Chirp, Chirp???

[alaskabear99687]

Hello, I asked this before and with your suggestions thought it was fixed but it's back. First I have a 2002 (door tag says 03/01 but the dealer says according to the VIN it is an 02) exploder xlt, 4.0 SOHV 4x4. I have replaced the idler pulley, complete tensioner arm and pulley and have gone thru 2 belts from NAPA (both to long) and have now gone thru a belt from the Ford dealer located via the VIN#. The dealer says that the belts can't stretch and something else is wrong. After I installed the new belt the chirp went away and the marks on the tensionor was inbetween the far right and the middle marks (according to the mechanic the far right is good/new, the middle is time to replace and the far left is look out it's coming apart). Now one week later the chirp is back and the tensionor is back to the middle mark. I am at a loss here and not sure where to look next. Should I get a new tensionor from the dealer this time and make sure everything is torqued to the exact ftlbs? Any help would be great.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Moved from tech corner............

 

[IZwack]

Replacing the tensioner wont do much because its fixed body does not move (it has a prong).

I would remove the belt and rotate each pulley by hand (except for the crankshaft pulley which you can not rotate by hand) and listen for any noise or play.

 

[Russ in CT]

Well, I don't understand the confusion over '02 vs '01, I mean they completely changed the truck in '02, the whole body is different, if its an '02 it should be obvious just looking at it.

Is it possible that a belt for an '02 is really a touch longer than the '01, and that you in fact have an '01, but are buying belts for an '02, and that the whole problem is the belt length?

 

[alaskabear99687]

Well the two belts I bought from NAPA are to long and they were fro the 2001. When I called ford they had me give them my VIN # and said that even thought the body tag says 2001 the vehicle is acyually a 2002. The Ford belt fit better and moved the indicator closer to "new" then any others but now (two weeks and 1,000 miles later) the belt indicator say it's time to replace, the tensioner is jumping back and forth about 1/4 inch and it is chirping/squeeling like a loos belt again. The interesting thing is that whith a new belt the noise goes away so why would it be something else. If a pulley was bad wouldn't it still make the sound regardless of a new/old belt?

 

[Russ in CT]

Here are pictures of an '01 Ex and an '02 Ex. Which one do you have?

 

[alaskabear99687]

Well according to the demenstration photos you provided I have an "02" most definately.