Belt whining

[Nando15v89]

Every time I start up my car you can hear that loud noise coming from the belts I checked them and they fine no cracks should I replace them anyways or what do I do it only last like a couple secs but its loud

 

[WES_393]

How tight are the belts? Have you tried tightening them? Have you checked your power steering fluid level?

 

[clipto]

Check belts for wear and tare like cracks, also check tension and make sure nothing is leaking on the belts.

 

[Cdc1221]

Check your harmonic balancer. If its split it will cause that...

 

[99BoostedRS]

Do your belts squeal any other time?
When you turn on your lights or a/c?
Lock the steering wheel in the left or right position?

 

[timsturbotalon]

i have the same problem. everytime i start they sqeak. after car warms up it quits. i have new belts and they are tight.

 

[greydelta38]

It sounds like a harmonic balancer for most of you guys... All I know is that a harmonic balancer going bad can seriously screw up your engine, and it's a b**** to replace.

 

[Nando15v89]

The belts are on tight and the power steering is full and when i turn on the ac it gets a bit louder but will stop after a few secs

 

[99GS_Turbo]

I would check your harmonic balancer. That will cause the belts to sound like its squealing esp on startup and will go away once it starts to warm up.

 

[Nando15v89]

How would I know if I need to replace the harmonic balancer how do I check it out

 

[r-rracing]

+1 for the balancer

 

[WES_393]

There is a small rubber strip that connects the outer ring to the hub. When that strip begins disintegrate it will make all kinds of noise and eventually separate (see pic). If the rubber looks torn or cracked, replace the balancer with another stock one or a Fluidampr if you have the cash.

I would also look into having your charging system tested. It may sound silly, but working in a parts store I've seen plenty of alternators that were so bad that our bench tester couldn't spin them without squealing and smoking.

 

[Nando15v89]

Cool imma take it all apart this weekend ....do I need any special tools to do all this or pretty basic stuff? Imma have a friend help me out

 

[WES_393]

No special tools needed, just remove the 4 outer bolts first and then the larger center bolt.

I'll let you in on a little trick though. You will want a 1/2" drive breaker bar. About 2ft long will work. Place the 1/2" drive into the center bolt's square hole and set the handle side on the ground pointing towards the rear of the car. Clear the area and give the starter a few kicks, the bolt should pop loose right away.

 

[Nando15v89]

Cool thanks you think while I'm replacing that I should replacing all three belts as well?

 

[cisco818]

if you dont know the milage on those belts then yes. get that out of the way so you can have an ease of mind. and make sure they are tight. also if its the alternator belt it might of just came loose. thats what mines did two weeks ago. but its an easy fix

 

[Bojangles465]

If your water pump pulley is on backwards it can rub and make that noise, I had the same problem

 

[matta]

The power steering belt on my car would make THE loudest noise ALL of the time. WD-40 worked for a few minutes (dont do that). Found out that my belt was too tight, I just stretched it by hand and it has been quiet ever since

 

[T is for TURBO]

No special tools needed, just remove the 4 outer bolts first and then the larger center bolt.

I'll let you in on a little trick though. You will want a 1/2" drive breaker bar. About 2ft long will work. Place the 1/2" drive into the center bolt's square hole and set the handle side on the ground pointing towards the rear of the car. Clear the area and give the starter a few kicks, the bolt should pop loose right away.

He's just removing the harmonic damper, not the crank sprocket. The harmonic damper is held in by 4x 12mm bolts torqued to 22 lb ft, thats it. The big center bolt is just for the the crank sprocket Take a look at the picture you posed a few posts up

 

[sickasssteve]

i have the same problem with my eclipse. it seems to be more frequent with the 2g's. i would change your accessory belt first to see if that's the problem before i rip in to my harmonic balancer .

 

[T is for TURBO]

i have the same problem with my eclipse. it seems to be more frequent with the 2g's. i would change your accessory belt first to see if that’s the problem before i rip in to my harmonic balancer .

Well, you don't have to remove it. Just pull the wheel at look at it.

 

[Cdc1221]

Well, you don't have to remove it. Just pull the wheel at look at it.

Or just put your hand on the edge of the hb, push or pull and see if it moves. You guys are making a big deal about something really simple...

 

[Nando15v89]

So to clear this up I just need to remove the 4 bolts all around and it will slide off or do I need to loosen the center as well??

 

[2skippy]

Loosen the 4 bolts, use a 1/2" ratchet to keep the crank from spinning counter clockwise, once the 4 bolts are out just pull and it'll pop off. It should take not more than 10 minutes.

 

[Nando15v89]

Cool thanks