gabqc

Hi, i just bought a 2001 jeep cherokee and I really love it but there is one problem. I got a belt squeal when the engine is cold. The squeal is only there when the engine is under charghe (press the gaz) and there is no sound at idle. Plus as soon as the engine temperature gauge reach about the middle the squeal stops. I would like to know if anybody else ever got this problem and how to fix it. Thanx

p.s i got a new belt istalled and no change and i will try to tight the belt but I`m not shure how so please reply

Bigclubs

Welcome to the forum and being a Jeep owner. Did you not read the reallllly small print in the sales contract. "Jeep belts squeal".

Check the belt tension, it need to be tight. There should be almost no movement compaired to standard vehicle belts. The belts also like to squeel in damp wet weather.

Do a search on "belt squeal" and you should find a huge amount of replies to this question.

tjwalker

The serpentine belt on the 4.0 needs to be awfully darn tight to stay quiet. Tighter than any other engine I've owned in 37 years.

Try tightening it a smidgen. If you are unsure about how tight, there is a belt tension tool called the KRIKIT II which is helpful. Napa and other shops sell it.

Get a manual. You will need it as you work on your XJ. Factory service manuals are the best, Chiltons is second. Haynes pull up the rear. They make great underwear, but poor manuals.

1991Jeep_Man

Try sprayin some WD40 on the top of the belt as it rotates around the AC compressor pulley. I had squel, and doing this helped.

BeaglesXJ

Mine squeals to. And when I turn up the volume to my radio it stops.

USMCgunrock

WELCOME! I had the same problem with my 2001 when i bought it. Tighten the belt idler pulley and you will be set...or you can do what i did which was buy a new belt and replace it. its a $20ish belt fix and u won't have to think about it for long time again, have it tight where you have about a 1/4" depression when u put a thumb pressure down on it.

peep

Know how you feel about the squeel. I chase it a couple times a year. Don't overtighten, hard on the bearings of all the equipment pullies. Watch for wobbly idler wheels, the bearings are pressed into center of a die formed wheel, they are cheap to replace. My current squeel is the front bearing of my alternator, only 14 months old, charges just fine, but squeely, some wd40 into the front bearing area helps flush it and good for about a month. Belt dressings will also only be a temp fix. I've never in all the years of auto and industry see actual "belt dressing" be effective in anything but thoroughly screwing up belts resulting in requried replacement. That said "armor all" original product, sprayed onto the belt, will quieten the squeel, applications requirement will become more frequent over time and ultimately require a fresh belt. Problem is squeel can be from multiple sources so no easy answer. Also try different brands of belts. My current favourite is a Carquest belt. It's another of those jeep things.

tjwalker

I have had the best luck with the Goodyear Gatorback belt as a replacement belt.

Should NEVER use belt dressing on a serpentine belt. A dab of that might help a little on a V-Belt, but it can actually make things worse on a serpentine belt.

Find the cause of the problem, whether it is a belt or belt tension, idler pulley, alternator, etc. and fix it....

tommyxj2000

the gatorback is a good belt....thats what ive been using for awhile

4jeepers

2X on the gatorback, the cheap ones are crap.

mickey_00xj

Just in case you haven't been told already, on your tensioning wheel there is a nut, usually a 15mm I believe. Losen that about a half to 3/4 turn. Once the wheel is free to move tighten the wheel by turning tensioning bolt clockwise until belt is nice and snug. Best way to check is but a ruler between two even wheels on the belt and push belt away from ruler. It shouldn't move hardly at all. If it's to your liking just tighten nut on tensioning wheel and start it up, problem should go away. I would drive it for about a week and check tension again, if it didn't move you're good.

wcjr

What model number gatorback belt do i need to order to fit a 2001 cherokee?

leecarr

They all do that, the belt has to be tight enough to play a tune on.

Xj-Gripper93

i have a 93 cherokee xj that it starts up fine, but when the belt starts squealing it will shut off, unless i rev it up to 3 grand rpms, or when it get up to about 190 in temp, than it likes to start squealing on me. but will usually start right back up. i just replaced the cps,
help meeeee