Hi, I've got a 98 jeep cherokee 4.0L inline 6. I recently replaced the water pump (2 months ago) and the power steering pump a year ago. I replaced the water pump because of the squealing but it did not help.

It's a loud squealing that only occurs when idling. As soon as I give it a little gas it stops (or is maybe just inaudible over the motor). I have also replaced the belt . I kind of think it may be the idler pulley because it's that side where the noise is coming from. And I've already replace the other two accessories near it. Any help would be appreciated.

oh and tightening the belt did not help either.

 

Go tighter

 

The idler pulley is a common fault on a lot of Chryslers. They're inexpensive so I'd say change it and the tensioner pulley if you feel like it.

 

overtightening the drive belt will also cause it squeek. be sure there are no components leaking on to the belt. also while the engine is running look closely at all the pulleys and make sure that none of them have a wobble. was the squeek there before doing the p/s pump or did it develop afterwards?

 

it developed after the power steering pump by a year. we replaced the water pump a couple months ago (which is when the squeaking started), but that squeaking was much worse and the water pump WAS bad. But after that was replaced, my jeep still squeaked but much quieter.

I just replaced the idler pulley, it didn't seem TOO bad but for $20 I thought I'd try it. It still squeaks. I'll try tightening it a little, then loosening it up a bit.

One thing I noticed was the little washer/sleeve insert that goes into the front of the idle pulley. It's just metal on metal and I wonder if that would be part of the culprit? Not sure if it's safe to put be in it though as it says nothing about lube in the service manual, and I've always been leery about getting lube anywhere near the belt/pulleys.

 

@Creature: Where exactly is the tensioner pulley? I thought that was what the idler pulley did?

 

On these cars the tensioner pulley is an idler. And whennpulleys go bad theythe make a noise similiar to a growl you would hear from a wheel bearing. Has the belt been replaced since the squeek started?

 

Don't forget to loosen the lock nut BEFORE tightening. Great way to snap the tensioning rod.

 

Skimmed this thread.. My first thought if your belt tension is good and its not a noise from another pulley bearing.

Would be your harmonic balancer.
Check to see if there is rubber inbetween the center piece of it, and the outer piece. Its really unmistakable if its bad. The rubber will come out from between the two pieces