so i have a friend's cherokee that i kidnapped with the intention of fixing her AC while she is gone for a week. Her belt was old and worn, so i put a new one in. well i got the new belt tightened and it drives great without the AC on. The trick is that if i accelerate with the AC on then it squeals/GRINDS bad, but only on startup until i get moving about 20mph. if i am sitting at a light, and the engine RPM is kept higher than idle then it will not squeal, or i can just turn on the ac once i started moving. it would be quite annoying to have to do that at ever stop light, so i need to find out what is causing this noise.

I have not taken the belt off again, but will do it to check every pulley. anyone have any idea if this sounds like a certain culprit that is so obvious, that i am just missing it?

Thanks,

Dan

 

Sounds like a bad bearing in the AC compressor. Does the AC have to be on for it to make the noise??

 

Is the belt on right! Too tight or loose.

 

i was first getting the noise just from idling, the AC was not even on. then i tightened it and it only showed up when accelerating from a stand still with the A/C on.

I just thought i had it all fixed and drove it for about 20 minutes, no sounds thought everything was great. so then i park it for 20 minutes and then it comes back. odd. i guess the new belt is stretching itself? i have heard of that happening, so i will tighten it one more time.

 

I had the exact problem with my 94 Sport.
Turned out to be the idler pulley (the pulley that doesn't run anything)

Easy to change. Loosen belt, pull belt out of way, loosen mounting bolt, install new pulley, re-install belt.
Quieted everything.

Howler_GT

I caught your Jeep thing. Now it burns when I pee.

 

I would suggest. When it is squealing again at idle, get you some spray lubricant with a straw. Spray each suspected pulley one at a time which ever one stop squealing is the bad pulley. Change that part out.

 

its the belt. mine does the same hting. only reason it makes a noise with the a/c on is thats just more stuff it has to turn, tighten the belt.