Damn fan belt is p*ssing me off, somebody stop the squeeking!

**Addz** · 24-05-2003 17:50

Right, when i first got the car, i noticed the faint squeeking of the fan belt when the car was just cruising along (ie. foot off accelerator, boot off brake, for instance if ur on the motorway and going downhill).

So i thought, might aswell change the belt, so went to halfords, got the right one and went about fitting it.

Fitted it (knowing full well it would stretch and may need adjusting again).

Ran car about, and it started squeeking again

Anyways, had a go and tightening the adjuster even more today, which i think i have managed to do.

But it now screetches even more

?? And now more randomly, like accelerating, braking etc. Just randomly.

It has been said that Halfords fan belts are poop, althought i thought a belt was a belt?

Could it be halfords fan belts are crap?

How far up the adjuster should the nut/bolt be? There isnt a lot of play in the belt.

Any ideas, as its doing my nut in.

**Davcohen** · 24-05-2003 18:50

go to a motorfactors and ask for a slightly shorter one thats wat i did

**MARK BEESON** · 24-05-2003 19:04

wd 40

**Paul** · 24-05-2003 19:14

WD40 ? You are taking the piss ?
Are you sure you have the right belt ?
If so, try getting some belt dressing and try that, Halfords do it I belive, comes in a spray can thing. Should do the trick.
Are you sure its the belt making the noise and not the alternator by the way?

Paul

**Addz** · 24-05-2003 19:56

Originally posted by Paul Elwell
WD40 ? You are taking the piss ?
Are you sure you have the right belt ?
If so, try getting some belt dressing and try that, Halfords do it I belive, comes in a spray can thing. Should do the trick.
Are you sure its the belt making the noise and not the alternator by the way?

Paul

Would an alternator make that horrible squeel usually associated with a fan belt?

Its really annoying, as just when i think its sorted, it starts again, and gets worse than before

would a non-halfords belt help out? I had a continental on there before, is there any difference?

I noticed there was more teeth on the halfords one compared to the continental i took off.

**MikeT** · 24-05-2003 19:59

If you think its the belt that is squeeking and its at idle so you can do it while the car is stopped with the bonnet up, spraying wd40 or quacker (duck) oil on the belt will instantly though temorarily silence it. If its a bad bearing in the alternator then it will still squeek.
I think thats what the prev poster meant by WD40, just a method of identing the problem.

**Astra Dan** · 24-05-2003 22:05

My Mk2 Astra did this random screeching thing when I first bought it, I tried a new belt and eventually new alternator. After nearly a year I found it was the front flexi join on the exhaust where it bolts to the floor of the car. It's a metal washer type thing covered in rubber, so when the rubber wears away the metal rubs on the metal of the exhaust and makes the horrid noise.
Check that.

**lee303** · 24-05-2003 22:11

are the bushes in the adjuster arm mount ok? these wear out and give a little movement causing belt slip

**Addz** · 24-05-2003 22:14

Originally posted by Astra Dan
My Mk2 Astra did this random screeching thing when I first bought it, I tried a new belt and eventually new alternator. After nearly a year I found it was the front flexi join on the exhaust where it bolts to the floor of the car. It's a metal washer type thing covered in rubber, so when the rubber wears away the metal rubs on the metal of the exhaust and makes the horrid noise.
Check that.

So the joint that you can see through the engine bay?

Ill check this tommoz. Cheers.

Can an actual alternator cause this sound?

**lee303** · 24-05-2003 22:16

Originally posted by BigKingy

Can an actual alternator cause this sound?

maybe the bearing but this usually sounds like a turbo spinning up not a belt slipping, unless its really fecked

**Addz** · 24-05-2003 22:23

Originally posted by region17rc
are the bushes in the adjuster arm mount ok? these wear out and give a little movement causing belt slip

hmmmmmmmm never thought of that either.

Ill have a check tommoz. That sounds like a good explanation.

Could it also be the actual alternator bushes are worn, causing it to wobble, and the belt to slip?

**lee303** · 24-05-2003 22:29

Originally posted by BigKingy

Could it also be the actual alternator bushes are worn, causing it to wobble, and the belt to slip?

the alternator runs ona bearing, if this wears you generally hear it run up, like a quiet turbo whistle, sounds like the bushes to me,the alternator moves and pulls the pulleys out of alignment and the belt slips

**mike261263** · 24-05-2003 22:40

Or when the belts off bit of rough rubbing paper and take the shine off the pulleys,works a treat when all else fails

**Chris_Turbo** · 24-05-2003 23:39

Had this on my cav last year and i agree with BigKingy it drives ya f*ckin mental!! especially in the wet weather

I replaced the insulating bushes from vaux (£10 for 3 pieces of rubber

) and tightened the belt adjuster and this cured it. Very occasionally it will do it when its REALLY wet but spose that cant be helped

**Astra Dan** · 25-05-2003 10:54

Hence why V belts gave way to ribbed serpentine belts I suppose.

**Addz** · 25-05-2003 13:28

Originally posted by Memphis
Had this on my cav last year and i agree with BigKingy it drives ya f*ckin mental!! especially in the wet weather I replaced the insulating bushes from vaux (£10 for 3 pieces of rubber ) and tightened the belt adjuster and this cured it. Very occasionally it will do it when its REALLY wet but spose that cant be helped

So you replaced the alternator bushes? And then tightened up the adjuster?

Ive tried busting a gut pushing up the adjuster, but theres still about 1cm of adjuster left, i just cant push it any higher.

Any good suggestions for using sommit to leaver it further?

Tried a few wrenches but to no avail

**lee303** · 25-05-2003 14:02

dont do it too tight, you'll shag the alternator bearing, i use a jack handle between the block and alternator, do it up till u have aropund 10-15mm flex in the belt

**MARK BEESON** · 25-05-2003 16:53

Sorry I spoke

**Addz** · 25-05-2003 22:11

Right, me and me old man had another go this morning at tightening the bastid.

Im now convienced that it is at the correct tightness.

After feeling the movement on the fan belts in davcohen and damn lagrues cars the other day, im sure mine is at correct tension.

After given it a little test drive, it all seemed sorted

Until i went on a long drive to pick the missus up.

Once again the squeeking returned, but to a lesser extent.

It now seems it squeeks when after motorway journeys.

Does this make any sense?

Im starting to get the impression it might not be the belt any more (although it was causing problems) so shall take a look at the bushes and exhaust joint mentioned above.

Could it be the alternator? Im thinking this could cost a lot (student thinking) if it was?

**Astra Dan** · 25-05-2003 22:45

Adam me old mucka, a complete alternator from a scrapies only gonna be a tenner! I'm sure someone round your area can sort you one! You could, if you're feeling adventurous, get some bearings and rebuild the bugger yourself.

Probably best to go the scrappy, eh?

**Davcohen** · 26-05-2003 16:24

Originally posted by BigKingy
After feeling the movement on the fan belts in davcohen and damn lagrues cars the other day, im sure mine is at correct tension.

so thats what u were doin while my back was turned why u sly dog!!

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