With the warm weather going bye bye, I have been using the heater more often. I have been noticing a loud squeek coming from the engine when the heat is on and I am accelerating. I noticed the same problem in the summer with the A/C. When I shut off the heat or A/C it stops. I am guessing this has something to do with a belt. Maybe a serpentine belt attached to various components, hence the noise getting louder when accelerating. Any ideas or experience with this?

 

sounds like it - not sure why the heater is effecting it other hten the blower putting strain on the alternator and causing it - check the belt for losnes..

 

A

 

do it yourself its easy and you can always learn something.

 

A

 

lube?

 

you dont need lube. and as far as tightness you can either get a belt tension gauge or just get it snugged up good to where the belt doesn't flex more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch

 

dont buy the cheapest belt either

 

The above posts are pretty much right on but I do suggest you get the belt tension gauge and use it. Too loose and you get glazed belt and slippage. Too tight and you get premature bearing wear on water pump and altenator. Just my

 

Do you have the digital climate control in yours?
I noticed it kicks on my AC compressor when in auto mode.

I tried belt dressing on the 95 with no luck and have to change a belt that looks fine or just wax it.

 

Changing your belt is pretty simple.

You will need to loosen a few bolts on the power steering pump though. Now my jeep is a 87 so if your setup is different then just ignore this. I will reference this picture for directions



First loosen the pump. Loosen bolt number 1. There are two 13mm bolts on the back side of the pump refernce number 2. You have to loosen those also. The pump also pivets on these points and the bolts help secure it.

Next is the tensioner underneath the pump. Pretty hard to get to unless you pull the air box. Which is also 13mm bolts there are three at the bottome of it if you decide to pull it I always pull mine and it is pretty simple and painless.
Back to the pump.

Refence number 3 shows the adjustment screw. And refence number 4 shows the locking screw. Loosen # 4 and then loosen number three till you can pull your belt off.

Putting the belt back on is just as simple. Tighten number 3 till you get it is just right then re tighten all the other bolts back up. Check again you may have to loosen and retighten again till you get it right but once it is good then you are good. A good test to see if you got it tight enough is the 90 degree test. If you can twist the belt more than 90 degrees it is too loose if you can't twist it 90 degrees it is too tight. 90 degrees is just right.

HTH

 

And when you say you're using the heater, do you actually have it on the "Heater" setting or the window defrost setting? The latter kicks on the A/C compressor to dry out the air to get rid of that nice fog on the inside of the windows.

 

good point

 

I had mine changed an My independant shop. $37.50 for labor, worth it to me.

 

takes 10 min 2 do at 37.50... that is 225 an hour. Not worth it to do in my book. All you need is a 13mm and the sense to know lefty loosey righty tighty. Not trying to down on you but sometimes it is worth it to pick up a wrench.