Squealing belt

[Daniel Dodson]

I'm due to go 200 miles up North tomorrow and am giving some other people a lift. However on my way home tonight there was a squealing noise from the engine bay. It seemed to occur every time I moved from a standstill and also when I shifted down early from high speed. 2 weeks ago I experienced this for the 1st time but I though it was due to the bad weather and I tightened up my alternator belt as much as I could and thought that had cured it. I'm going to check the alternator belt tomorrow morning before the trip but is there any chance that the timing belt could make this noise? The timing belt is 55k miles old (5.5 years ago). Is it worth checking the timing belt tomorrow morning as well?

Cheers,

Daniel

 

[frank]

if its worse with the headlights on daniel, then alternator belt :grinning:

 

[Shaun]

if its worse with the headlights on daniel, then alternator belt :grinning:

to ensure it is the alternator belt as i keep going through cheap halfords ones
turn on stereo window wipers headlights and fans on startup - massive squeal = alternator belt

 

[Daniel Dodson]

Thanks for the tips guys. I didn't think the extra power of the headlights, fan et al would make any significant difference but it does. With all the electrical gadgets on it squeals. Turn them off and it doesn't. So it's the alternator belt...phew.

 

[SammoHung]

I just had something similar...I suspected the alternator belt and changed it but to no avail...still squeeking/whining...worse with electrical load.....




Turned out to be the timing belt failed early due to a very stiff tentioner pulley....resulting in the flat side of the belt dragging over the pulley instead of the pulley rolling with the belt.....


belt went shiney....loads of fingerprint sized cracks across the belt and several cracker cog roots......


a new timing belt solved it (CURSE that off-side engine mount bracket design!)

hope this helps

 

[RTLkyuubi]

iirc timing belts are ment to be changed at either 40k or 60k miles so could be that but I doubt it. and altenator belts are only a few quid from halfords.

 

[RTLkyuubi]

forgot to add, but take the alt belt off and if the squeak stops, then its the belt

 

[porkpie700]

At 55k your belt is comming up for renewal so it would be best to get it changed this year. If a new altinator belt doesn't stop the noise then it might be worth squrting some wd40 into the altinator as i've had one that had only 24k miles on it but squeaks and sqeals when it turns, wd cured it but i only keep it as a spare now.