone will install a engine for you. Don'y understand how you figure it could be a fan clutch...

Now that sounds just like a stealership answer.

Try cleaning the pullies if you have or that hasn't worked try spraying the belt (if you have it, try a spray silicone release {liquid silicone spray}) try a very quick (and I meen quick) blast of belt dressing.

Snow...

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S

I was referring to the micanic who always suggests changing the most expensive units first. Yes remove the belt and rub the engine with it off but don't run it for long.

Snow

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S

Your assuming its a 70 degree day , OP may live in Arizona and be doing this on a hotter day. Oh and with the belt off, it will heat up faster as the water pump won't be turning. Second, every stealership I have ever been to all have and use belt dressing to get rid of squeaks. The silicone spray is much better and wont leave sticky residue (safe for aircraft use to).

Snow...

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