Squealing drive belt.

Question: I’m not sure if this the correct place to ask the mechanic a question. I have a 2001 solara. It makes a loud squealing noise, when the car is cold is really bad. I had the water pump changed. It noise doesn’t change when i turn the wheel, but does stop some when i put it in gear. Once the car is warm(2 minutes or so) the noise stops. Could it be my power steering pump? please help. Thanks. 

Answer: Sounds like you have a loose alternator belt. When you first start a car it uses power from the battery and the alternator initally has to work a little harder to charge the battery back up. If the alternator belt is loose it will squeal until the battery charges up.  Could be who ever changed the water pump didn’t tighten up the belt or the belt tensioner is weak. u

 

3 thoughts on “Squealing drive belt.”

  1. i have a 1979 Jeep Cherokee .i just recently changed my alternator due to falty bearings, i checked the voltage before i changed the alternator and it was reading 14.35,i replaced the belts before i went out to buy one. and it still was squealling so i replaced the alternator with a rebuilt one. and it only charged at 12.25 and it squealls very loudly. the battery was charged over night on a trickel charge and tested good, i adjusted the belts, but the tightest was the 12.25 reading. i took the ground wire off the battery and the squealling stoped but the reading from the alternator was 16.45. this is the second time i replaced it in two days with the same problem. my old alternator charged good but squealled, my two new alternators squeall and charged bad. could it just be two bad alternators? or a grounded wire?

  2. Charles Edmondson

    I have a 1992 Chev. k1500 silverado. Frequently when I go to start it up the starter just spins a time or two before finally catching. I had the starter tested & it checked out ok @ the parts store. What should I check next?

    Thanks, Charles

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