The infamous belt squeak

[chrismoore701]

So I know this has been debated a 1,000 times for the best way to fix this problem. I have a 350 with an alternator, water pump, crank pulley. And a power steering pump to crank pulley. Well my belts squeaked. Very soon after a fresh build with painted pulleys. I sanded the paint off the pulleys, still squeaked, I sanded the belts, no luck. Looking at the belts really close, the alternator looked a little narrow. Bought a new thicker one and now they seem worse than before. I also tightened the power steering pump, not banjo tight, but tighter.

Options? belt Dressing? Saw some on line, maybe at autozone?

What do you guys think? it is driving me crazy.

[Pontiac1976]

Does the belt have any rust on them still. Or does the belt to lose still. Or is it sitting to low in the pulley grove.
I paint black water pump and power steering grove Gray to keep eye on how much wear the belt getting as I see more gray paint to more the belt wearing out. I do not get squeaking belt normly unless the pulley got rust rubbing on the belt or to loses or belt lined up some times belt have cracking or splits in it or gouges in it.

[chrismoore701]

New belt and sand blasted the pulleys so all new and clean

[Pontiac1976]

How old is your ALT pulley. Is the new belt cogged belt on the in side or the out side or does your Brand. Is your Alt pulley letting the belt sit to low in the pulley as the cogged belts start to bottom out move more then the old v-style belt slip move in the pulley need to be a little tighter then them, need to be all most flush with the top of the pulley. They have to have little bit of room to sqeeze down when RPM's get higher. With out bottoming out in the pulley grove or they start to bonce more be lose could make noise or pop off or brake the belt in the shorter term. Pulleys can't wore out to much year's miles as much as the belts some of the newer belts to thin as some are to thick the right combo of belt pulley can work better. Remember the name V-belt v-belt pulley
Wear out in a V shape so the pulley wear out wider & deeper and the belts wear makes them wear thin. So think of the way they work together belt gets tighter higher RPM make them grip more but only on two edges about @ about 3.5mm to 6mm after that if the bottom touching slow the belt down heats the belt up more making the belt jump or start to vibration or try to stop the pulley like brake. You want the belt to around 3.5 mm of the belt best performance run. As RPM start to rise the belt should have room to be pulled down but not bottom out. But not sit too high or higher RPM when belt start to vibration has have room to be draw n down the belt take some of the vibration out as they tightens if they don't bottom out. So it important to check belts and pulley wear. And how fit together properly. As I said I paint pulley groves to see wear help slow the wear to the main pulleys.

[TrailerTrash]

Do the pulley sizes match? Let's see some pics

EDIT: hmm I think I read your post wrong. Let's see some pics anyway I've had alot of trouble with this myself before I solved the issue

[1967KaiserM715]

could be bearing squeak from alternator, waterpump. run it without PS belt, see how it sounds. try running just alternator, try to determine where the squeak is coming from. if it is the belt, try a different brand?

[Nickelcharlie]

Mine was horrible sounding! Last weekend I replaced them with Gates belts and it is like a new truck all nice and quite. I also saw a video where they sprayed the belts with 303 and it stoped the squealing. Might be worth a try before replacing the belts. Be safe around the belts if you do spray them with 303 or anything else if the engine is running!

[buffydores]

Apply dielectric grease to the belt. Magic.

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by buffydores

Apply dielectric grease to the belt. Magic.

Really? I would think that would make it slippery. I always said I was going to try sweet and sour sauce from the Chinese restaurant. that stuff is super sticky lol.

[buffydores]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Really? I would think that would make it slippery. I always said I was going to try sweet and sour sauce from the Chinese restaurant. that stuff is super sticky lol.

Again. Magic. Been using it for years.

[Richard2112]

My brothers car had this problem. We checked the pulleys for alignment and put an underdrive pulley (Larger diameter) on his alternator. Depending upon the angles the belt both enters and exits the pulley, more or less surface contact can be had.

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by buffydores

Again. Magic. Been using it for years.

I can't wait to try that magic. Thanks.