Squeaking / Squealing 12/29

[Joe (G8)]

When in reverse, my car squeals and squeaks.
This happens every now and then since I replaced my alternator and power steering belt. I'll back up and put it into drive or park, and then the sound goes away. Putting it back into reverse does not make it squeal again. So far it's only been when I've just started my car. Keep in mind that I live in Minnesota and it's been very cold lately. However, I didn't have this problem last winter.
I haven't tried the A/C but the heat does work.

Any ideas?

[Joe (G8)]

Today it started squealing even in Park and Drive. It usually lasts about 5 to 10 seconds.

[Eclipse97526]

Auto zone belts ? i had a really squeeky belt for prolly 3-400 miles wen i used one of there belts. i wish i could tell you its better with the ultra gatorback belts. Well. My car didnt squeek for the 30 seconds it was running, and it had new belts. lol. it was cold out. Id try a poly V fiber belt, Or something like that . i forget what the good ones are made of ;p

[kylecanthurdle]

either its too tight or too loose. mine did it when i fist got it and when i had it inspected i asked him what was that squeel and he was like 'YOU TIGHTENED IT TOO MUCH!!!" and im liek whoa buddy i didnt touch teh stupid thing...the only thing i did was put belt dressing and soap on. but yeah check the tension. i guess u gotta ask a real mechanic or sum1 who knows about this how to check and change the tension. hope this helps!!!

[WarmAndSCSI]

Auto zone belts ? i had a really squeeky belt for prolly 3-400 miles wen i used one of there belts. i wish i could tell you its better with the ultra gatorback belts. Well. My car didnt squeek for the 30 seconds it was running, and it had new belts. lol. it was cold out. Id try a poly V fiber belt, Or something like that . i forget what the good ones are made of ;p

Their belts are fine :roll: In fact, the Duralast belts some of the best around for durability and grip. I know because of some of that fancy stuff in my signature.

[Joe (G8)]

Today it started squeaking when taking off, coming to a stop, and even in idle. So I went in to the shop and had them supposedly re-tighten the belts. I had them install the belts just last week, so they didn't charge me.
Pulling out of the parking lot, the dang thing starts squealing again.
The guy at the counter told me that it might be the pulleys that need replacing. Worst case scenario, they did a crappy job of installing the belts and are trying to sell me the pulleys. Once they install the the pulleys, they'll do whatever with the belts and say, "See? Problem solved. Aren't you glad you bought new pulleys?"
I know, I know, I might be reaching.
So I went out and pushed on the belt (the top one at least, I don't think I can reach the bottom one) and it seemed pretty tight. Too tight? I don't know. I don't want to be the guy who keeps going back to the shop. "Now it's too tight, now it's too loose, now it's too tight again."
Anyhow. I don't know how much the pulleys cost. If they're relatively cheap, fine. I'll try it. I'll go in tomorrow and ask for some new ones.
My question to you guys; could it be anything else? What's the next step if the pulleys don't fix the squeaking?

[Eclipse97526]

You in the 4g64 or the 6g72 ? I4 or v6 ?
i know there good belts ;) there cheap hehe, But they just seem to take time for me to break them in or something, mine squeeled like crazy for the first few hundread miles. and NEVER NEVer use any belt dressing or soap. All that does is hide a potentiall very bad sceneraio. Unless your looking for an excuse to be late for work... lol

when they squeel its for a reason, To tight. to much wear. Old and damaged... if the actual belt is squeeling, replace iT ! they are cheap and easy to do. spraying it just conditions the dry cracked belt, preventing it from squeeking, when realy, it would be screaming CHANGE ME, if it could. instead you have a dried cracked belt thats ready to break, and your just happy the sqeekin is gone. didnt change the fact that belt is ready to break, it may condition it a little bit, but it will only cause it to slip, and is not full proof from a broken belt which could really mess you up,

[Eclipse97526]

Get some lubricant, and spray the pullyes inside your AC pump, and power steering pump, dont get any on the belts, it will make them Slip... You basicly just want to lubricate the bearings on all your pullys, if the belts are tightented right, and not old, it is most likely a squeeky tensioner, or a powersteering pulley or something other than the actual belt. Does it do it all the time ? or only when u start it ? when u go around corners... got the AC or heater on effect the squeeking at all ?

How many miles you have on your car ? ever replaced the timing belt, and the tensioners ?

[Joe (G8)]

Does it do it all the time ? or only when u start it ? when u go around corners... got the AC or heater on effect the squeeking at all ?

How many miles you have on your car ? ever replaced the timing belt, and the tensioners ?

The past two days it has only squealed when starting up. Always in the morning, and sometimes in the night if the car has been turned off for a few hours. The keyword there: when it's cold.
Cornering is fine, heat and AC doesn't seem to matter.
I bought the car at 90k and I don't know if the previous owner did the 60k maintenance. Right now it's somewhere around 103k.
There is a clicking / ticking sound coming from the back (pulley?), the circular object which the belt is being pulled around. I'm going in Monday to have the mechanic take a closer look.

[Joe (G8)]

I took it in to get it checked out today.
They tell me that it might be the AC Compressor. On newer cars, I've noticed that the circular (inside) air turns off when you turn the defroster on. However, on my Galant, or maybe all 8Gs, it doesn't make the switch automatically. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to make sure that the defroster is off and the outside air ventilation is turned on. If that stops the squealing, then I'll make sure the outside air is on when I've got the defroster on. If that works too, then I'll be set.
Updates to follow.

[Joe (G8)]

That didn't do squat.
Now it seems that it is in fact heat related. When the heat is off, it won't squeal while driving.
The mechanic who took a look at it with me, pointed out that the car wasn't starting up right away. He says that the alternator belt might be working extra hard because the battery is low or something like that.
Tonight I'll re-charge the battery and see how that goes.

[Joe (G8)]

I had the battery checked out by two separate shops, and both said the battery was almost dead. I also had the alternator checked and that seems to be fine, so I installed a new battery.
The belts still squeal, but now it's mostly when accelerating.
Heat and especially the defroster make the sound worse.

/annoyed

[duh2150]

spray down the belts with that belt shit lol, mine squelled lie kthat, until i tighten that mofo down so tight lol, then it stoped



Auto zone belts ? i had a really squeeky belt for prolly 3-400 miles wen i used one of there belts. i wish i could tell you its better with the ultra gatorback belts. Well. My car didnt squeek for the 30 seconds it was running, and it had new belts. lol. it was cold out. Id try a poly V fiber belt, Or something like that . i forget what the good ones are made of ;p

Their belts are fine :roll: In fact, the Duralast belts some of the best around for durability and grip. I know because of some of that fancy stuff in my signature.

wow durilast must only make good belts lol, i went threw liek 3 durilast starters to find one that accualy worked lol

[6G72gearhead]

When you turn the wheels lock to lock at idle, does it ever squeal. That should be a good indecator right there.

Personally I've had good luck with Gates belts, I've yet to see one brake (I work at an O'reilly auto parts store). My power steering belt squeeks when it hits full lock, but thats not a huge issue.

[bronxbombr]

If it doesnt do it in the summer then i wouldnt worry about it. I noticed all galants and eclipses do the same shit in the winter. Whether you change/tighten the belts or not.