belt not tight enough?

[1990LTD]

car made a squealing sound on two different starts today (out of a bunch of them)


doesn't happen right on start but an instant afterward and then it's gone right away.


i replaced the alternator belt recently. it's entirely possible it's not tight enough because it'sthe first time i replaced one of those. is there a way to check if it's too loose? not much give to it but it's not completely taut.

[zoomie]

could be one of two poss bilities, one the belt you have isnt the proper one or two the belt is too loose, usually i make mine fairly tight, and you can see it kinda "bounce" alittle if you watch it running and its loose

[grandpaslincoln]

I think your max deflection should be 1/4" or so. That means when you press down on the belt between two pullies, it should push down 1/4".

I think it's 1/4". Not sure.

[1990LTD]

It looks more than 1/4. thanks.

[1990LTD]

Is it normal for a new belt to stretch a tiny bit after it's been put on? Would make sense

[91waggin]

Yes. Rubber does that.

[gadget73]

There is actually some blurb in the book to set the belt tension, run the car a bit, then re-tension the belt because it stretches. There are also different deflection values given for new belts vs used because the used one is pre-stretched.

[merc91]

its either that or your AC bearing is squeeling. mine squeeled for the first minute of startup once and a while then one day my AC compressor did a burnout under my hood.

[1990LTD]

its either that or your AC bearing is squeeling. mine squeeled for the first minute of startup once and a while then one day my AC compressor did a burnout under my hood.

AC no spinny spinny. I'm only running the one belt.

[merc91]

getting rid of that stuff and belt...thats good, same here now, way better to clean out the engine bay. Well same rule could apply to your alternator but hopefully its a lose belt. Get some "belt dressing" which is basically tacky spray that gives your belt better grip and if that solves the problem then you knows its your lose belt. My belt was lose and used to squeal once and a while and always when i put the pedal to the floor under more load.

[grandpaslincoln]

Or you could just tighten the belt. I've used belt dressing before. The only thing is does is actually make the belt make MORE noise (made mine squawk like crazy until it all melted off or dried up or whatever), and it flings sticky shit all over the engine bay.

[1990LTD]

Problem has been solved a few days ago, I should have mentioned that. 10 minutes, a few sockets, all good. Though I have been curious about belt dressing stuff...don't really understand why you'd use it unless you didn't have a belt tensioner - in which case, how did you get a belt on there in the first place?

[GM_Guy]

Stay away from belt dressing.
Makes a mess of your pullies and everything else the crap gets slung onto.
Its a bandaid at best.

Clean your pulleys if you need to, or try a different belt if its an ongoing issue.

Alex.

[pantera77]

Stay away from belt dressing.
Makes a mess of your pullies and everything else the crap gets slung onto.
Its a bandaid at best.

Clean your pulleys if you need to, or try a different belt if its an ongoing issue.

Alex.

Belt dressing is evil. A wire brush stops a squealing belt much better.

[91waggin]

Belt dressing is evil. A wire brush stops a squealing belt much better.

This.