Hello all,

I just got a 2000 xj with about 80k miles. I just drove it cross country and everything worked fine except the belt would squeal a little bit if it was cold out and now it's squealing pretty much all the time.

The Idler pulley was just replaced before I got the car so would it be a case of just tightening the pulley? If so do I need to loosen the pulley before I tighten the bolt up top?

 

It could be that the belt is just a little loose or it could be a different pulley making noise. Take the best off and spin the pulleys to see if any of the other ones make noise. If they don't, just try tightening the belt up a little more.

 

Thanks for the info

 

Is the belt in good shape?

 

hey ive got a 85 2.8 cherokee. everyone says oh theyre garbage but mine works fine and ive got 33 12.50s on. i was just wondering what all other fits on a 85. from other cherokee and other vehicles? right now i have f150 coils on the front. im fixing to put 2 inch spacers in front and 3 inch block in the back. TELL ME IF U HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS just getting into jeeps thx

 

You might get a better response by making a intro thread and telling us a about your XJ. You could also make a thread asking your questions in "Cherokee Tech" .

By the way, Welcome to CF!

 

Your belt could be glazed from the previous bad idler pulley, the new idler pulley could be bad or the wrong one, another one of your pulleys may be bad, or the belt may be loose. You should be able to turn the belt 1/4 turn maximum in an open spot.

 

yeah definitely tighten up those belts, i dont know if its all cherokees or just the newer style but when i had my 99 i had to tighten the belt every winter. enjoy the new ride

 

Thanks guys, I'll be tightening the belt today. I really don't have much engine experience but it seems like all I do is loosen the idler pull a few turns then adjust the upper bolt till the belt is tight. After that how tight do I need to tighten the idler pulley. Can it be too tight?

 

I've never worked with the serpentine belt on a '97+ Xj and they have a different belt tensioning system so I'm not really sure on your model. You want to tighten your idler pulley pretty snug, but don't kill yourself tightening it, just so it feels tight. Somebody on here might know the torque specs for it but I do not, sorry.

Check your belt as your servicing it, it may need to be replaced. Check for cracks, chips, dryrot, and scoring. If you do go about replacing your belt, I would recommend Gatorback brand belts, they cost a few more bucks, but it's well worth it. You can get them at most autoparts stores, maybe even Walmart.