x2 on check the power steering, i know mines going, and anytime i go through a big puddle my steering gets really choppy and the belt starts screaming for a few minutes then all goes back to normal

 

Since we are all putting forth our 2 cents here's mine . Go to Harbour Freight or your local auto parts store and get a stethascope about $5 or use a piece of hose, start the motor and go from pully to pully until you find the offending part then remove it and replace it. If the noise occurs only when the AC is on its probably the bearing in the clutch on the way out .

 

There is a few things that will make the belt squeal. I dont have a sqeal anymore. Used to sound like a pig being molested. Here's what my issue was and how I fied it. Replaced the old belt with a dayco unit that had cross cuts in it. It helps Keep the belt cooler. They arent as strong as a solid ribbing all around but a cooler belt is key.

My idler pulley bearing was on its way out. Took it out and replaced the bearings in it with some bearings that I had laying around that fit. Im cheap but like to do things right. did some light sand blasting to the remaining pulley's only to roughen them up a bit, Helps the belt seat on the pulley properly and have "traction". The sand blasting didnt remove much but tok away any glazing on the pulley from rust and from sitting for a year as a secondary vehicle.

Tightened the belt up as tight as I could. Usually if you tighten a belt up too much your asking for trouble. You put too much pressure on the bearings and they will fail. First two bearings that will usually fail are the alternator and the water pump. Saying that, being that the belt is new, its gonna stretch a little and keeping it tight will help condition the pulley's and the belt to each other. Any contaminates on the belt will introduce a sqeal. It adds Lubrication and it breaks down the belts composition.

Only time I spray anything on a belt is to figure out where the issue lies. For example, Is it the idles pulley making noise, or is the clutch in the a/c pump failing. Or is it something like the water pump is leaking through the weep hole on its way out and introducing an oily substance to the belt causing it to slip.

Anything that you add to a belt to make it stop squealing will be temporary. A?C clutches can be replaced. Pulleys can be dressed to allow the belt to seat better.

90 percent of the belts that I have had to diagnose has been something along those lines. on anything that has a belt tensioner that is spring loaded its always been the spring or corrosion.

IMHO, Fix the cause and not mask it. Its fustrating to have to revisit the same issue over and over when all that energy could have been used more efficiently to diagnose and correct the base problem.

If your low on cash and need temp fix. They sell a belt dressing product that actually reconditions the belt to an extent. An old belt gets hard and glazed. Usually accompanied by the ribs of the belt cracking.

 

squeaky problems I have a 98 cherokee and it did the same exact thing if u would look closely when u turn your jeep on then flip the ac on then look where the fan clutch pulley and u will see the belt jump when u throttle it so what I did was to thighten up the belt some more. I spoke with a mechanic that worked with a jeep dealer and he said that cherokee r notorious for belt sqealing. worked for me and I hope it works for u all

 

Thanks bigclub. I thought it did not come from the AC side of the engine. I thought it was the power steering pump, but wasn't sure. Thanks for the second opinion.