2001 Pathfinder, 100 000 km, 3.5L LE
OK, so I live in the frozen hinterlands of Northern Canada, and it's cold here, -22 C today. Anytime when it's cold, especially below -10 C, the belt starts squealing like a stuck pig when I start the vehicle.
The length of time that it squeals seems inversely proportional to the temperature - lower temperature, longer squeal.
No amount of belt dressing will help this - you can hear it inside the house, or up and down the street making its godawful racket. I was told last night that these vehicles have an automatic tensioner on them, so what's the next step?
New belt? Or tighten this one somehow?
Fan belt squeal
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jamesonepp
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:06 am
- Car: 2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE
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dkdeleon68
- Posts: 203
- Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 5:23 pm
- Car: 1991 240
Re: Fan belt squeal (jamesonepp)
sounds like your belt have cracks, replace them.
Your engine does NOT have an automatic tensioner. As a belt ages, it will slightly stretch. To compensate for this you will have to apply a little more tension to the tensioner, or replace the drive belts. To eliminate your belt squealing and if the belts aren't cracked, you can simply tighten the belt tensioners.
You have two tensioners, both can be accessed from below your engine bay with the splash shield removed. On your "alternator belt", you will see one tensioner/pulley. Loosen, do not remove, but loosen the 14mm nut holding the tensioner puley on. Then take an extension with a 12mm socket and tighten the tensioner that is located under the pulley. You only need to tighten it slightly. Once the desired tension is reached, simply tighten the tensioner pulley nut. Do the same for the "A/C Belt" and tensioner assembly.
And since you are going about this, you may just want to simply replace the belts, unless they were just recently replaced.
You have two tensioners, both can be accessed from below your engine bay with the splash shield removed. On your "alternator belt", you will see one tensioner/pulley. Loosen, do not remove, but loosen the 14mm nut holding the tensioner puley on. Then take an extension with a 12mm socket and tighten the tensioner that is located under the pulley. You only need to tighten it slightly. Once the desired tension is reached, simply tighten the tensioner pulley nut. Do the same for the "A/C Belt" and tensioner assembly.
And since you are going about this, you may just want to simply replace the belts, unless they were just recently replaced.
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jamesonepp
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:06 am
- Car: 2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE
Re: (Ramius83)
Yeah, the belts have some small cracks in them. Both belts. I've had the vehicle for 2 years and haven't done anything to the belts, so I suppose it's time to replace them. The parts are on order.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Re: (jamesonepp)
A ghetto way to help relieve the squeaks is to spray a small amount of wb-40 while the car is running on the pully(ies). Don't put too much or it will slip. This would help if it keeps squeaking when you replace the belts.
Re: (mrzabala)
Brake fuild works better than w-d40. It causes the rubber to swell and stick.