For those squeakers who've replaced everything without a fix...

[rch10007]

I have a 2002 EB Explorer, 4x4, 4.0L blah blah...

I have had the annoying squeak, squeal, bird chirp, tick, and whatever other term that's been used to described this freakin issue for a long time, like over 4 years!!!!!

I have read every single fix that has been posted on every forum I could find with "tick or squeal or squeak" in the body or title. Well, today I was messing with it again since it's below freezing and I love working on my truck in the ice and snow while slipping around on the ice in the driveway!

I took a furring strip and stuck it down into the motor, while it IS running, and placed it against the water pump pulley. Nothing happens at first, but then I bump it against the belt while it's spinning and BAM - no noise!!!!!!!!!!

SO, I am excited to know that I have pinpointed the issue BUT now the question is what the hell to fix?

What does this tell you?

While the motor is running, placing a piece of wood against the pulley and against the belt and it stops chirping squealing squeaking or whatever...

The noise will NOT STOP if I place the wood against any other pulley so that must mean there is something to the water pump OR the pulley itself.

Well, given this info, what do you think?

The only other thing I found while the belt was off is the alternator. I rotated the pulley and it did make a high pitch noise BUT I hesitated to pull it since so many have before me to no avail!

I am amazed by this new found info and eagerly wait to hear what you think!!!

 

[410Fortune]

I think that putting a piece of wood in there while its running is a death wish

 

[redrocket1468]

there is a possibility that it could be the tensioner pulley. when you put the wood against belt your adding the extra little tension it needs maybe.

 

[coppe]

welll sarcasm can´t be really noticed in written communication and i don´t know if you meant it that way... but well hehehe... most probably the sound is coming from the bearings of the pulley, and i don´t know if there is a way in your case to just replace the bearings, or you need the whole pump/pulley replaced. To confirm this some mechanics use a sthetoscope-like tool (like any dr´s heart listening thingy), but with some sort of probe in the end, and while having the engine on, they try and listen to every pulley, to determine the troublemaker. If it is starting to increase the chirp, squeak, squeal, etc... keep an eye on it, as a coolant leak might be next if the pump pulley is the issue (although with this beeing a 4 year thing.... well you never know), also dont put any sort of pressure on it, since you can actually make it worse. Well this is my opinion, i hope it helps. oohhh and i´ve heard of people having trapped debris in their pulleys, producing noise, maybe you can use a brush and teflon lube (since this one won´t eat the rubber seals in the pump) to clean up the pump bushings and bearings a little bit, with the engine off of course.

 

[rch10007]

I've listened with the scope...no help.

I was just out and I can actually make the squeal start and stop...go figure!!!

I don't get it. Between the AC compressor and the water pump there is about a foot of travel so the belt has some flex. I can get to the inside and outside of the belt with my test board and if I push the belt inward (towards the motor) it will squeal. If I pull it outward (towards the front of the truck) it will stop.

Does anyone know if the deflection I am creating exposes a bad bearing in the water pump pulley? Does the pulley have a bearing itself?

I guess I'll go look around some more but I wanted to give someone an idea of how I determined the location of the noise. Now, I need to figure out exactly what it is and how to fix it - permanently!

Anyone have a link to someone that has removed the fan and water pump? I don't have a manual to read or a wrench large enough to get at the nut between the fan and pump...

 

[rch10007]

I think that putting a piece of wood in there while its running is a death wish

I think you're right. However, it helped me to figure out where the issue is...

 

[410Fortune]

wd-40 onteh back of the pulley is how I almost always find the source of my squeek

Have you considered a new belt?

 

[jrford]

i might have the same chirp, i only notice it with the windows down. My thought it was the A/C cycling on and off. Have you tried a new belt? If you havent' id go with a Goodyear Gatorback did wonders to my jeep.

 

[rch10007]

there is a possibility that it could be the tensioner pulley. when you put the wood against belt your adding the extra little tension it needs maybe.

Could be. I replaced it 3 weeks ago along with a new belt. The noise went away for about 2.5 weeks and then returned???

Maybe the new tensioner was putting enough pressure on the problem and hid it until the spring relaxed a little. I don't know...but I don't think it is the problem.

 

[jrford]

Whos belt did you use?

 

[rch10007]

Whos belt did you use?

I got the cheap one from Advanced...

I do think the squeaking is coming fromt he belt, no doubt... The issue is what is causing it to squeak?

Are belts just known to start squeaking after 3 weeks? I am thinking it has to be something causing it becasue I can make it stop by changing its position over the water pump pulley. I am certainly not sure about anything though!

I will say I have no color on the idler pulley or the one for the water pump. They both are nice and shiny...

 

[rch10007]

jrford, can you go out and check to see if yours will stop by moving it while it's running?

 

[rch10007]

There may be something to the tensioner...

I just went back outside and shut off the motor and restarted it. It started squeaking again. I moved the belt again, and it stopped!!!

I did pay attention to the tensioner and it will make a "pop" sound and actually change position by me putting pressure on the belt.

Pushing the belt in makes the tensioner "pop" out a little towards the fender. Pulling the belt to the front of the truck makes the tensioner "pop" inward towards the crank...

Popping inward towards the crank makes me assume it is loosening the tension. This is the same direction you pull it to take the belt off. When it pops out towards the fender, that is the direction of the tension. So, loosening makes the squeal go away....hmmmm...

I don't understand but I'm going out to do some more experimenting. I think I will take off the tensioner and play with it a bit to see if I notice anything and then put it back and start over.

Any ideas?

 

[jrford]

Wifes at work with it. . .sorry. It only happens every few minutes, its not a constant.
My thought there isn't enough tension on the belt, the gatorback seem to have more grip. I'd try the Gatorback for sure, it fixed a lot of guys problems on the jeep forum. .

 

[rch10007]

I checked out the tensioner...seems fine. Put it back on, started it up...squeaking!!!

I shut it off, sprayed WD40 on the water pump pulley ONLY, started it up and no squeaking! What does that suggest?

 

[410Fortune]

you want the squeek to go away you may need a new waterpump
I would first try replacing the bearings in your idler pulley and tensioner pulley

 

[rch10007]

The squeak went away at idle but with any throttle input, it comes back...

I think it's time to trade this bioch in! I'll just need to fix the squeak temporarily until I make the trade.

I have seen others replace their water pumps and that didn't fix it. I am looking into whether or not I have any water pump pulley bearings...

 

[410Fortune]

any bearings in the water pump are in the water pump = new water pump time
try taking the driven fan off of the water pump, start it and see if the squeek is gone

 

[rch10007]

Thanks 410...I will give that a try tomorrow. I am done for today. I have to make a list of ingredients for Christmas cooking that I will be doing as gifts for my family. I was haunted by what to get everyone and I finally figured it out! COOKIES!!!

 

[rumpledoll]

I had a squeak for years on my 2002 V6 Eddie Bauer. I finally fixed it with a switch to a Goodyear "Gatorback" serpentine belt. See here