Belt squeak?

Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the ones
to ask.

I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound like
a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to nothing.
The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher so
I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
Thanks,

=DM=

I'd start by using some Belt Dressing on all the belts. Check for any cracks
or tears as well. Are you somewhere where it's very cold? If so (like me),
the belts sometimes just squeal for a bit until they warm up. But you say
"Squeak", so that might be something totally different ...a lot of garages
will check that for free.

"DrMega" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
> general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the ones
> to ask.
>
> I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound like
> a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to nothing.
> The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher so
> I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
> something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
> Thanks,
>
> =DM=
>

You do not have an automatic slack adjuster, like the newer TJs and
all other manufacturers since the early eighties. So, someone will have
to manually adjust the belt's tension, by loosening the idler shaft and
tightening the adjuster, pictured:
http://www.billhughes.com/serpenti.jpg They sell tools to help set the
correct tension, but if you press as hard as you can with one finger and
able to just deflect the belt by about an half an inch between the
pulleys, your in the park.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O


DrMega wrote:
>
> Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
> general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the ones
> to ask.
>
> I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound like
> a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to nothing.
> The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher so
> I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
> something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
> Thanks,
>
> =DM=

That is either the symptom of a polished up or loose fan belt or a dead
alternator bushing.

If the alternator bushing goes bad, some smoke or burning rubber smell
should happen when it goes to no volts.

I always check my belt by taking a cold off engine and grabbing the
alternator pulley to see if I can hand slip it. The alternator takes a
few HP to spin up and if it will hand slip, it will slip under load.

I polish up belts like crazy when mud running. That liquid sand paper
just polishes them up sweet.

I can't tell you how to tell if it is too loose, there is a tool for
that kind of belt....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

DrMega wrote:
>
> Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
> general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the ones
> to ask.
>
> I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound like
> a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to nothing.
> The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher so
> I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
> something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
> Thanks,
>
> =DM=

Also, check the idler pulley. I've had two of these give up the ghost.
Symptoms sound similar.

"L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> You do not have an automatic slack adjuster, like the newer TJs and
> all other manufacturers since the early eighties. So, someone will have
> to manually adjust the belt's tension, by loosening the idler shaft and
> tightening the adjuster, pictured:
> http://www.billhughes.com/serpenti.jpg They sell tools to help set the
> correct tension, but if you press as hard as you can with one finger and
> able to just deflect the belt by about an half an inch between the
> pulleys, your in the park.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
>
>
> DrMega wrote:
>>
>> Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
>> general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the ones
>> to ask.
>>
>> I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound like
>> a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to nothing.
>> The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher so
>> I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
>> something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
>> Thanks,
>>
>> =DM=

Thank you everyone for your help. Looks like I have a couple things I
can check before taking it in.

=DM=

Mike Romain wrote:
> That is either the symptom of a polished up or loose fan belt or a
dead
> alternator bushing.
>
> If the alternator bushing goes bad, some smoke or burning rubber
smell
> should happen when it goes to no volts.
>
> I always check my belt by taking a cold off engine and grabbing the
> alternator pulley to see if I can hand slip it. The alternator takes
a
> few HP to spin up and if it will hand slip, it will slip under load.
>
> I polish up belts like crazy when mud running. That liquid sand
paper
> just polishes them up sweet.
>
> I can't tell you how to tell if it is too loose, there is a tool for
> that kind of belt....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>
> DrMega wrote:
> >
> > Hello group and thanks in advance for any help. This is more of a
> > general automotive question but I figured you folks would be the
ones
> > to ask.
> >
> > I have a '98 Wrangler and occasionally it makes a squeaking sound
like
> > a belt or pulley is going bad. The volt meter also drops to
nothing.
> > The serp. belt looks fine but then again I'm not much of a wrencher
so
> > I may not be seeing the signs. Is this worth taking in, or is there
> > something I can try/check before paying someone to look at it?
> > Thanks,
> >
> > =DM=