When you turn on your car in the morning only to hear it squeal at you like a mouse in a trap, you have an annoying problem that needs fixed quickly. How can you find the source of the problem? YouTube Mechanic ChrisFix is here to save the day.
How does #ChrisFix say to fix a squeaky belt?
- Determine if it’s a belt or pulley
- Spray the belt with water to determine if it’s a belt problem
- Visually inspect to find the source of the belt problem
- Wiggle the pulleys to see if you have a bearing problem
A squeaky belt can drive you nuts when you’re driving your vehicle. Thankfully, ChrisFix shows a fast and easy way to find and fix the problem in this video. If you find the video helpful, remember to subscribe to his channel.
If you’re not in a place where you can watch a video right now, we’ve taken the information in the video and broken it down into a concise, easy-to-read article.
What are Common Causes of Squeaking?
According to Chris, there are four primary problems that can cause a belt squeak.
First, if the belt is old and worn out, it will start to squeak. Most belts last between 5 and 10 years or 50,000 to 100,000 miles. That’s a pretty long time, but eventually, they will wear out.
Sometimes a broken bearing in the pulley system is the cause.
Another problem is belt tension. If you notice the belt squeaking when the AC is on or when you turn, suspect this issue. Also, if you notice the belt squeal in the morning when the engine’s wet with dew, tension is likely the issue.
But the most common problem is pulley misalignment. If the pulleys aren’t spinning straight and true, they cause the belt to wiggle, and this makes the dreaded squeal.
How to Diagnose the Squeak
Knowing the causes is helpful, but to fix the squeak you have to pinpoint which cause is the culprit.
This is pretty easy. Chris says to turn the engine on and spray the belt with water. If it stops squeaking with the water, then you know you either have a bad belt or pulley misalignment.
If the squeak does not change, then you know you have a bearing problem.
If the squeak gets louder with the water, then you have a bad tensioner pulley or a worn and stretched belt causing tension problems.
Now you have to look a little farther. If you’ve found a belt problem, visually inspect the pulley system. See if there’s a place where the belt is moving or the pulley is wobbly.
If the belt isn’t old, it may just be noisy. Chris recommends replacing it with a Gatorback belt. These are designed to run quiet, even with a little wobble in the pulley system. Since the video’s publication, they’ve been re-branded as Continental Elite.
If you’ve determined a bad bearing is a problem, listen to find the area of the engine with the problem. Turn the engine off, then grab the bearing you suspect and shake it.
If the bearing moves a bit, you’ve found the problem. Fix the wobbly bearing and you should stop the squeak.
Get all of the Details about Your Car
A squeaking belt is annoying, but finding out that your car has been in a major accident could be a safety risk. Make sure you know all you need to about your car or a car you’re considering buying by checking its Vehicle History.
