Belt squealing !
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
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 ?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 691
Likes: 2
From: Texas
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.
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CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,554
Likes: 17
From: Monett, MO.
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.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,172
Likes: 4
From: Riviera, Texas
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!!!
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,676
Likes: 301
From: WV
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
I tried the 1/8" method and it just wouldn't quite do it.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
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.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 4,172
Likes: 4
From: Riviera, Texas
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.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 166
From: Hunt County Texas
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 804
Likes: 123
From: Homer Georgia
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!
