Belt Dressing?

[Conjee]

My belt is squeaking on idle. I have changed them and they do squeak less, but it is still there. Only squeaks when it's partially warmed to warmed up in idle. Stops squeaking after driving 10 miles or so or when I shift my car to neutral. Squeak is bothering me and I have no idea what's wrong. Will belt dressing be a good idea to use or would it damage any components? Thanks.

[shovelman]

Just check the tension on the belts, belt dressing is a last resort.

[Conjee]

I did check tension. It is pretty tight with not too much play. Squeak gets worst in cold weather...

[varroa]

squeaking is the belt slipping. if belts are tight but still squeak, you might have bigger problems than the belts.

try this: remove the belts and by hand rotate every pulley a few revolutions. if any of them sticks, that's your problem.

[djhah]

squeaking is the belt slipping. if belts are tight but still squeak, you might have bigger problems than the belts.

try this: remove the belts and by hand rotate every pulley a few revolutions. if any of them sticks, that's your problem.

but reminber that you may not be able to rotate crank pully by hand. i have heard of ppl putting soap on belts but i have never had to do this belt tension is probly the problem i would guess.

[SkylineG1]

DO NOT USE THAT PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!! I did back in the day & the squealing got worse.

[varroa]

oh, yeah. all pulleys but the crank one.

water pump, generator, power steering pump, a/c pump, idle pulley - all should be rotatable by hand.

when i put on new OEM service belts, one of them squeaked until i tightened it enough. then it would just squeak on the start up, only for a second, and then, about 5000 miles later - no squeaking whatsoever.

maybe they have to be broken in a little or something.


also, if one of the pulleys is very hard to rotate - that's your problem. i think the a/c pump might do that, and maybe power steering pump. if it's the water pump - you're in a lot of trouble to replace it.

[Conjee]

I will stay away from the belt dressing and try the rotating pulley suggestion. Won't know when I will have the time to do it, prob next weekend.

[twisted_galant]

Belt dressing used to be a great product back in the day when vehicles used V-Belts. With todays vehicles using the flat serpentine belts, belt dressing WILL make the problem worse. It will increase the slippage on the belts because it is a lubricant which will increase the noise and reduce the effectivness of your a/c, p/s, w/p and alt. because of decreased grip on the drive pulleys.

[Stewi]

The squeeking is likely caused by a bad P/s belt tensioner, air in the p/s system or a bad a/c clutch. My a/c clutch started to squeel a little bit, 2 days later it siezed up and broke the belt. Mind you this was when I wasnt even using my A/C it was back in november.

[Conjee]

Problem was eventually fixed. Tensioner pulley was replaced along with new drive belts.