# Serpentine belt issues



## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Alright... So driving home the other night, heard a loud pop, got home and heard a noise like air was leaking looked under the hood and my AC pump's pulley had rubbed the AC pressure switch... It caused a leak... Also while rubbing it cut the belt up... Fast forward to now, I replaced both belts.... However now they are squealing pretty badly as I accelerate... I've tried cleaning, and re installing them but still no cure... 

Anyone know if this may be something in the pulleys? Bearing going out? Should I get new tensioners or water pump? There is no play in any of them and I can only get squeal when I get on it! Just idling causes no noise... 

I'm thinking this may be a good reason to delete my AC now! Just wondering what I should do now...


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## tay272 (Aug 22, 2007)

Thats weird man, usually is the opposite. You start hearing the squealing noise when your belt is going bad, not after replacing it with a brand new one. I have no idea why that would happen but Im sure someone on here can give you an answer. I noticed the edge of my accessory belt is getting frayed on the one end, not quite sure why tho. I should probably get a new one and get it replaced soon so I dont break the belt and be stranded somewhere.


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Check in front of your pulleys below... Just in front of the AC unit, there is a piece that 2AC hoses bolt into... That part shifted enough to where my pulley cut into that section... It frayed the edge of my belt too... Its very tight right there, so any movement could result in contact...

I'm pretty sure my AC will need a recharging...truth be told I want to get rid Of it but cannot figure out a way to run my alt and water pump without it... 
Anyone have input?


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

So i'm thinking I'll be changing the tensioners... Overall this is getting irritating


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## tay272 (Aug 22, 2007)

Let me know how that goes man.


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

tay272 said:


> Let me know how that goes man.


Tried calling them... Pete said he'd look into it, BUT and that's a giant but... He said truly it may be cost prohibitive... Only because of the considerable amount of time/chunk of material and engineering to ensure its straight, has strong enough bearings and the double stacked pulley design... I was told however that the system is clutch operated, and if I were to essentially take the plumbing out and plug up the entry Ports that the oil internally could at least (possibly) keep it from seizing up internally... It doesn't do anything if I unplug it and remove the plumbing.... I might have myself a free pulley set up... I just pray it doesn't totally freeze up on me down the road


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Replaced tensioners.... Both....belts....both.... Re packed bearings on idlers...both! Still however at high revs under load (ie boost!) Still getting a slight squeal! I'm now considering this may be my alternator... Praying it isn't my water pump... the great Bible we all call the Bentley says the water pump install requires pulling the intake manifold/motor and Trans mounts and so on!

My headlights aren't dimming (xenon OEM hids) fogs don't either....

Any suggestions?


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## kaptinkangaru (Aug 17, 2006)

Get a mechanics stethoscope and listen to each pulley to identify the source of the noise. Alternators tend to make more noise from the bearing at the rear rather than at the pulley. A weak a/c clutch can sometimes cause an intermittent noise.

A stethoscope can be had on the cheap from harbor freight 

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


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## [email protected] (Jan 2, 2009)

What motor mounts do you have? I just finished going through all the accessories on our dyno motor and I don't see anything there which can easily rub a belt... 

If I was going road racing in an a4 we decided the thing to do would be to do offset pullies for the water pump and alternator, one of the tensioners- and run only one external belt. Won't work with the OE motor mount though I think. 

We would be using the a/c compressor area as a motor mount most likely, for longitudinal. 

I would say either your engine package is moving around, or your a/c lines have moved.


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## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

Man my VCDS really needs to show up. If you wanna meet up and poke around on it together let me know. Currently only problems I'm having are non functioning front window washers and some ******* backed into my hatch leaving a huge dent and no clues as to which of my neighbors needs shot

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G Shift using Tapatalk


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Lol lines moved.. However that was because apparently I didn't quite get the dog bone seated in far enough... Took out the stretch bolt, re set the motor back in there and got a new bolt for good measure... All is clear now... The lines moved from contact. I'm guessing the bolt didn't pass through the lower bone. Thus pushing the whole motor forward... Problem resolved phew!


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## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

well then, poorly installed mounts seems to be a Snohomish County thing


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Ha ha that's seems about right! Who would have thought I didn't get perfect alignment of that little mount...


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## anteramk5jetta (Sep 11, 2011)

Glad to hear you got it fixed, mounts are one of those things that sometimes being a little off wont hurt ****, and sometimes that 8th of an inch difference really throws everything off. regarding your question with the a/c compressor. If you remove the lines, and plug it off, you should have no issues as long as you also unplug the connector. As long as the compressor clutch isn't engaged, your fine, I would from time to time move it around though to work the a/c oil around to coat everything inside. Wouldn't be the first person I've seen that deleted the a/c minus the compressor


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Alright got some noises coming from something still. Thinking its probably the alternator. But if i'm going to be in there I might as well replace the water pump. Its almost like a whine at higher rpm. And when I let off it"UN winds" almost like the sound of a super charger... Does anyone have input?


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## tay272 (Aug 22, 2007)

My car kinda sounds the same way but its mostly the SRI noise I think. Not sure where your noises are coming from.


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Super frustrating... Its really like a supercharger type noise. Anyone experience this? bump?


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## anteramk5jetta (Sep 11, 2011)

Newer alternators have a one way clutch. When they start to go bad they sounds like a supercharger cause of the clutch and bearing assembly going bad


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## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

welcome to the joys of highly modded rabbit ownership. Its not the initial build that gets you its everything else breaking that does


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

Hmm so you think its the alt then?


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