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Changing out serpentine belt?

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
What steps do I do to change it out?.... Took off the tensioner to change it out now scratching my head about the belt...
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
well i and my brother in law figured it out after bout 25-30 mins haha took way to long for something so simple, i thought it had to go around the fan but it did not have to, so new belt tensioner and belt are in..... but now im dealing with it squeaking..... that normal or is there anything i can do to make it stop? haha
 

alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,442
Location
Scottsdale
Squeaking isn't really normal. Is it a belt squeak or a pulley squeak? What belt did you use to replace it?
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
Well that's not good.... I'm using a gates belt, not really sure if I can figure out if it's the belt or pulleys... Everything looks normal jus squeaks, I drove it like that for 200yards and it stopped... Then lastnight went to start it, started fine, then about 10-15 seconds after It started squeaking again...
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,212
Location
Tardville
Probably a bearing somewhere. The fact that it runs for 15 seconds means it takes some time to heat-up before it starts to squeal.

I've not messed with my H3 but, I know that most GM vehicles have both a tensioner pulley and also an idler pulley. A bad bearing on either one would cause the squeak. Sometimes you can identify the bad bearing by spraying some WD40 on the pulleys while its running...it will shut it up temporarily, when you squirt the bad one. Normally, pulley removal is not required to change a belt...you simply put a 3/8" breaker bar in the square hole and lever the tensioner over to loosen the belt. This is how it is done on my Suburban and also on several Caprice cop cars that I had in the past. (I might be wrong about this on the H3). Also, don't rule out the other accessories, I've had alternators that squealed right before they died. Let us know what you find out.
 

3rdH3

Well-Known Member
Messages
216
Location
Blacksburg, VA
You are correct. No reason to pull anything off to change the serpentine belt. The Alpha's have a seperate belt for the AC. That would be the only difference.
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
Well went outside to loo at it, fired up and was squealing so I tried to tighten the tensioner and it stopped, took it for a test drive and it was going good then I stopped and turned it off an turned it back on an it started squealing again, so for about a good mile an a half it was fine but then it didn't wanna be haha so now I'm back at home doing the head scratch I need to go get some WD to try that out an see what's up with the bearings
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
Ok new update, when I start it it squeaks for about 20secs an goes away till I hit the gas then it squeals more but when it gets back to idle it stops, so there's just that now.... Gahh I hate my life hahaha
 

abearden

Well-Known Member
Messages
609
Location
N. Idaho
Sounds like the tensioner isn't holding enough tension on the belt and it's causing it to slip. Didn't break anything did you? And the tensioner isn't loose? Does it need some lube to assure full range of motion? Check the pulleys to be sure, but I'd be looking at the tensioner if it stops squealing when tightened, but squeals above idle.
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
i did replace the tensioner, i put the new one in an everything, jus kinda hard getting it to get tight cuz its a tight fit in there...... but ill go out an try to make it tighter, cuz i hate that this is going on haha
 

kflips

Well-Known Member
Messages
776
Location
Virginia
I had to help an offroader coming back from michigAn with the belt. I applied tension while he tightened it up. Not sure if you got help but that my help you.
 

JonBishop

Well-Known Member
Messages
724
Location
Glendora, CA
So once again I feel dumb..... Really gotta start looking at my parts better..... So, spent about 2-3hrs trying to get the tensioner back in becauuussseeee I didn't realize there was a notch on the back that was suppose to set in... An took alil longer trying to muscle it down to put the belt on and all this time had no clue there was a spot for a 3/8 socket wrench that I could've jus did that.... Wow.... What a way to spend the holiday hahahahaha if my neighbor didn't come outside to help me I'd definatly still be out there hahaha gahh i feel dumb! Anyways it's running better then even and all is well now
 

Xlr8n

Well-Known Member
Messages
140
Location
Midwest
Personally I'd avoid the 'spraying WD40 on the various pulley's to determine which one is bad 'method mentioned above. Due to the penetrant formulation of WD40, it acts like a solvent to thicker lubricants which causes it to break down/clean off existing good grease or oil from the bearings which may lead them to fail.
 
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