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Replaced Serpentine Belt and now have Horrible Squealing - Help!

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btupbty187

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have a wonderful 98 Dodge Durango 5.9 L and about a month back the serpentine belt started shredding, I immediately replaced the belt....and paid about $130-140 for a shop to do this for me.


Issue now is when Idling little to some noise but while in gear for driving and while accelerating there is a god awful squealing noise...Normally I wouldn't care about noise since it is just that but my boyfriend is insisting that we fix it.


I have seen in other posts that it is more than likely the Tensioner Pully?

After calling the place that replaced the serpentine belt I was told it could be any number of.... Tensioner, Pulley, or even the Idler Pulley.

Any helpful suggestions? I've read that this is pretty easy to DIY but would like to know if there are more than one of the parts or what not...


Any help would be greatly appreciated = )
 
#2 ·
Yes, could be alternator, tensioner pulley, idler arm, A/C compressor, water pump... Well, maybe one thing to do is spray each of those components separately with WD-40 and see which one shuts up temporarily. But, spray them one at a time only while the engine is off! No need to get a finger caught in a moving part. Hopefully that will silence the culprit long enough to pinpoint what is making the noise.

And board, isn't it also possible that the tensioner is weak and the belt is a little loose, too?
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't spray the belt or pulleys as this will effect the belt. If it was the tensioner or idler pulley it would be squealing all the time, not just when in gear and driving. If at idle with a/c on will it squeak with the a/c compressor running at idle? Will it squeak when the steering wheel is turned and stop when it is centered? Does it squeak when you rev the engine? Does it squeak and then lessen as you drive it? Are you having cooling problems? Is the fan pulling air all the time? Does the water pump pulley wobble? Answer to these can lead you towards what is wrong without just replacing everything.
 
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Discussion starter · #4 ·
So this is what happens. I start the engine. It squeals for a moment initially then stops. When I put it into drive it starts and while I am accelerating mostly - if I am just coasting it will not squeal.

The only thing that eludes me to thinking it is a pulley is because it was not squealing before I had the serpentine belt replaced after it shredded.
 
#5 ·
I thought I had a bad pulley on the '98 recently, and I was in the midst of diagnosing it. One day, after i sat in a half hour traffic jam I came out to mow the lawn and look at it, and it puked coolant. YUP, the water pump was beyond SHOT! Gave no sign, and sounded like described in the OP. If your mechanic cant square root this immediately, find another. Not a hard engine to work on.
 
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#6 ·
Tensioner is not keeping belt tight enough
Get a new tensioner first, They do wear out!
STEVE
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Okay so here is my update.

Replaced the Tensioner Pulley and Idler Pulley...Still Squealing....

I am thinking AC Pulley or Water pump. = (


Issue is when I look for the AC Pulley I can't find it only the bypass...

Any suggestions? Determined to no longer hear my truck squeal.
 
#8 ·
Try to find a 1/4" or apx.diameter steel rod 2-3' long. With engine running/squealing, and carefully make contact with water pump etc.and hold other end in your fist to your ear, you will definitely find source as the rod will amplify sound and act as a stethoscope. It works like a charm every time. Touch alternator, anything related to belt/engine rotation and you will PIN POINT trouble. Sometimes you can use a Very Large screw driver or similar. The longer the better as it allows you to keep your ears away from noise source.
 
#9 ·
btupbty187 said:
So this is what happens. I start the engine. It squeals for a moment initially then stops. When I put it into drive it starts and while I am accelerating mostly - if I am just coasting it will not squeal.

The only thing that eludes me to thinking it is a pulley is because it was not squealing before I had the serpentine belt replaced after it shredded.
Click to expand...
So it will squeal if you put it in drive and idle? that will make it easier to find.

It is possible that the thing that is squealing is the thing that made the belt shred, but I'd expect it to always squeal..

for starters, disconnect the wire to your AC compressor clutch (two-pin connector in the pigtail that comes from the front of the compressor) and see if that makes any difference.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
FINELINETOYS said:
Try to find a 1/4" or apx.diameter steel rod 2-3' long. With engine running/squealing, and carefully make contact with water pump etc.and hold other end in your fist to your ear, you will definitely find source as the rod will amplify sound and act as a stethoscope. It works like a charm every time. Touch alternator, anything related to belt/engine rotation and you will PIN POINT trouble. Sometimes you can use a Very Large screw driver or similar. The longer the better as it allows you to keep your ears away from noise source.
Click to expand...

I will have to do that, thank you!
 
#14 ·
that_guy said:
I had all kinds of issues with new belts squealing and chirping a while back. Long story short, a goodyear gatorback belt solved the issue.
Click to expand...
+1 I went through 3 belts from various car parts places and each one would start chirping and squealing after a week or 2. Went to dealer and got a belt from them and have not had a problem since.... Another trick I used to isolate the issue was to take a bar of hand soap just lightly pressed it against the top (non grooved ) side of the belt for a couple seconds with the engine at idle. That always stopped the noise for a short time. If the source of the noise was from bad bearings in one of the pulleys, it would still make noise.

Good luck.
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
Followed up with the using a bar like a stethescope and it seems to be isolated to the water pump, also everyone I have spoken to is saying that the water pump may be failing.

So on Saturday I will have an update about weather my poor truck has been silenced or if the saga continues....
 
#16 ·
btupbty187 said:
Followed up with the using a bar like a stethescope and it seems to be isolated to the water pump, also everyone I have spoken to is saying that the water pump may be failing.

So on Saturday I will have an update about weather my poor truck has been silenced or if the saga continues....
Click to expand...
If you want to take the next step, you can release the tensioner and wiggle the fan. If it wiggles, the pump is bad. This is not hard. The tensioner is right in front of the ignition coil. Simply get a wrench or socket and long breaker bar (I think it's 5/8 or 15mm) and it will be obvious which way the pulley comes off the belt. hold it off with one hand and grab and try to move, back to front, a fan blade. If you can hold off the tensioner, you can check all the other idlers and pulleys.
 
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#17 ·
btupbty187 said:
Followed up with the using a bar like a stethescope and it seems to be isolated to the water pump, also everyone I have spoken to is saying that the water pump may be failing.

So on Saturday I will have an update about weather my poor truck has been silenced or if the saga continues....
Click to expand...

It could also just be that it's squeaking because the water pump is the only accessory being driven by the back of the belt.
 
#18 ·
I also have a 98 with a 5.9. I bought an aftermarket belt and it started squealing before I even backed it out of the garage. I called a friend of mine that is a service manager at the local Dodge garage and he said get an OEM belt. I did and that was 50,000 miles ago and still running quiet.
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
Alright, to conclude the squealing matter - It was the water pump. Which I will say was a pain in the butt to get to but the water pump was definitely bad, lots of rust!

Now onto the new problem, intermittent issue with engine turning over. It will click when I attempt to turn it over and will repeat about 5 times before it will turn over and when it does the engine is strong and no issue with stalling. This happened about a week and a half ago and then stopped until today. Any suggestions before I drop another couple hundred dollars into this truck fishing...

Any ideas?
 
#20 · (Edited)
btupbty187 said:
would i have the engine on while disconnecting?
Click to expand...
NO !!!!

and while I'm at it the suggestion to listen to waterpump etc is very good, but don't just use a rod, unless you add a plastic knob or so at the end against the ear. Using a Screwdriver is better if it can reach.

Or better yet get a "Mechanics Stethoscope" it can be had for less than $20. (Search e.g. Walmart)
 
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