Harmonic Balancer gone bad...happen to anyone else? [MERGE]

[MCDGexx]

So is the squeel the TIMING belt or the Alternator belt? How many different belts are there?

 

[m1nd64m3]

My car did the exact same thing yours did after I did my timing belt, it scared the shit out of me cause I thought i screwed up the timing belt. Mine was squeeling loud as hell whenever it was cold for about 20 seconds. My belts looked fine and so was the tension on the power steering belt and alternator belt, it turned out to be my alternator. When I pulled the alternator it made noise when I would turn the pulley. So I replaced it and the problem never came back.

 

[MCDGexx]

I'm having the same problem. All the belts seem snug that i've seen. How do you take the belts off and such? I just got the car yesterday so i'm pretty new with them still. one of the belts say Napa on it. Are napa bad belts? They were supposedly replaced not too long ago.

 

[MCDGexx]

How much is a new alternator?

 

[talon212]

a better lube to use for those belts would be belt dressing and check the alignment of those belts to make sure there not flapping around......

 

[MCDGexx]

Ok from the way it seems, its either the belts, the pullies, or the alternator. The three belts I can get too, I don't know which ones they are, seem pretty tight, yet it still squeels. One of them is labeled Napa. I can deal with the squeel for awhile, since i just bought the car and am strapped for cash, if its not going to progress into something worse, if thats the case I need to fix it now. I'm pretty new to fixing these, and I can't figure out how to get to the belts, check them, tighten them. Etc.

 

[deadlyforce]

Wow, I've had/been having the same problem for a while now.
Except mine doesn't go away, sometimes. It hasn't done it in about two weeks now (knock on wood), but it was just a little different. Mine would be screech at idle, then squeal real loud as I raised the RPM's, and then go away at around 2500 RPM's, and come back as the idle settled back. It would do it down the road, sometimes not stopping for as much as 30 minutes. I had a buddy of mine look at it (he knows about cars, something I don't), and he tightened my alternator belt, the threads on it and the power-steering/air conditioner belt were fine, and they were damn near new when I bought it. Belt dressing didn't help me, so I ended up having a can of WD-40 with me at all times, spraying it about twice a week. Just a little shot in the general direction of the two belts did the trick. Again though, it hasn't done it in a while, so I figure that the belts were just either not aligned properly and straightened themselves out properly with time, or I'm just getting lucky. The previous owner never had this problem, so good to hear that my temporary fix of lube wasn't too wrong.

 

[1g4g63pwr]

Wow, I've had/been having the same problem for a while now.
Except mine doesn't go away, sometimes. It hasn't done it in about two weeks now (knock on wood), but it was just a little different. Mine would be screech at idle, then squeal real loud as I raised the RPM's, and then go away at around 2500 RPM's, and come back as the idle settled back. It would do it down the road, sometimes not stopping for as much as 30 minutes. I had a buddy of mine look at it (he knows about cars, something I don't), and he tightened my alternator belt, the threads on it and the power-steering/air conditioner belt were fine, and they were damn near new when I bought it. Belt dressing didn't help me, so I ended up having a can of WD-40 with me at all times, spraying it about twice a week. Just a little shot in the general direction of the two belts did the trick. Again though, it hasn't done it in a while, so I figure that the belts were just either not aligned properly and straightened themselves out properly with time, or I'm just getting lucky. The previous owner never had this problem, so good to hear that my temporary fix of lube wasn't too wrong.

Had same problem spray with wd40 and whamm good as new for 1 month then comes back.

 

[huafist]

Check your crank pully for signs of seperation. A failing crank pulley will cause belts to squeal, and as it gets worse, it will cause it to break belts on a regular basis before it completely comes apart.

 

[Arrow_Runner]

Whoah, correct me if I'm wrong, but just in case I'm right, you should probably know.

I've heard that WD-40 and the like DETERIORATE belts. NOT a good things.

I had the same issue, winter hit, car squeeled. I bought some belt dressing and used it.

MAJOR difference, I can still hear it a little. I planned on replacing all the belts/hoses/water pump this summer when I do my tranny swap anyhow so I'm just going to wait until then, and probably a new alternator.

 

[MCDGexx]

Which pully is the crank pully and how do I get to it to check it?

 

[bhop]

As Defiant would say.. "Harmonic Balancer"

 

[Staytuned]

Whoah, correct me if I'm wrong, but just in case I'm right, you should probably know.

I've heard that WD-40 and the like DETERIORATE belts. NOT a good things.

I had the same issue, winter hit, car squeeled. I bought some belt dressing and used it.

This is not an issue for me because I have my car apart every year anyway and the belts are easy to change.....but I have not heard anything to substantiate this info. I can't imagine a little ArmourAll or WD-40 on the belt is going to do any harm.

To answer about the crank pulley and which one it is....it is the one that drives all the belts and is attached to your crankshaft.

 

[m1nd64m3]

One thing one of my mechanic buddies told me was to put a bar of soap up against the belt as its turning to make it stop squeeling. Never tried it so I dont know how well it works.

 

[Staytuned]

That can work too. I used to do that on my old TA.

 

[huafist]

The crank pulley is at the bottom of the engine on the driver's side, connected to the crank. It has two rows for belts. The rubber that connects the inner ring of the pulley to the outer hub has a tendency to dry rot and come apart.

On the squealing issue, I've heard that powdered laundry detergent does the trick as well. I just buy a can of belt dressing from the auto parts store and be done with it though.

 

[MCDGexx]

Ok, other than putting something ON the belts. What can I do to stop the squealing? Or is it not possible?

 

[j30-tsi-awd]

hey dsm tuners whats up!
its great to finally be able to post. i never clicked the link in my email from a year ago.
yes i know im retarted. so for the last year ive pretty much just been searchin and reading up.

ok so hers the problem. i have really bad belt squeal on my talon. ive been through 3 alterators, 2 stock size 60 or 65 amp i belive and this one is a 90 amp i belive. 4 belts (2 dayco and 2 goodyear). i put a new harmonic balancer on and everything. i dont know whats going on. it squeals at start up then usually quits. then when i come to a stop. my voltage drops from 14.4 to 13.2 ish and if i dont shut of my heater, headlights and acc, it wont quit sqealing till 4th gear or so. its progressive after each new belt it slowly gets louder and takes longer to quit.
i have a system in it. alpine deck, 1000 sony amp, 1 frd monster cap 2 jl w3v2. but i doubt im drawing to much power. so just dont know any help would be awsome. thanx

-scott

 

[Staytuned]

The only thing you can do is make sure all belts are tight and in good shape. All belts must have equal tension on them ....meaning all have the same amount of slack. Make sure all belts are straight on the pulleys, no belts rotating on an angle on a pulley.

 

[MCDGexx]

If I check that and they're ok, but it still squeels do I need to replace the belts?

 

[dalatinromeo]

hey dsm tuners whats up!
its great to finally be able to post. i never clicked the link in my email from a year ago.
yes i know im retarted. so for the last year ive pretty much just been searchin and reading up.

ok so hers the problem. i have really bad belt squeal on my talon. ive been through 3 alterators, 2 stock size 60 or 65 amp i belive and this one is a 90 amp i belive. 4 belts (2 dayco and 2 goodyear). i put a new harmonic balancer on and everything. i dont know whats going on. it squeals at start up then usually quits. then when i come to a stop. my voltage drops from 14.4 to 13.2 ish and if i dont shut of my heater, headlights and acc, it wont quit sqealing till 4th gear or so. its progressive after each new belt it slowly gets louder and takes longer to quit.
i have a system in it. alpine deck, 1000 sony amp, 1 frd monster cap 2 jl w3v2. but i doubt im drawing to much power. so just dont know any help would be awsome. thanx

-scott

If your belts are squeaking, then they either need to be tighten or replaced. Since yours are new, they would need to be tighten.

hope this helps, stay boostin

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

I agree. You will have to re-tighten it probably ever so often. When it starts, tighten it up. Just be judicious and don't over tighten

Good Luck

 

[prayforGSX]

use oem belts...i had bad belt squeel and i put on oem belts and it stopped. my boss (a master mechanic) says that hondas do it all the time. he says you can put a brand new belt on and if its not oem it will most likely squeel. when ya put an oem belt on the squeeling stops! i did it on my dsm and it worked, no more horrible squeeling. i hope this helps you out!

JB

 

[j30-tsi-awd]

yes i understand that the belt must be tight. otherwise it will squeal, but i am trying to figure out what is causing it to loosen up and then squeal. the last time one was put on we tightend it down really tight. there must be some other issue here. it will only go for like 4 days before it starts to squeal again, then like i said it just gets worse.
oem belts hmmmm not a bad idea.
i appricate the feedback
please keep it coming.

-scott

 

[MCDGexx]

How much for a full set of OEM belts? My GST has Napa belts I think, and they squeel pretty bad, and they're not loose