# bastard belt squeak



## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

ok, here is my diagnosis process:
1. belt squeaks, at cold start, and when cold and damp out. (winter months)
2. try baby powder on serpentine belt, squeaking (more like a patterned chirping) stops.
3. replace serpentine belt, noise is GONE!
4. i go drive my car to the park and ride today, when i get back and start it up, the squeak returns (same squeak, just much quieter, and goes away relatively fast)
5. it is raining and super wet outside.
6. when i spray water onto the belt, the noise does not change.
why???????????????


_Modified by dubsker at 5:47 PM 1-15-2010_


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## ThaProwla (Nov 13, 2007)

Its ur timing belt.


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

it isnt.
did you not read through my post?


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## ThaProwla (Nov 13, 2007)

I only read the 1st couple sorry.....u have a stethascope? It'll make it easier 2 pinpoint the source of the noise.


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: bastard belt squeak (dubsker)*

Mine makes noise too (started @ 8K miles currently @ 29K miles) 
I used belt dressing & it didn't help @ all. One time I spilled water on it & it stopped for like 3 minutes & then it came back, wtf


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

ive went and cleaned all the pulleys with a toothbrush, and it still makes the noise at a cold start. water doesnt do anything, and baby powder makes it go away.
this is after a new belt, and clean pulleys.
I GIVE UP.


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (dubsker)*

Yea f it man, I just checked my cam follower & did a compression test (because i was bored, lol) Everythings cool except for that damn bastard of a belt squeak, lol


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*FV-QR*

Today*, I wasted money on a new belt and tensioner. The noise you described is slightly less than before, but still there. FML.

*you know what I mean.


_Modified by OOOO-A3 at 11:35 PM 1-16-2010_


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

so, i just ran over the alternator pulley, ac pulley, and crank pulley with a wire brush, brake cleaner and q-tips.
then i proceeded to put on another new belt (exchanged, guys at oreilley ftw)i cleaned the crap out of the tensioner wheel, and the noise is gone. i'll see what it does later tonight after 6 hours or so.
the crank pulley is hardest, because if you do it yourself, the crank pulley often returns to the same position, i had to hold a brush there, and have my friend start the engine, and let it spin while the brush ran over the pulley, essentially abrading it.
so far, a cold engine test says all the noise is gone, however i wont know until tomorrow or later tonight.
if you proceed to clean your pulleys and neglect to put on a new belt, you'll have the same issue, chances are the belt will have already glazed your freshly cleaned pulleys.


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## gearshifter6 (Mar 18, 2007)

It could be the tensioner. I had a similar problem last year and the dealer replaced the tensioner and the belt with a new one and the noise was gone.


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

i can remove tension from the belt by lifting the tensioner and the noise will still be there. identical noise as well. if it was the tensioner the noise would have stopped and turned into a ridiculous squealing.


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## Meaty Ochre (Jul 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (dubsker)*

Mine was doing the same thing... And the dealer replaced the serp. belt and still did it. Then they said the timing belt was rubbing on its cover, so they replaced the timing belt and covers and it was good through the summer. As soon as it started getting cold, its back. One day ill take the cover off and grind a notch in it where its rubbing. Screw taking it to the dealer again.


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

or, you can do a simple test by just tapping some baby powder onto the serpentine belt, if it goes away, then you've found your problem.


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (MyOtherCarHasA5.0)*


_Quote, originally posted by *MyOtherCarHasA5.0* »_Mine was doing the same thing... And the dealer replaced the serp. belt and still did it. Then they said the timing belt was rubbing on its cover, so they replaced the timing belt and covers and it was good through the summer. As soon as it started getting cold, its back. One day ill take the cover off and grind a notch in it where its rubbing. Screw taking it to the dealer again.

So your saying its our timing belts? FML


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## Meaty Ochre (Jul 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (rippie74)*

It was on mine. And from what i hear from my buddy at the dealer, alot of 2.0ts


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*Re: FV-QR (rippie74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rippie74* »_
So your saying its our timing belts? FML









or you could not read my posts.....................................

baby powder. instant diagnosis


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## rippie74 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (dubsker)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dubsker* »_
or you could not read my posts.....................................

baby powder. instant diagnosis

No I read your posts... maybe I should try the baby powder thing? If I don't do anything about it... will there be any long term consequences?


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

if its your serpentine belt, the worst that can happen is it will wear and snap. but im sure you'll have other problems before that happens.


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## theguy1084 (Feb 4, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (dubsker)*

We have replaced several timing belts, rollers, and tensioners at the dealership for this very issue. The noise only seems to go away if you replace all of those things. I have an 08 GTI that does it but I am going to wait until I have more miles on it before I change everything under warranty. Its just a noise thats all. 
OP dont tell me I didnt read the post either because I did.


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## Meaty Ochre (Jul 26, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (theguy1084)*


_Quote, originally posted by *theguy1084* »_We have replaced several timing belts, rollers, and tensioners at the dealership for this very issue. The noise only seems to go away if you replace all of those things. I have an 08 GTI that does it but I am going to wait until I have more miles on it before I change everything under warranty. Its just a noise thats all. 
OP dont tell me I didnt read the post either because I did.


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## OOOO-A3 (Jul 20, 2004)

*Re: FV-QR (rippie74)*


_Quote, originally posted by *rippie74* »_No I read your posts... maybe I should try the baby powder thing? If I don't do anything about it... will there be any long term consequences?

Chafing and a rash?

__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view


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## dubsker (Jan 8, 2006)

*FV-QR*

k, i give up, cleaned and brushed pulleys, brand new belt. the only thing that hasnt been worked on is the tensioner.
the noise is there, but just. goes away within 30 seconds.
funny thing is, it only showed up after i took it out for a drive, the morning after the install it was still silent.
so moisture related?


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## chocolatecamil (Dec 8, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (dubsker)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dubsker* »_k, i give up, cleaned and brushed pulleys, brand new belt. the only thing that hasnt been worked on is the tensioner.
the noise is there, but just. goes away within 30 seconds.
funny thing is, it only showed up after i took it out for a drive, the morning after the install it was still silent.
so moisture related?

so any luck with making the problem stop? im getting this damn noise and its starting to piss the hell out of me. i had it fixed under warranty once, (belt and tensioner), and now its back. Worse then ever also being that it is louder and faster. anybody have a true remedy for this ****!!!


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## vliou (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: FV-QR (chocolatecamil)*

take off your timing belt cover, same problem?


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