My serpentine belt has an annoying little squeak when I first start the Jeep. It's only an idle, and it's more of a chirping than a squeak. Once the engine has been running for a few minutes it stops doing it. I have adjusted the tensioner to the point of frustration. I'm assuming the only other option at this point is replacing the belt. Is this "chirping" a known indicator that it is time for the belt to be changed?

 

You sure it's the belt and not one of the bearings?

I once had a failing alternator bearing that was squeaking, didn't correctly diagnose the noise, cost me a new alternator, belt and battery. Ouch!!!

 

Squeal belt ... squeak bearing ...

 

Check the harmonic balancer...make sure it is not starting to separate,

 

I'm 99% sure it's the belt that's making the noise. If I hit the belt with some belt dressing it stops for a day, then it's back the next day. It only makes the noise at idle. I'm also thinking it's the belt due to the fact that it goes away after a few minutes of running. If it was a bearing, wouldn't it tend to get worse at the bearing heats up and creates more drag? I will check the balancer though too just to be safe. I guess it wouldn't hurt to pull the belt and check the accessories for drag. Any additional thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Since the snake oil guys branched out in to belt dressing they are now gazillionares, the correct answer is it's a bearing.

 

Pull the belt, spin each pulley by hand looking for noise or roughness. If nothing is found, replace the belt.
Actually I'd replace it anyway- belt dressing ruins serpentine belts. Clean the pulleys off with brake cleaner too.

 

Good idea.

Don't use belt dressing on a serpentine belt.

If the harmonic balancer starts to separate even just a little it will cause belt misalignment and produce chirping like you describe.

Go to the Dayco site and check out their belt noise diagnostic videos.

 

Something easy to try that worked for me;

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.

 

had a water pump slowly go out like that, I swore it was a pulley or the belt never thought to look for weeping not many miles/days later the pump went out.. afterward I replaced it the squeaking stopped, coincidence?? dunno

just saying..

 

Problem solved. It was the belt. After removing the belt, I turned all pullies by hand and checked for play or anything out of the norm. They were all fine, replaced the belt and it's quiet as can be. I didn't think it was going to end up being a bearing, but I think I wasn't expressing the problem correctly and that's why so many kept saying bearing, bearing, bearing.

Anyway, while I was working on this weekend I decided to change the tranny fluid, transfer case fluid, and front and rear differential fluid. Glad I did. The ATF in the trans, and transfer case was pretty dark, and the differentials smelled like crap. Topped off all the fluids and took it for a nice long drive. No issues.

Now I just need to tackle the antifreeze and spark plugs.

 

The differentials are supposed to smell like crap. Gear oil doesn't exactly smell like flowers.

 

lol. I've always wondered why that is. I've changed several over the years and all the oil smells like crap after some time in the diff.

 

First world problems, squeaky belt. Boy those are hard to replace. :P

 

Ha ha ha!!! Love the "first world problems". We use that at work all the time. Really brings stuff into perspective!