Belt squealing !
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Belt squealing !
When I start my Cherokee something is squealing awful for maybe 30 seconds then it stops! Don't do it every time you start it ! Belt seems to be plenty tight ! Any thoughts ?
#4
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Poconos, USA
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 98
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh
If it were that pulley it would squeal every time. It doesn't take much of a drip from your h2o pump to cause belt slip and squeal.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 691
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
1 Post
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Why oh why can't posters include their year model, engine etc.????????
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
Trending Topics
#8
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Monett, MO.
Posts: 7,554
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes
on
14 Posts
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Why oh why can't posters include their year model, engine etc.????????
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
#9
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Riviera, Texas
Posts: 4,172
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 1998 Sport
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Why oh why can't posters include their year model, engine etc.????????
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
You cannot tell that a 4.0 belt is tight enough by "it seems to be plenty tight". Is your A/C usually on when you start the motor?
Loosen the belt and check all components including visual check of harmonic balancer. If everything seems to be okay, tighten until squealing stops and no more.
Some swear by a tension gauge but I know that I am not going to drive around with the belt squealing regardless of what the gauge says. I've never destroyed a bearing but perhaps I've just been lucky.
What is history of your belt, how old, tightening schedule etc.
I also never used a belt tension gauge. I just tighten it and if it doesn't make any squeak I'm good to go. And if it does I just tighten a little at a time until it stops. The belt on the 4.0 has to be STUPID TIGHT!!!
#11
CF Veteran
I tried the 1/8" method and it just wouldn't quite do it.
#12
CF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Nor-Cal Coast
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
17 Posts
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
Soaping Belt
Tight, tighter, tightest the darn new belt would still chirp.
Finally in desperation I went out there with a bottle of Dawn dish soap and the garden hose. Idling, I got it wet, then squirt soap on both sides, rinsed some, and soaped a little more. Let it idle a minute all soapy. To end, I ran the hose slow on it running for a couple minutes. Bingo! That solved it. There was some sort of coating on the new belt? Idk.
I normally run my belt as loose as I can, and still have the alternator not slip with the blower on high, and lights on brights. Puts less strain on all the other bearings. Radi pointed out a cool tip. After it might have been slipping, (voltage has been low), see if the Alt. pulley is hot. I want to go back and loosen it a tad now.
Tight, tighter, tightest the darn new belt would still chirp.
Finally in desperation I went out there with a bottle of Dawn dish soap and the garden hose. Idling, I got it wet, then squirt soap on both sides, rinsed some, and soaped a little more. Let it idle a minute all soapy. To end, I ran the hose slow on it running for a couple minutes. Bingo! That solved it. There was some sort of coating on the new belt? Idk.
I normally run my belt as loose as I can, and still have the alternator not slip with the blower on high, and lights on brights. Puts less strain on all the other bearings. Radi pointed out a cool tip. After it might have been slipping, (voltage has been low), see if the Alt. pulley is hot. I want to go back and loosen it a tad now.
#13
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Riviera, Texas
Posts: 4,172
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Year: 1998 Sport
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Soaping Belt
Tight, tighter, tightest the darn new belt would still chirp.
Finally in desperation I went out there with a bottle of Dawn dish soap and the garden hose. Idling, I got it wet, then squirt soap on both sides, rinsed some, and soaped a little more. Let it idle a minute all soapy. To end, I ran the hose slow on it running for a couple minutes. Bingo! That solved it. There was some sort of coating on the new belt? Idk.
I normally run my belt as loose as I can, and still have the alternator not slip with the blower on high, and lights on brights. Puts less strain on all the other bearings. Radi pointed out a cool tip. After it might have been slipping, (voltage has been low), see if the Alt. pulley is hot. I want to go back and loosen it a tad now.
Tight, tighter, tightest the darn new belt would still chirp.
Finally in desperation I went out there with a bottle of Dawn dish soap and the garden hose. Idling, I got it wet, then squirt soap on both sides, rinsed some, and soaped a little more. Let it idle a minute all soapy. To end, I ran the hose slow on it running for a couple minutes. Bingo! That solved it. There was some sort of coating on the new belt? Idk.
I normally run my belt as loose as I can, and still have the alternator not slip with the blower on high, and lights on brights. Puts less strain on all the other bearings. Radi pointed out a cool tip. After it might have been slipping, (voltage has been low), see if the Alt. pulley is hot. I want to go back and loosen it a tad now.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Homer Georgia
Posts: 699
Received 96 Likes
on
87 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l
I got one of those belt clicker thingy's and never have used it. I always just go by twisting of the belt and feel never a issue...now next time I do the belt it'll be screaming like a banshee!