Belt Squeal
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 903
Likes: 1
From: Pueblo, CO.
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
there's always the old school band-aid trick, get a crayon and with the engine running rub the crayon on the belt till the squeal goes away. just don't cut your fingers off. but if it is the psp it will sound like it's coming from the center of the engine. you can also get a stethoscope and listen to each component individually to help determine the failed part.
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
there's always the old school band-aid trick, get a crayon and with the engine running rub the crayon on the belt till the squeal goes away. just don't cut your fingers off. but if it is the psp it will sound like it's coming from the center of the engine. you can also get a stethoscope and listen to each component individually to help determine the failed part.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Year: 92
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Hey guys!...just saw this on the forum. I ran into this same problem a couple of months back. I got tired of putting money into this (belt, idler pulley...)...all of which did not solve the squeal completely. I decided to take the belt of my '92 and found that the fan pulley had a LOT of play. It had lost some bearings which were found on the inside of the A/C bracket. I came to find on this forum and the dealer that I had to purchase the entire A/C bracket with this fan pulley already installed ($400CAN.) up here in Ontario! I found one in the local JY for $40, installed it and have had no issues since. This may not be YOUR issue, but it is definitely worth it to check for play, just like the other guys said, in all the pulleys by taking off the belt and moving/spinning them. Hope this helped some.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: St. Albans WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Well here's what I found today the power steering pump was out of line somehow I put a washer inbetween a bolt pulled the belt away from the engine looks straight inline now the pulley also was loose so I replaced it too it had play in it hope it stays fixed but it was a belt alignment issue
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: St. Albans WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
But what could cause something yo become misaligned other than my pulley was coming off Bc still what worries me is the fan pulley the belt is towards the back which worries me why it's that way
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Year: 92
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I took the jeep to a mechanic yesterday. They said the the bolt that was holding my idler pulley on was stripped. So they tapped the hole out and put a bigger bolt on it.
I thought that this fixed the problem, until this morning I started the jeep up and it was squealing. Its not as bad as it was but it still squeals. So, now I dont know what to do. I guess is obviously the idler pulley, or the bolt, etc. thats causing the noise. I would just like to get it fixed
I thought that this fixed the problem, until this morning I started the jeep up and it was squealing. Its not as bad as it was but it still squeals. So, now I dont know what to do. I guess is obviously the idler pulley, or the bolt, etc. thats causing the noise. I would just like to get it fixed
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Year: 92
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Nice!.....that'll do it....a lot easier to figure out when the belt is off to check for individual pulley issues....nice job
.....saved some cash that may have been spent without solving the issue....one headache solved....next?
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