Help me figure out this belt noise

[Klutch9]

For about the past year, the belt on our Fusion makes a chirp on colder mornings. It's not a constant squeal, just a chirp. The noise is consistent with each rotation of the belt, so it seems like a portion of the belt may be glazed. This morning I started it up, chirping was there; I sprayed some water on the ribbed side of belt, and the noise instantly stopped. So it seems like a belt issue, but I'm wondering if the noise is a result of pulley misalignment?

I looked at each pulley while the engine was running, and I didn't see any wobble. I also looked along the length of the belt, and it seemed to run true. The tensioner pulley moved in and out a bit with RPM variation while the engine was warming up, but it was almost unnoticeable. I shut the engine off and tried wiggling each pulley by hand. All were rock solid. The are 2 plastic idler pulleys, which by nature will have more flex than a steel pulley, but both were solidly mounted with little flex.

FWIW, the one edge of the belt has the slightest amount of cord showing; maybe it rubbed on something?

 

[Nick1994]

At 5 years old, I wouldn't feel bad about replacing the belt. Then you'll know whether the noise is the belt or a pulley.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
At 5 years old, I wouldn't feel bad about replacing the belt. Then you'll know whether the noise is the belt or a pulley.


+1 It isn't an expensive thing to replace and it'll help you better determine the noise. At the very least you wont have to think about a belt.

 

[HerrStig]

Remove the belt and run the engine for a short listen.

 

[The_Eric]

You likely have a pulley out of alignment. Gates sells this nifty little laser alignment tool that sets in the grooves of the pulleys to see which one is off. I know it can be found at NAPA.

Fix the alignment and put on a new belt- also check the tensioner and idlers.

 

[Klutch9]

I picked up a smooth idler pulley and a new auto-tensioner at NAPA today, just in case I need them when I swap the belt. The grooved idler pulley is special order, and the one on this car is quiet with no play anyhow, so I'm fine leaving it.

I noticed that the new tensioner (Gates) has the slightest amount of play in the pulley. I've heard this is normal, especially for a plastic pulley. Any ideas there? Box was sealed, so I know it wasn't tampered with.

 

[Rand]

gates pulleys can be cheapo Chinese.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: Rand
gates pulleys can be cheapo Chinese.


The tensioner was made in Korea. The idler pulley was made in Canada.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: Rand
gates pulleys can be cheapo Chinese.


The tensioner was made in Korea. The idler pulley was made in Canada.


But the important part, the bearing was made in China.

 

[SirTanon]

The belt tensioners on the 2.5 engines in these cars are a known issue, and after a while (usually around 60,000 miles or so) start to make nose, and if left long enough, start making noise constantly.

The belt tensioner on mine was doing it the day I bought it, used, at just under 178,000 miles. Sounds a bit like the alternator is going.

Luckily, it's an easy fix if you have an hour or two. I fixed mine myself in about 75 minutes. The replacement part was $45.

Since yours is a chirp, and it's not constant, it may or may not be the tensioner. At 5 years, it could very well be the belt, but the mileage seems about right to potentially be the tensioner.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: Rand
gates pulleys can be cheapo Chinese.


The tensioner was made in Korea. The idler pulley was made in Canada.


But the important part, the bearing was made in China.

Bingo.