[Quarterwave]

I've read alot about this, but I have a 2006 1500 WT 4.3 Silverado, and about a year ago it go a little squeak from the drive belt when it was cold, then it would go away. It got worse, so in the summer last year, I put an alternator on it, as it sounded like a bearing, and the alternator was the most suspect of the bunch. Added a new belt then too...squeak gone. I haven't ran this truck much in the last 5 years, I use it about once a week, but I always at least started it twice a week in the winter. I had a company truck, so this one got less than 3,000 a year on it for several years.

I am driving it everyday now, and getting a squeaky/squeally attitude out of it all the time now. I took the belt off yesterday and checked each pulley, nothing seems loose, no play, no noise when I spin them. Everything feels smooth. Put the belt back on...same deal, except for about a minute after I sprayed Airocoil lube on the top idler pulley mount.

I cannot tell where the noise is coming from. I have no problem giving it some TLC...but I always hate to start shotgunning parts on it. I can go get both idlers and put them on...but am I solving it?

Any experience with this?

 

[RayVoy]

Every time I have had a "morning squeal" that went away after a couple of seconds, it was always the belt.

 

[Chesters]

Well if you have already tried belt dressing, do you have a stethoscope? Should be able to find the squeal that way. Or a small tube might work, just keep your hands head ears out of the line of fire of that belt and fan blades!!!!

 

[Quarterwave]

Yeah...it was the same all the way to work last week and today, it's squawking more than squealling....lol....sounds a little like belt, but more like a metallic rub...what's throwing me is that nothing seems bad at all when I take it apart and hard turn it...it's solid, and turns easy. Luckily the 06 is easy to work on...no shroud and dual electric fans...plenty of room up front. Guess I'll start with the cheapest of the two idlers and move on from there...

 

[99'HEARTBEAT]

I've read alot about this, but I have a 2006 1500 WT 4.3 Silverado, and about a year ago it go a little squeak from the drive belt when it was cold, then it would go away. It got worse, so in the summer last year, I put an alternator on it, as it sounded like a bearing, and the alternator was the most suspect of the bunch. Added a new belt then too...squeak gone. I haven't ran this truck much in the last 5 years, I use it about once a week, but I always at least started it twice a week in the winter. I had a company truck, so this one got less than 3,000 a year on it for several years.

I am driving it everyday now, and getting a squeaky/squeally attitude out of it all the time now. I took the belt off yesterday and checked each pulley, nothing seems loose, no play, no noise when I spin them. Everything feels smooth. Put the belt back on...same deal, except for about a minute after I sprayed Airocoil lube on the top idler pulley mount.

I cannot tell where the noise is coming from. I have no problem giving it some TLC...but I always hate to start shotgunning parts on it. I can go get both idlers and put them on...but am I solving it?

Any experience with this?

I Can't Find it, But There's a G.M. Service Bulletin, That Said......Do Not Use Belt Dressing or Silicone on the Serpentine Belt and Accessory Drive Belt....As Spraying Stuff Will Overtime Degrade the Rubber and Hasten the Demise of the Belt.

Belt Noises can be Diagnosed with a Spray Bottle of Water....With the Engine Running Lightly Mist the Grooved Side of the Belt with Water......If the Noise Disappears or Lessens, but then Shortly Returns, the Problem is Probably a Misaligned Pulley.....If the Noise Immediately Increases After the Belt is Misted, the Belt is Slipping.

Another Diagnostic Trick is Reversing the Belt.....Take it Off and put it Back On so that it Travels in what would have been its Backward Direction as Originally Installed. If the Noise Goes Away or gets Much Softer, the Problem is a Misaligned Pulley......This Diagnostic works because Flipping the Belt Changes the Direction of the Misalignment from the Belt’s Perspective. If Reversing the Belt Does Not Temporarily Eliminate the Noise, the Problem is something other than Misaligned Pulleys.

 

[Chesters]

Yeah...it was the same all the way to work last week and today, it's squawking more than squealling....lol....sounds a little like belt, but more like a metallic rub...what's throwing me is that nothing seems bad at all when I take it apart and hard turn it...it's solid, and turns easy. Luckily the 06 is easy to work on...no shroud and dual electric fans...plenty of room up front. Guess I'll start with the cheapest of the two idlers and move on from there...

Well that being said, I would replace them both while I was there, you already have a new alternator and belt might as well they are both the same age. then you for the most part have eliminated most.

 

[Chesters]

G.M. Expresses in a Service Bulletin, the Following......Do not use Belt Dressing or Silicone on the Serpentine Belt and Accessory Drive Belt.

Belt Noises can be Diagnosed with a Spray Bottle of Water....With the Engine Running Lightly Mist the Grooved Side of the Belt with Water......If the Noise Disappears or Lessens, but then Shortly Returns, the Problem is Probably a Misaligned Pulley.....If the Noise Immediately Increases After the Belt is Misted, the Belt is Slipping.

Another Diagnostic Trick is Reversing the Belt.....Take it Off and put it Back On so that it Travels in what would have been its Backward Direction as Originally Installed. If the Noise Goes Away or gets Much Softer, the Problem is a Misaligned Pulley......This Diagnostic works because Flipping the Belt Changes the Direction of the Misalignment from the Belt’s Perspective. If Reversing the Belt Does Not Temporarily Eliminate the Noise, the Problem is something other than Misaligned Pulleys.

IMO....a Squeaking Belt means it's Slipping. If it's Slipping, the Belt either needs to be replaced, or the Tension-er is Too Weak, and needs to be Replaced. Spraying stuff will Overtime Degrade the Rubber, and Hasten the Demise of the Belt.

Thank you 99HEARTBEAT I am glad you are around , you must have those TB'S right at your fingertips.

 

[Pikey]

I would invest in a cheap mechanics stethoscope. I have had belt noises that drive me nuts. Removing the belt and spinning the pulleys does not always help you find the bad pulley bearing. ( if there is one) the stethoscope will let you listen to each of the pulleys while it is running.

 

[Quarterwave]

I looked up the top idler, I'm going to grab one after work and try it first. Thanks for the input, I had tried most of the methods I knew and some you all shared. It seems this is semi common, so I'm likely just a belt and one or two pulleys from resolution. No big deal...have tool box and don't mind working on it.

 

[RayVoy]

Your original description sounded like it was going away after a few seconds. It isn't, it is probably not a belt.

A bad bearing and probably one of two, the idler or the tensioner.

 

[Pikey]

Recently I had a squeak going on also. The ac tensioner pulley on my truck is in a terrible location. It gets blasted with water, snow, mud.... You name it. So I replaced that pulley. I still heard the a squeak so I listened to the tensioner. It was making noise so I replaced that also. I was still getting a Random squeak. Only when first starting, it went away after the truck warmed up. I tracked it down to my water pump. So I had multiple causes happen all at the same time

 

[Quarterwave]

Put new top idler on, fired it up and no squeaks. I ran it about 5 minutes, revved to 3500 once, idled a while. Seems to have solved it.

 

[Chesters]

Put new top idler on, fired it up and no squeaks. I ran it about 5 minutes, revved to 3500 once, idled a while. Seems to have solved it.

Good Job Quarterwave ! and thanks for the feedback