Help with belt chirp??
11-10-2013, 08:48 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
First post ever Sorry if it's a bit long winded... 3 weeks ago I purchased my 3rd ford vehicle. I paid $800 for a 1998 ford f150 xlt with 294,xxx miles. The man I bought it from had replaced both the engine and transmission less then 100,000 miles ago. When I bought the truck it was making a ticking noise on acceleration (turned out to be a broken timing chain guide) but I fixed it. Now my belt (or fan clutch or pulley of some kind) is chirping when running. The belt itself does not appear to be damaged... Yet. The chirping is really quietly at idle but it gets louder as I accelerate. It is not a substantial screaming noise only a slight chirp (at least from inside the truck at speed) Any tips on how I can isolate the noise to figure out what the cause is Please don't say belt dressing as I'd like to fix the problem not just cover it up
Last edited by Anbeezy; 11-10-2013 at 08:50 AM.
11-10-2013, 12:16 PM
#3
Senior Member
First post ever Sorry if it's a bit long winded... 3 weeks ago I purchased my 3rd ford vehicle. I paid $800 for a 1998 ford f150 xlt with 294,xxx miles. The man I bought it from had replaced both the engine and transmission less then 100,000 miles ago. When I bought the truck it was making a ticking noise on acceleration (turned out to be a broken timing chain guide) but I fixed it. Now my belt (or fan clutch or pulley of some kind) is chirping when running. The belt itself does not appear to be damaged... Yet. The chirping is really quietly at idle but it gets louder as I accelerate. It is not a substantial screaming noise only a slight chirp (at least from inside the truck at speed) Any tips on how I can isolate the noise to figure out what the cause is Please don't say belt dressing as I'd like to fix the problem not just cover it up
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bobkyle2 (11-10-2013)
11-10-2013, 12:18 PM
#4
check belt and pulley surfaces.
you might have got some substance on the belt when you replaced the guide.
what i do sometimes is get a small wire brush. VERY CAREFULLY reach the brush down while it is running and clean the back of the belt and the belt groves and the side of the belt.
I will usually see a bunch of debris come off the belt.
I do not accept any responsibility if anyone gets hurt while doing this. please be careful.
other then doing the above. . remove the belt. clean all pulleys and install a new belt.
belt dressing does more damage than good. never use it period.
you might have got some substance on the belt when you replaced the guide.
what i do sometimes is get a small wire brush. VERY CAREFULLY reach the brush down while it is running and clean the back of the belt and the belt groves and the side of the belt.
I will usually see a bunch of debris come off the belt.
I do not accept any responsibility if anyone gets hurt while doing this. please be careful.
other then doing the above. . remove the belt. clean all pulleys and install a new belt.
belt dressing does more damage than good. never use it period.
11-10-2013, 12:18 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
I've only looked at it with the belt on. I haven't been able to get the time to take it off yet.
I do know for a fact that I did get some wd-40 on my belt trying to spray down a pulley
I do know for a fact that I did get some wd-40 on my belt trying to spray down a pulley
Last edited by Anbeezy; 11-10-2013 at 12:30 PM.
11-10-2013, 12:34 PM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you F150 Dawg. Are there different stiffness' of wire brushes for the job?
I think I might clean the pulleys and just replace the belt after that many miles and having no idea when the previous owner changed it last. I had someone else suggest that it maybe the fan clutch??? And thoughts on that
I think I might clean the pulleys and just replace the belt after that many miles and having no idea when the previous owner changed it last. I had someone else suggest that it maybe the fan clutch??? And thoughts on that
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11-10-2013, 12:44 PM
#8
Member
Thread Starter
I bought the truck after it had been sitting for a couple weeks.
I tried to jump start it with my ex's BMW but I don't think it was strong enough because it still wouldn't even attempt to start. So I had the alternator tested and it checked out. But I guess they didn't test the pulley huh.. Just hooked it up to a power supply.
Eventually ended up finding a buddy with a used battery for free and it started up first crank with no belt chirp.
I drove it every day for almost 3 weeks before the chirp started.
But I tried to spray a couple of the pulleys with wd-40 and that's when it really started chirping more. I figured after a few days the belt would eventually clean itself but I guess not.
But it definitely sounds like a belt chirp and not a bearing grind
I tried to jump start it with my ex's BMW but I don't think it was strong enough because it still wouldn't even attempt to start. So I had the alternator tested and it checked out. But I guess they didn't test the pulley huh.. Just hooked it up to a power supply.
Eventually ended up finding a buddy with a used battery for free and it started up first crank with no belt chirp.
I drove it every day for almost 3 weeks before the chirp started.
But I tried to spray a couple of the pulleys with wd-40 and that's when it really started chirping more. I figured after a few days the belt would eventually clean itself but I guess not.
But it definitely sounds like a belt chirp and not a bearing grind
