Belt squeal when cold

[wws944]

My new-to-me 2004 Alero just started having a problem with the belt squealing when cold. After a couple of mile 'warm up', it is nice and quiet. This is a low mile (14k) car that sat in storage for six years. I drove it 2k miles to its new home, and it was fine during the trip.

The noise appears to come from the area around the alternator and upper idler pulley. Listening to everything with a stethoscope, it sounded like I might need a new upper idler pulley. Alternator, PS pump, water pump, and lower idler sounded fine. Bought a new upper idler today, and took off the old one. But the bearings in the old one felt nice and smooth so I put it back on.

Then I noticed that there was a small pile of 'belt dust' on the top of the tensioner arm and on the alternator - behind its pulley. Also noticed that the outside edge of the belt was wearing. The cords are actually starting to show. Could it be that the alternator pulley is slightly too far inward? If so, why would it just show now?

Am now thinking I should drive over to my friendly local competent mechanic, who hopefully has one of those fancy laser belt alignment setups, to check it out...

[AleroB888]

My new-to-me 2004 Alero just started having a problem with the belt squealing when cold. After a couple of mile 'warm up', it is nice and quiet. This is a low mile (14k) car that sat in storage for six years. I drove it 2k miles to its new home, and it was fine during the trip.

The noise appears to come from the area around the alternator and upper idler pulley. Listening to everything with a stethoscope, it sounded like I might need a new upper idler pulley. Alternator, PS pump, water pump, and lower idler sounded fine. Bought a new upper idler today, and took off the old one. But the bearings in the old one felt nice and smooth so I put it back on.

Then I noticed that there was a small pile of 'belt dust' on the top of the tensioner arm and on the alternator - behind its pulley. Also noticed that the outside edge of the belt was wearing. The cords are actually starting to show. Could it be that the alternator pulley is slightly too far inward? If so, why would it just show now?

Am now thinking I should drive over to my friendly local competent mechanic, who hopefully has one of those fancy laser belt alignment setups, to check it out...

That's a long time to be in storage, I guess I'd get a new belt first. Might be easier to see any misalignment. I hear squeeking from time to time, also. A few months ago, I was getting pulley noise from the alternator on my mom's Lincoln and I sprayed WD40 on the shaft, which got rid of it for a few days at a time. But now it's stopped doing it altogether.

[zzyzzx]

I got my 1999 Alero at 19K miles when it was 9 years old, and one of the first things I did was to replace the rotted wiper blades, battery, and serpentine belt. The OE one did make noise like that. Also the tensioner spring could be weak.

[wws944]

I got my 1999 Alero at 19K miles when it was 9 years old, and one of the first things I did was to replace the rotted wiper blades, battery, and serpentine belt. The OE one did make noise like that. Also the tensioner spring could be weak.

Tensioner is very strong. In fact, I had to use an extension (e.g., piece of Sch 40 PVC pipe) on my ratchet in order to get enough leverage to twist it to loosen the belt. I own several GM vehicles with these serpentine belt tensioners, and this is the tightest one I've seen!

I may try simply replacing the belt. Visually it looks really good though. (Except for the now slightly shaved outside edge.)

[guiguilandry]

Tensioner is very strong. In fact, I had to use an extension (e.g., piece of Sch 40 PVC pipe) on my ratchet in order to get enough leverage to twist it to loosen the belt. I own several GM vehicles with these serpentine belt tensioners, and this is the tightest one I've seen!

I may try simply replacing the belt. Visually it looks really good though. (Except for the now slightly shaved outside edge.)

WELL MAYBE THAS IS YOUR PROBLEM RIGHT THERE... SITTING FOR TOO LONG AND IT GOT PARTIALLY STUCK AND CANT GIVE THE RIGHT TENSION ON THE BELT...

[wws944]

BTW, my current thoughts are that once the alternator "warms up" a bit, its pulley expands slightly from the heat and the belt settles in to it. Still doesn't explain why the belt just started doing this. Unless now that I am driving it, after its long rest, the belt has somehow slightly widened itself.

[wws944]

WELL MAYBE THAS IS YOUR PROBLEM RIGHT THERE... SITTING FOR TOO LONG AND IT GOT PARTIALLY STUCK AND CANT GIVE THE RIGHT TENSION ON THE BELT...

Not convinced of it. Yes, it is pretty tight. But it didn't feel "stuck" at any point in its travel. Would be worth measuring the belt tension though. I'll try it this weekend.

[wws944]

Anyone know the proper torque for the passenger side engine mount nuts and bolts when replacing the belt? The Haines manual (#38026) just says "Tighten the bolts securely"...

Also the torque for the idler pulley bolts? Am thinking 18 ft/lbs because that is what my other GM vehicles use.

Is there a publicly available scan of the factory service manual for the Alero/Grand Am?

[wws944]

Never mind. I just noticed the sticky with torque specs above!

Still interested in finding a factory service manual tho.

[zzyzzx]

Still interested in finding a factory service manual tho.

I got mine on eBay.

[a.graham52]

got both of mine from a tech school throwing them out.

[wws944]

Went to one of the local Pick N Pulls yesterday and managed to find an idler pulley that ran smooth. Put it on tonight. Squeaked for the first maybe 30 seconds, then disappeared.

Interestingly, with my socket wrench (and PVC pipe extension) on the tensioner, if I loosened the tension slightly, the squeak would come back. Let it tighten and the squeak went away again. Interesting...

On the FSM front, I was hoping that someone might have scanned one by now so I could just download it. But yeah, I will have to start watching ebay. Not desperate enough to spend $200 at Helm for a new set yet.

[a.graham52]

When the belt makes noise, apply crayon to the belt surfaces. If the noise goes away then u need a new belt.

[wws944]

Bought a new Gates K060870 belt today. However, when attempting to remove the bracket between the engine mount and the engine, I ran into an issue. I had my jack, w/block of wood, under the engine oil pan. Then removed the two nuts under the cruise control module, then started on the two bolts. Took one bolt out, then started on the other. But the jack didn't seem to take the weight off the mount. Instead, the engine started dropping down. Cranking the jack up a bit just lifted the entire car, not just the engine.

Am I missing something? How could something so easy be so complicated...

[wws944]

... Am I missing something? How could something so easy be so complicated...

Belt replaced, and squeaking is gone!

Looks like I just had to crank the jack up higher, to account for unloading the suspension a bit.

Interesting that a belt with only 14k miles on it would have this problem. I have a 1990 Buick with only 13k, and its original serpentine belt is fine. Guess GM must have sourced better belts back then.

[AleroB888]

Bought a new Gates K060870 belt today. However, when attempting to remove the bracket between the engine mount and the engine, I ran into an issue. I had my jack, w/block of wood, under the engine oil pan. Then removed the two nuts under the cruise control module, then started on the two bolts. Took one bolt out, then started on the other. But the jack didn't seem to take the weight off the mount. Instead, the engine started dropping down. Cranking the jack up a bit just lifted the entire car, not just the engine.

Am I missing something? How could something so easy be so complicated...

as we speak, I just removed and installed my belts(s) 4 times! (project going on) I had to raise the engine, and the front end with it about 3-4 inches. just loosen the 15mm nuts on the bottommost part of the cruise bracket about an inch up, then go back and forth loosening the 18mm mount bolts on top. Clean the metal shavings off and the threads when reinstalling.

[wombatslayer]

mine just started doing this, exactly as it turned 134000 miles. the second it warms up, it stops squeaking. its faint, but it seems to be getting more noticeable.

[sleepyalero]

bringing up old threads. :lol:

[wombatslayer]

i'm cool like that... haha