Idler Pully/Squeal

[durrell]

I have this awful squeal coming from the idler pully (I'm assuming). I'm pretty sure it's the top pully on the motor, the easiest one to reach. Any ideas (besides replacing it) on how to get it to stop. Here is a video, and this is about 1/4 of what it has been doing. Normally upon start up it will squeal a good 4-5 seconds..

[lasteagle83]

Sounds more like a glazed/cracked serp belt, or even a tensioner that isn't quite tight enough when you fire it up. Tensioners can sometimes lose a slight amount of tension when the belt is relaxed, and respring (for lack of a better term) themselves once the belt starts running.

If the idler and the tensioner are the same piece (pardon my ignorance on this engine's setup; I'm new to Nissans), it may indeed be the idler pulley. Usually, though, if an idler is just a idler, you'll have a more consistent noise that occurs other than just at startup; or you can hear a bearing noise from the idler with a stethoscope.

Worst case scenario, one of the drive accessories is starting to lock up a bit.

[HKYStormFront]

how's the belt look mane? i'd try that first if you haven't already. if you have then i'd start eliminating things as possibilities...

[durrell]

Yeah the belts likely need to be replaced..I have no idea if they've been replaced before. Dad said he wonders if the bearing is bad on the pulley itself. I have no idea, I'm really just getting to where I'm working on it all by myself..I'm kind of doing bits and pieces of necessary maintenance as I get the money. I may try to replace the belt and see what happens. I've tried belt dressing and nothing seems to help, so I don't know what to do. All I know is it's embarassing to get in and crank it up and it go "SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH"..

[lasteagle83]

Durell, if it's a serpentine belt system, my experience over the last 20 years or so is that putting belt dressing on it will usually only make it worse.

PM me if you have any specific questions - I don't mind helping you if I can.

[durrell]

That has been the case so far..it went from a chirp after tightening back to the normal squeal.

[TwoBills]

Sound like the alternator belt needs tightened. My original belts would've gone beyond 115K. Changed them w/the timing belt.
Pull the pan and tighten the belt, slightly, and see if the squeel goes away.

[toyniss]

Originally Posted by durrell

That has been the case so far..it went from a chirp after tightening back to the normal squeal.

if you've determined it is the pulley bearing-you can just replace the bearing, thats what i did on my hardbody-it was going bad and eventually the bearing just froze and the belt was just spinning over a locked up pulley.

[GraviTitan]

I recently replaced my belts with some Gates belts (from O'Reilly's) and the squeeks and squeals were gone but I still had a whine from the idler pulley. I replaced it with one from Advance Auto Parts ($20) because they were the only ones with it in stock and now my truck runs as quiet as new.

[durrell]

Originally Posted by GraviTitan

I recently replaced my belts with some Gates belts (from O'Reilly's) and the squeeks and squeals were gone but I still had a whine from the idler pulley. I replaced it with one from Advance Auto Parts ($20) because they were the only ones with it in stock and now my truck runs as quiet as new.

I may do that then. How hard is it to replace? And how hard are the belts to replace? It's not exactly the largest workspace..lol.