1996 Cherokee SE 4.0 149k mi

I get an intermittent screeching that stops when I hit about 25-35 mph from a stop. no noise at idle, but when i start out it starts and it's LOUD! I wiggled the idler pulley, the power steering unit, and I can't figure out which component is making the noise. And it's not every time i drive around.
Any ideas?

 

Replace your harmonic balancer. If it's the original one, its overdue for replacement anyway.

After that, belt tension and idler pulley bearings.

 

Verify that it's not the double cardan joint in the front driveshaft. It won't do it at idle and only does it at lower speeds and when the temp is rather cold.

 

Here's how my 5 year old granddaughter locates noises like that.

 

You have a 5 year old granddaughter? I thought you were like 38 lol

 

I'm 63!!!

 

Hows your belt adjustment? Colder weather tends to make loose belts expose themselves. These have to be tighter than one would think is plenty. I would first try to tighten the belt just a little more and see if it happens less often.

 

I love that picture Cruiser, it really is a great image. Brings back so many memories for me of when my girls were growing up here in the shop. They are all now pretty knowledgeable about cars because they grew up helping rebuild engines and just about everything mechanical on a car. Now I am getting the privilege of doing this again a second time around with our Grandchildren, all 11 of them!

 

Here's a better one.

 

And there is a good message in that too! "So simple a five year old Girl can use it"

 

Yes. By design......

 

Maybe it would be a decent sales pitch for the maker of those very practical tools?

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/mechan...ope-69913.html

 

It's now harder to get into most of these newer vehicles, but in the past I have used a trans funnel with a long 3/8ths inch drive extension shoved in the end and thick saran wrap stretched over the opening at the top.

Thomas Edison first shared that concept.

 

Take a can of spray PAM cooking oil out of the kitchen, away from the turkey cooking section, and one by one blast the pulleys as it runs. You will either find the culprit or your turkey will stick to the pan.