Squeeking problem, but don't know which belt..help??

[96_GS-T]

well i just recently bought a 1996 GS-T and well theres a squeeking problem going on under the hood. I'm thinkin it may be the timing belt, but i'm not sure, its harrd to tell which belt it is do to the squeeking being so loud,, please help me out, and about how much do you think it would be for a new belt..

 

[Defiant]

Likely the harmonic balancer, but to test the belts get a squeeze bottle of water and try to get each belt wet seperately until you find the one that goes quiet when wet.

 

[BISHILVR]

Simpley remove all of your accesory belts and then start the engine and see if there is any noise left. If not, then you know it's one of your accesory belts and it's time to replace them, otherwise if it's still there it's probably in you t-belt area and time for a replacement there with a new tensioner. Pricewise if your doing it yourself you can do a t-belt with oem parts for under a couple hundred.

 

[BISHILVR]

Also, i have had a water pump start sqeeking when it was on it's way out.

 

[femmeDSM]

Also, i have had a water pump start sqeeking when it was on it's way out.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. A H2O pump will make a really high-pitched squealing noise when it's going south.
FYI, if it's your water pump, just go ahead and change your timing belt too while you're in there - they're right in there together, and DSMs eat timing belts pretty frequently anyway, so a new one will never hurt..... haha

 

[Defiant]

DSMs eat timing belts pretty frequently anyway, so a new one will never hurt..... haha

Well, they have a service life of 60K, like most other timing belts

 

[TuRBoTaLooN]

I've been having a similar problem on my 95 TSi AWD. It started out that this noise only happened when I started the car up from being cold. Now it makes that squeeky noise every time I start the car, hot or cold. It also happens most of the time I put it into reverse and sometimes in first gear. The problem gets worse when I turn the wheel or put the heat on. This is why I'm thinking it's the belt that goes around the power steering. I was wondering how difficult it is to remove these accessories belts. I don't really know much about these dsms, I'm new to the game. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[louie43]

Check the tension of each belt. If a belt sqeels when turned to lock, that's usually it. Also check the fluid level. On the V belt types, use some belt dressing. On the serpentine belts, use Armour All. See if that gets rid of your squeek noise.

 

[TuRBoTaLooN]

Check the tension of each belt. If a belt sqeels when turned to lock, that's usually it. Also check the fluid level. On the V belt types, use some belt dressing. On the serpentine belts, use Armour All. See if that gets rid of your squeek noise.

if the belts are squeeking, do you think it would be a good idea to just replace the one that is making the noise? I actually have an extra alternator belt, and assuming that that is the one making the noise, I was planning on just throwing it on assuming it's not a huge job to change belts on a 2g.

 

[Tsar]

if the belts are squeeking, do you think it would be a good idea to just replace the one that is making the noise? I actually have an extra alternator belt, and assuming that that is the one making the noise, I was planning on just throwing it on assuming it's not a huge job to change belts on a 2g.

i would replace all of them at once so i now that all of them are OK, but maybe its just me.

 

[oldman]

Likely the harmonic balancer.

I think you guys missed this part completely.

 

[TuRBoTaLooN]

I think you guys missed this part completely.

is there a way to tell if its the belts or the harmonic balancer?? aside from actually replacing the belts?? also someone mentioned that it could be the water pump, suggestions?? Money is tight so I don't want to replace parts that don't need replacing if I don't have to. If I had the dough, I'd just replace everything.

 

[oldman]

is there a way to tell if its the belts or the harmonic balancer?? aside from actually replacing the belts??

1. Check and make sure the belts are not too loose or too tight.

2. Remove the driverside wheel and engine splash guard. Check the harmonic balancer for cracks and the lower timing belt cover for signs of pulley rubbing.

3. Observe the pulley while someone else start the car, idle and then rev it up for any wobbling.

You may want to change the belts anyway if they have been squeaking for a while. Good luck.

 

[BISHILVR]

Pull the water pump belt off and start the engine, see if it still makes the noise.