How to make serpentine belt stop squeaking
The squeaking noise on a serpentine belt is often experienced in every car engine that uses a belt to help other engine components rotate in sync with the engine speed.
Serpentine belts have different types and models, such as rotating the power steering pump, rotating the alternator, rotating the ac compressor, etc. But generally, the serpentine belt is made with a rubber base material with a layer of braided wire in it.
Because the serpentine belt is made of a rubber base material, the serpentine belt has a short service life, especially since the serpentine belt is installed on the engine in an open position to be easily exposed to various impurities such as dust, sand, water or even mud.
As a result, the serpentine belt becomes loose and can easily cause squeaking noise in various engine conditions. Some only appear when the engine is cold, some appear when the engine is hot, some appear only when the car's air conditioner is turned on.
The noise is certainly bothersome and quite worrying if you have to travel long distances. This article will provide tips to make serpentine belt stop squeaking, but before that, we need to know what causes this squeaking serpentine belt.
Causes of the squeaking serpentine belt
The cause of the squeaking serpentine belt generally occurs due to the decreasing quality of the rubber from the belt. Here are some reasons for squeaking noise from serpentine belts.
- The rubber serpentine belt begins to harden.
- The serpentine belt rubber has started to loosen or is termed "stretched" or loose.
- The rubber serpentine belt begins to crack.
After we understand what causes the squeaking noise on serpentine belts, the next step is how to deal with noisy serpentine belts, here's how
1. Using a special fluid for belt (Belt dressing)
The first step to deal with squeaking serpentine belts is to apply a special fluid for belt or some called "belt dressing". For rubber, a silicon type liquid is the most suitable. You can find this special belt fluid at car accessories and car care stores.
To use it, you can start the engine and then spray the fluid on the outside and inside of the squeaking serpentine belt little by little until the noise is gone. Try not to overdo it when you spray the fluid.
Be careful when spraying the fluid, so it doesn't turn around and hit your eyes. If you are in doubt, please follow the rules of use usually attached to the fluid packaging.
The use of fluid on the serpentine belt is usually quite effective in removing squeaking serpentine belts due to their hardening condition.
In addition to the special serpentine belt fluid, there are several other fluids that you can use to deal with the squeaking serpentine belt. Using grease and thick lubricants or oil (this method is not recommended but is also quite effective).
2. Re-adjust the serpentine belt tension
Sometimes, lubricating a serpentine belt with a special belt fluid may not necessarily solve the engine's serpentine belt noise. The next step that can be done to deal with this squeaking serpentine belt noise is to re-adjust the serpentine belt tension. This adjustment is commonly performed on serpentine belts where the condition is loose and stretched.
The serpentine belt position depends on the existing engine model; some use one belt for all components; some use one belt for one component. Therefore, re-adjusting the serpentine belt should be done in your trusted workshop to avoid adjustment errors that can be fatal in the future.
Also read:3. Replace the serpentine belt with a new one
As we know, some types of vehicles use automatic adjusters on the serpentine belt. That way we can't do a re-adjust the belt tension on the serpentine belt while spraying it with a special liquid also doesn't work.
The final step to deal with the serpentine belt's squeaking noise is to replace the serpentine belt with a new one. Yes, this step is the last step that can be done to deal with the noise. Pay attention to the type of belt and model used; don't choose the wrong belt to be replaced.